Chapter 12 Chapter Eleven

Dinner is the most formal meal of the day at Lai's College, with seniors wearing silk dresses for dancing and others in formal dinner attire.On Saturdays, however, with many students heading to Labeau, no other day seemed formal.Students can freely choose their seats and choose to wear their favorite clothes within the constraints.The atmosphere was more relaxed this evening, with many students already out celebrating the end of the week-long finals and many more planning to celebrate in place after dinner.Handa was not present and was said to be dining in her own room, while Mrs. Rever could not come to share the dinner due to personal reasons.Frauette and her mother went to see a theatrical performance in Rabeau, so Lucy dined at the head staff table with Miss Luc and Miss Wager, and found herself enjoying it.Everyone tacitly did not mention the sensitive topic of Alinge at all.

"I thought," Miss Luke said while picking up unknown vegetables on the plate with a fork, "on such a celebratory evening, Miss Jolie would prepare something bigger than this pile of vegetables for us." Decent food scraps." "It's because she wants to celebrate, so she doesn't have to bother to prepare." Miss Wagga ate with relish. "She knows there's enough food upstairs to sink a battleship waiting for everyone." "It's a pity that we don't have our share. Miss Ping must hide some food in her pocket and bring it to us."

"I bought some cream puffs when I passed through Labeau on the way back from the game." Miss Wager surrendered. "We can have coffee and some tea in my room." Mademoiselle Luc seemed to prefer some cheese rolls, but she was quite kind-hearted in spite of her cool and quick-witted nature, so she replied: "You are very kind, thank you for your invitation, I will come." "I thought you were going to the theater too, otherwise I would have invited you long ago." "Obsolete thing." Miss Luke said. "Don't you like theatre?" asked Lucy, startled, for she still had the magic of childhood.

Miss Luc stopped, stared at a rather suspicious-looking piece of carrot, and said: "Don't count the experience of watching children's plays as a child, think about it now, if you go to the theater for the first time and see a group of people in costumes Do you still find it funny that the actors are posing in big lit boxes? Even funnier is the intermission, which was originally designed for the audience to go to the bathroom, and now it's Tully Bar. There are other What entertainment would allow such a controversial intermission? Does anyone stop for a drink during a symphony?"

"But that's how plays are designed!" protested Lucy. "Yeah. Like I said: obsolete stuff." This made Lucy feel quite frustrated, not because she was obsessed with drama, but because she thought she had seen Miss Luc by mistake.Had it not been for this conversation, she would have said Miss Luc was a theater fanatic who went to the backwoods to see experimental plays. "I almost went to the theater to-night," said Miss Varger, "just to see Edward Adidas one more time. I was fascinated by him when I was a student. I think he's a bit out of date now." .have you seen any of his plays?"

"I haven't seen him on stage. When he was a little boy, he would spend the holidays with us." After stirring the dishes on the plate with a fork, Miss Luc decided to give up. "Vacation together! At your house?" "Yes! He and my brother are classmates." "My God! How incredible!" "What's so weird about that?" "I mean, it's impossible to imagine Edward Yadi as a normal guy, someone who actually knew him. It's impossible to imagine him being a student like everyone else." "Nasty little boy." "Oh! No way?"

"Quite a rebellious little boy who's always looking at himself in the mirror. Has a special talent for things like being on the cutting edge of fashion." Her tone was cool, matter-of-fact, and distant. "Oh, Carlyn, you're hitting me hard." "I never saw anyone so gifted as little Edward, who always left his troubles to others." "He must have other strengths, right?" Lucy shot a sniper. "He is very talented, yes." "Are you still meeting him?" Miss Wagga was still obsessed with the excitement of getting first-hand information about the mythical figure.

"Very few. After my brother died and we sold our parents' house, there were very few family gatherings." "And you've never seen him on stage?" "there has never been." "And you didn't even pay six cents to take the bus to Rabotown to see him play tonight?" "Exactly. I told you, drama doesn't resonate with me at all." "But it's Shakespeare's play." "Even if it's Shakespeare, I'd rather read him at home, with Doreen Varger and her cream puffs. Miss Ping, you won't forget to stash some after the feast is over." Stuff in your pocket, my starving proletariat would be most welcome. Macaroons, chocolate bonbons, leftover sandwiches, flattened sausages—"

"I'll be passing a hat for donations," Lucy promised, "and I'll be passing the hat and trembling and saying 'Well, don't forget the faculty.'" But she wasn't having a good time when she took the champagne out of the melting ice in the sink. There is no denying that this celebration will be a painful ordeal.She tied a big bow on the wine bottle to add some joy, and on the one hand to avoid people saying that she "brought wine for herself", the effect is very similar to a countess wearing a paper hat, but she thinks students should Can't tell it is.She was hesitant about what to wear, considering whether she should wear something less formal for a casual gathering, but on the other hand, she wanted to dress up in order to reflect the status of a special guest.She decided to let the students have the privilege of seeing her attire for the lecture, and she put on her make-up carefully.If Handa's moody moods would overshadow the celebration, she, Lucy, would do her best to bring joy.

Judging from the noise coming from other rooms and the sound of footsteps coming and going, this evening's celebration at Lai's Academy was not the only one held by Stewart.The corridor is filled with the aroma of coffee, and with the opening and closing of the door, the sound waves come and go.Even the younger students seemed to join in the fun, and although it didn't matter to them whether they celebrated their assignment or not, they could finally forget about the first final exam.Lucy remembered that she hadn't been able to ask Sao Walnut how she did in the final exam of anatomy. ("Today's originality may be tomorrow's absurdity, but a collarbone will always be a collarbone.") The next time you pass a student bulletin board, be sure to look for Diderot's name.

She knocked twice on the number ten door before her voice could be heard in the room. But when Stewart opened the door with a blushing face, this group of noisy girls suddenly became shy and stood up in the silence, just like a group of children with strict tutoring. "I'm so glad you can come and join us." As soon as Stewart spoke, Dax saw the bottle in Lucy's hand, and in an instant, all the formal etiquette disappeared. "Drink!" she screamed, "as I live and breathe, drink! Oh Miss Ping, you are such a sweet baby!" "I hope I didn't break any school rules." Lucy remembered that earlier, she didn't understand Miss Jolie's eyes that hesitated to speak. "But in my opinion, now is a good time to drink champagne." "The best opportunity for the three of you. Dexter and Thomas are also celebrating. It couldn't be better. It's great that you thought of bringing champagne." Stewart said. "Drinking champagne out of a mouthwash glass is so offensive." It was Hassett. "Never mind, we'll drink it as an aperitif now. It's a dish. Pass the cup to everyone.Miss Ping, the chair is for you. "A wicker chair brought in from the outside has pillows of various designs and colors. Apart from the hard writing chair in front of the desk, this is the only formal seat, and the other partygoers have brought their own pillows, leaning directly on the floor, some already stacked under their buttocks , as comfortable as a kitten lying on the bed.Someone tied a yellow handkerchief to the lamp, and the normal harshness was replaced by a soft yellow light.The gray-blue night seen through the open windows will soon turn dark.It was like her own party in her student days, only the scene in front of her was more lively. Is it because the pillows are more colorful? Or are the participants more muscular looking, with no wimpy hair, glasses, and nerdy looks? No, of course not.She knew what the difference was, the whiff of cigarette smoke. "O'Donna hasn't come yet." Thomas took the mouthwash cups from everyone and placed them on the desk covered with a tablecloth. "I think she was helping Ruth pack the poles," said one of the disciples. "Impossible," said the second disciple, "today is Saturday." "Even the telecommunications bureau will be closed on Saturday." The third person interfaced. "Even Ruth." The fourth disciple commented. "Could Miss Ruth be doing some spinning?" asked Lucy. "Yeah!" they said together, "she'll be practicing until the results come out." "How does she have time?" "She goes to practice after changing in the morning, before the first class." "Six o'clock," marveled Lucy, "is dreadful." "It's no worse than any other time," they said, "at least it's a time when you're refreshed, there's no rush, and you can use the gym by yourself. By yourself. And besides, it's the only time. In the first The bars must be put back in place before class." "She doesn't really have to practice anymore," Stewart said. "She's got the hang of it, but she's worried that she won't get the hang of it before the results are released." "I can understand, my dear," Dax said, "think about it, it would be a lifelong shame to hang on a pole like a sick monkey in front of everyone, and then be stared at by Frau's piercing eyes My dear, it would be better to be dead. Where would O'Donnell be if she wasn't doing Ruth's chores? She's the only one who hasn't arrived yet." "Poor little Don," Thomas said, "hasn't been assigned yet." Thomas was as happy as a millionaire to be back working in Wales. "Don't worry about Xiao Tang." Hassett answered, "Irish people can always seek good luck and avoid bad luck." Miss Ping looked for Innes everywhere, but there was no one there.Bao'er is not there either. Seeing her searching eyes, Stewart translated the meaning, and said, "Bo'er and Innes want me to tell you, I'm sorry, they can't participate in this celebration, but I hope you can be the next time they host it." Their honored guest." "Bo'er is going to help Innes hold a celebration party," Hassett said, "to celebrate the matter of Alingo." "Actually, we all want to help Xiaoyin celebrate." One of the disciples said. "Have a party like a celebration banquet." The second disciple continued to speak. "It's always an honor for the school." The third disciple was not far behind. "You will come, Miss Ping." The statement of the fourth disciple is more like a declaration than a question. "I couldn't be happier," replied Lucy.However, she secretly rejoiced in her heart that she got away with it, "Where did Bao'er and Innes go?" "Bo'er's family suddenly appeared and took them to see a play in Labo Town." Stewart replied. "That's the benefit of owning a Rolls-Royce." Thomas said without jealousy. "You can travel around England on a whim. If my family wanted to travel, they had to yockle an old gray stallion—actually a grey-brown short-legged horse—and walk twenty miles. to get where you want to go.” "Farmer?" Lucy saw the deserted lanes of Wales. "No, my father is a priest, but we have to keep a horse for farm work, and we can't have a horse and a car at the same time." "Well, anyway," said one of the disciples, finding a more comfortable seat on the bed, "no one really wants to go to the theater in town." "That's just a way to pass the evening," said the second disciple. "When you sit, your knees will touch the back of the person in front of you." The third disciple continued. "The eyes have to be glued to the binoculars." The four disciples said. "Why stick to the binoculars?" Lucy was surprised to find that the same views as Miss Luc appeared in this group of young people who had not been influenced by social etiquette but pursued entertainment. "Otherwise what to watch?" "Little dolls walking around in the box." "Like on the breakwater at Breton Beach." "At least on the breakwater at Breton Beach, you can still see the expression on the face." They themselves were more like characters on the jetty at Breton Beach, Lucy thought.Exactly the same, so similar that they are indistinguishable.Obviously, unless one of them starts to speak, there will be no opinion, and the members echo each other. "Me, I'm so glad nothing has changed," Hassett said. "I've worn out a pair of dancing shoes for the grades release, and I've got horrible blisters." "Miss Hassett," Stewart was obviously learning to speak, "it is the student's responsibility to keep in good health at all times." "Maybe," returned Hassett, "but at least I didn't stand five miles on a bus on Saturday night to go anywhere, let alone go to a theatre." "Anyway, it's just Shakespeare, my dears," said Dax, "'It's all from my soul,'" she mimed, beating her breasts. "But there's Edward Adidas." Lucy felt obliged to find a good reason for her beloved play. "Who is Edward Adidas?" Dax asked innocently. "It's the guy who looks like a bald eagle with a sad face." Stewart was too busy playing the competent hostess to notice Lucy's reaction: this is aimed at Edward Yadi, from the unemotional Terrible are the vivid conclusions drawn by young men. "When I was studying in Edinburgh, the school took us to see him play." "Don't you appreciate the performance?" Lucy remembered that Stewart's name was tied with Innes and Boa on the performance list, and she knew that the event should not be a chore for her like it was for everyone else. . "It's better than sitting in the classroom," Stewart pondered, "but drama is really—an old-fashioned thing. It's good to watch, but it's a bit boring. I'm missing a mouthwash cup here." "I think mine is missing." O'Donna walked in just before she finished speaking, and handed her a glass. "I'm afraid I'm late. I've been looking for a pair of shoes that I can fit my feet in. Miss Ping, forgive these things, please?" She pointed to the bedroom slippers on her feet. "My feet have abandoned me." "Do you know who Edward Adidas is?" asked Lucy. "Of course I do," O'Donnell replied. "I've been in love with him since I was twelve when I saw him perform in Belfast." "You seem to be the only person in the room who knows him and is fascinated by him." "Ah, barbarian." O'Donnell looked around at the party - Lucy felt that O'Donnell's eyes were shining, as if she had just cried. "If I could be in Rabo Town now, I would definitely fall at his feet. It's a pity that the semester is coming to an end now, and I don't have any extra money to buy theater tickets." And, Lucy regrets, you feel like you'll be looked down upon if you don't come to the party, because you're the only one who doesn't have a work schedule yet.She really liked this girl who wiped away her tears and found a slipper as an excuse to attend this celebration that had nothing to do with her. "Okay," Stewart hurriedly unscrewed the cork, "Since Xiao Tang is here, we can open the bottle." "My God, it's champagne!" Xiao Tang exclaimed. The fizzy champagne was poured into blunt mouthwash glasses, and they all turned to Lucy, looking at her expectantly. "Celebrating Stewart's distribution to Scotland, Thomas to Wales, and Dexter to Ringo Abbey," said Lucy. Cheers to this. "Blessings to all our friends from Cape Town to Manchester," Thomas said. Congratulations again. "Okay, Miss Ping. What do you want to eat?" Lucy sat down happily and enjoyed.Ruth was not invited, and there was an arrangement in the dark. God appeared in the image of rich parents driving a Rolls-Royce, and took away the unfounded but cheerful Innes, so as to avoid a confrontation between the two. The tragedy of sitting together.