"Plain, Belva - Harvest" - читать интересную книгу автора (Plain Belva)

Anna's laughter rang out. "Joseph! What do you want of her? Aren't four enough?"
"Another child is the last thing I want. What I want is to go back to teaching or to work toward my master's, or even perhaps do both. I want to do something—something with my life," she said, letting the anger speak. Yet at the same time she knew that this anger was only a substitute for that other anger.
Anna was dubious. "With that big household to run?"
"I'm not much of a housekeeper, Mother. You know that."
"Mother," she had said. It crossed her mind that Mama was the word for some moods, but Mother was the word for this one.


"It's not my freezer that's filled with homemade pies, and I certainly don't know how to make strudel dough. My vases aren't filled with fresh-cut flowers out of the garden I planted, and I don't do needlepoint," she finished.
Anna smiled. The smile said: I know you're attacking me or else defending yourself in some odd way, and I don't mind. I wish I could know everything about you, but that's impossible. I do try, though, Iris.
"I'm sorry," Iris said. "I didn't mean anything except that I'm not like you, Mama."
She was taking her trouble out on her mother, and it wasn't right.
Joseph intervened. "True, you're not like your mother. But you do well enough. Your family's fed and cared for, as far as I can see."
"Yes. But I want to do something more. Something important."
"Having children isn't important?" Joseph queried. "You know better than that. It's the most important thing you can do."
Anna looked reflective. "That's true, Joseph. And yet, if I had had the education Iris has, I often think—oh, I don't know. I wonder what I would have done in the world—"
Joseph interrupted. "Look what you do now! All your charities, your hospital committee, the League of Women Voters, you do plenty in the world," he said firmly.
It is odd, Iris thought, that Papa, to whom I have always been so much closer, is still the one to whom some things are better left unsaid. He has a picture of me, his happy, grown-up little girl, that mustn't be touched. While my mother—Mama—is ready to listen in spite of the strain that has always been between us, that we never mention because there is no explanation for it. Is it because she knows I am aware of her beauty that I haven't inherited, or because my brother died? No, it was farther back. Farther. I don't know why.
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"If Theo wants you to stay home," Papa said, "my advice to you is, put this business out of your mind. Iris dear, be content as you are. Cultivate your talents at home. Remember, a man who works as hard as he does and under so much tension wants a well-run, peaceful household. Especially a European man, brought up before the war in a very different style."

Iris was faintly surprised that her father could have such awareness of a cultural difference. She was also faintly surprised at the unmistakable reprimand in his voice.

Anna hurriedly cut through whatever resentment might be rising to cloud the air.

"Has your dress come yet, Iris? Mine was delivered this morning. It's gorgeous." And without waiting for an answer she said to Joseph, "Oh, you'll be proud of us both at your dinner. But not as proud as we are of you. I've been hearing everywhere that this Home for the Aged is the best thing you've ever built. The man at the bank today called it an architectural gem."

"Well, well, I wasn't the architect. I only built it. Too much fuss," Joseph growled, looking enormously pleased.

"Don't sell yourself short. You had a lot to do with the design. You deserve a testimonial dinner. Did you say that your dress has come, Iris?"

"Yesterday."

"Where did you go for them?" Joseph asked. "To that fancy place in New York?"

"Chez Lea, of course. Where else?" Anna gave a little self-mocking smile. "It's the only place to go. Half the women I know practically live there."

"Her prices are disgraceful," Iris complained. "I haven't been there more than three times since we got my trousseau and my wedding dress."

"But she does have lovely things, you have to admit," Anna said. "And what's more, she doesn't push things on you the

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way most places do. No high pressure at all. She's such a friendly woman too."
"I never liked the way she looks at us," Iris said. "She's too curious."
"For goodness' sake, what could she be curious about?"
"I don't know. There's just something that bothers me. Anyway, I was ashamed to look at the price tag again when I opened the box."