It was seven o'clock on Saturday evening. Jackie stood at the window. A car drove slowly up to the front door and stopped. A tall man with white hair got out，It was Albert，the husband of Molly's sister.

'Here's Uncle Albert，'Jackie said. 'Always late. '

She went out of the room and opened the front door. Albert came in and went at once to Molly.

'Oh，dear. I'm very late. I am sorry，'Albert said. 'Fifty years old today！What a wonderful dress！'

Molly did not smile. 'Thank you，Albert. We're all getting older. 'Tonight she wore a long black dress，and the two black dogs sat at her feet. 'Everyone is here now. Let's go in to dinner，'she said.

Everyone stood up and went to the table.

'The table looks nice，Jackie. What wonderful flowers！'Diane said. She was a beautiful girl，with long black hair and dark blue eyes. She wore a long red dress.

Albert sat down next to Roger Roger was Molly's son，her second child. He lived in Cambridge，in an expensive house.

'Someone called Peter stopped me down the road，'Albert said. 'Who is he？ He's very angry with you，Molly. '

'That's Peter Hobbs，from the house across the road，'Jackie said quickly. She looked across the table at Molly. 'He lost his job last week and he's angry with everyone. '

'It's Molly he doesn't like，'Albert said.

Molly said nothing. Everyone began to eat.

'How is Aunt Annie？'Jackie asked.

'She's much worse now，'Albert said. 'She stays in bed all the time. She needs a nurse twenty-four hours a day. '

'I am sorry，'Molly said.

Albert stopped eating and looked at Molly. 'It's very difficult and very expensive，you know. Annie feels very unhappy because you don't visit her，Molly. She loves you very much. You are her little sister；you know. '

Molly closed her eyes for a minute. ' I know that，Albert. I am fifty years old，but I am always her“little”sister. Well，we can talk about it later. '

Albert laughed. 'Oh yes，we can talk later. It's always later with you，Molly. Always tomorrow. Never today. '

Jackie watched her mother. Her mother was angry with Albert. Molly never liked talking about her sister Annie and she did not like visiting her because she was very ill.

'That's a beautiful dress，Diane. Is it new？'Jackie asked.

'Thank you，Jackie. Yes，it's new，and very expensive. I got it on Wednesday，'Diane said. She smiled at Jackie.

'All your things are expensive，'Jackie said. She remembered the phone call on Thursday about the train ticket.

'I don't like cheap things，'Diane said. 'And I'm going to need more money soon. I want to go to America. Can you help me，Roger？'

'Oh no，'Roger said. 'Nobody wants to help you， Diane. You don't like working，we all know that，but we all want you to get a job. '

Diane laughed. 'It doesn't matter，Roger. I don't need your help. Mother always helps me. Mother loves me best. 'She suddenly smiled，a quick，beautiful smile. But her eyes were cold.

Jackie looked at her mother. Molly's face was white. Jackie did not understand. Was her mother afraid of Diane？Jackie wanted her mother to be happy today.

'Would you like some more meat，Uncle Albert？'Jackie asked. 'Roger，can you give everyone some more to drink？

Roger got up and began to give more wine to everyone. 'This is good wine，'he said.

Molly smiled for the first time. 'Yes，your father loved this wine. He often drank it. '

'Yes，'Albert said，and looked at Molly. 'Expensive，too. '

'Would you like to meet Mr Briggs this weekend，Roger？Jackie asked quickly. 'He's the new man at the farm. He wants to meet you. '

'Briggs？Briggs？'Molly said，suddenly angry. 'Don't talk to me about that man. I don't like him. He wants half my garden for his farm. He needs more land，he says. I don't want him in my house. He's always dirty and he has bad teeth. '

Jackie stood up and got her bag. 'Excuse me，I want a cigarette. '

'Cigarettes！Always a cigarette in your mouth，'Molly said. 'I don't like it. Cigarettes aren't good for you. '

Jackie began to smoke. She felt angry but she said nothing. She wanted her mother to be happy this evening，but it was very difficult.

Roger drank some more wine. 'Well，Mother，perhaps Mr Briggs is right. The garden is very big，you know，'he said. 'It's a lot of work for you. The house is big，too. You're fifty now. You need to be more careful. '

'Roger！I don't need a nurse，you know！I work in the garden every day；I feel happy there. 'Molly stood up. 'I know you all want my money. You come here for a free dinner，you don't want to see me. You don't love me. You want my house，and my money. Well，you can all wait. No-body is getting more money from me，not before I die！'

'Don't say that，Mother！'Jackie cried.

Molly walked across the room to the door. 'I feel ill now. I'm going upstairs to bed. '

Molly left the room. Nobody moved.

'One day I'm going to kill that woman，'Diane said quietly.

Roger looked at Diane but said nothing. Albert moved his head slowly up and down. 'Ill！She's angry，that's all，'he said. 'Molly always gets angry about money. Why can't she be good to her sister？Annie's going to die soon. Molly knows that. '

Jackie finished her cigarette and stood up. 'Would everyone like some coffee？Come into the kitchen and let's drink it there. '

译文

星期六晚上7点。杰基站在窗前。一辆小车徐徐驶到前门停下来。一个白头发、高个子的男人下了车，他是艾伯特，莫利姐姐的丈夫。

“是艾伯特姨父，”杰基说。“他总是迟到。”

她走出房间打开前门。艾伯特走进来，立刻便走向莫利。

“哦，亲爱的，抱歉，我来得太迟了，”艾伯特说。“今天是你50岁生日！多漂亮的裙子！”

莫利没有笑。“谢谢你，艾伯特。我们都老了。”今晚她穿了一条长长的黑裙子，两条黑狗蹲在她脚边。“现在大家都到了，咱们吃饭吧。”她说。

大家都站起来走到桌前。

“餐桌看起来不错，杰基。多美的花啊！”黛安娜说。她是个美丽的女孩，有一头长长的黑头发和一双深蓝色的眼睛，她穿了一条红色的长裙。

艾伯特坐在罗杰的旁边。罗杰是莫利的儿子，她的第二个孩子。他住在剑桥一幢昂贵的房子里。

“有个叫彼特的人沿路阻挡我，”艾伯特说。“他是谁？他很生你的气，莫利。”

“那是彼得·霍布斯，家住在马路对面的房子里。”杰基很快地说。她看着餐桌对面的莫利。“他上周丢了工作，他生每个人的气。”

“他不喜欢的是莫利，”艾伯特说。

莫利一言不发。大家开始吃东西。

“安妮姨妈好吗？”杰基问。

“她现在更糟糕了，”艾伯特说。“她所有时间都呆在床上。她一天24小时都需要护士。”

“我真难过”，莫利说。

艾伯特停下来看着莫利。“你知道，这事非常麻烦并且非常花钱。莫利，安妮因为你不去看她很不高兴。她非常爱你，你知道，你是她的小妹妹。”

莫利闭上了眼。“我知道这些，艾伯特。我都50岁了，可我总是她的'小'妹妹。好吧，我们以后再谈这事。”

艾伯特笑道。“哦，是啊，我们以后再谈。莫利，和你总是以后，总是明天。从来不是今天。”

杰基看着她的母亲，她的母亲生艾伯特的气。莫利从来就不喜欢谈论她姐姐，也不喜欢去拜访她。而她病得很重。

“这裙子真漂亮，黛安娜。是新的吗？”杰基问。

“谢谢，杰基。是的，新裙子，非常贵。我周三才买的。”黛安娜说。她冲着杰基微笑。

“你所有的东西都昂贵，”杰基说。她记起周四关于火车票的电话。

“我不喜欢便宜的东西，”黛安娜说。“我不久会需要更多的钱，我想去美国。罗杰，你能帮我吗？”

“哦，不行，”罗杰说。“没有人想帮你，黛安娜。我们都知道，你不喜欢工作，但是我们都希望你找份工作。”

黛安娜笑道。“没关系，罗杰。我不需要你的帮助，妈妈总是会帮我的，妈妈最爱我。”她突然笑了一下，一个转瞬即逝美丽的微笑。可她的眼神却是冷冷的。

杰基看着她的妈妈，莫利脸色苍白。杰基不明白为什么。她的妈妈会怕黛安娜？杰基希望她的妈妈今天快快乐乐。

“艾伯特姨父，你还要些肉吗？”杰基问。“罗杰，你能给每人再添些饮料吗？”

罗杰站起来动手给大家加了些酒。“这酒不错，”他说。

莫利第一次笑了。“是啊，你父亲爱喝这种酒。他经常喝。”

“是啊”，艾伯特看着莫利说“也非常贵。”

“罗杰，这个周末你想见见布里格斯吗？”杰基急忙问。“他刚来农场。他想见见你。”

“布里格斯？布里格斯？”莫利说，她突然生气了。“不要和我谈那个男人，我不喜欢他。他想要我把一半的花园当他的农场。他说，他需要更多的土地。我不希望他来我家，他总是脏兮兮的，还有一口坏牙。”

杰基站起来拿她的包。“抱歉，我想抽枝烟。”

“烟！你的嘴总是叼着烟，”莫利说。“我讨厌烟，抽烟对你不好。”

杰基开始抽烟，她感到很生气，但她什么也没说。她想让她妈妈今晚快乐些，可看来这非常难。

罗杰喝了好些酒。“好啦，妈妈，布里格斯先生可能是对的。你清楚，花园是太大了，”他说。“你要干许多的事，房子也太大了。你都50岁了，你需要更多的照顾。”

“罗杰！你明白，我不需要护士！我每天在花园里干点活，我在那儿感到快乐。”莫利站起来。“我知道你们都想要我的钱。你们来这儿只为一顿免费的晚餐，不是想来看看我，你们不爱我。你们想要我的房子，我的钱。好吧，你们都等着。在我死之前，任何人都别想从我这儿得一点儿！”

“别说这些，妈妈！”杰基叫道。

莫利穿过房间走到门前。“现在我感到不舒服。我要上楼睡觉了。”

莫利离开了房间，大家都没动。

“有一天我会杀了这女人，”黛安娜平静地说。

罗杰看看黛安娜，但什么也没说。艾伯特上下摇晃着脑袋。“不舒服！她生气了，就这样，”他说。“莫利谈到钱总要生气。为什么她不能对她姐姐好点？安妮不久就要死了，莫利知道这些。”

杰基抽完烟站起来。“每人都来些咖啡吗？到厨房去，咱们在那儿喝吧！”