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1、TravelsWithMyAuntGrahamPARTONEChapterIIMETMYAUNTAUGUSTAforthefirsttimeinmorethanhalfacenturyatmymother'sfuneral.Mymotherwasapproachingeighty-sixwhenshedied,andmyauntwassomeelevenortwelveyearsyounger.Ihadretiredfromthebanktwoyearsbeforewithanadequatepensionandasilverhandshake.Therehadbeenatake-
2、overbytheWestminsterandmybranchwasconsideredredundant.Everyonethoughtmelucky,butIfounditdifficulttooccupymytime.Ihavenevermarried,Ihavealwayslivedquietly,and,apartfrommyinterestindahlias,Ihavenohobby.ForthosereasonsIfoundmyselfagreeablyexcitedbymymother'sfuneral.Myfatherhadbeendeadformorethanf
3、ortyyears.Hewasabuildingcontractorofalethargicdispositionwhousedtotakeafternoonnapsinallsortsofcuriousplaces.Thisirritatedmymother,whowasanenergeticwoman,andsheusedtoseekhimouttodisturbhim.AsachildIremembergoingtothebathroom—welivedinHighgatethen—andfindingmyfatherasleepinthebathinhisclothes.I
4、amrathershortsightedandIthoughtthatmymotherhadbeencleaninganovercoat,untilIheardmyfatherwhisper,'Boltthedoorontheinsidewhenyougoout.'Hewastoolazytogetoutofthebathandtoosleepy,Isuppose,torealizethathisorderwasquiteimpossibletocarryout.Atanothertime,whenhewasresponsibleforanewblockofflatsinLewis
5、ham,hewouldtakehiscatnapinthecabinofthegiantcrane,andconstructionwouldbehalteduntilhewoke.Mymother,whohadagoodheadforheights,wouldclimbladderstothehighestscaffoldinginthehopeofdiscoveringhim,whenaslikeasnothewouldhavefoundacornerinwhatwastobetheundergroundgarage.Ihadalwaysthoughtofthemasreason
6、ablyhappytogether:theirtwinrolesofthehunterandthehuntedprobablysuitedthem,formymotherbythetimeIfirstrememberedherhaddevelopedanalertpoiseoftheheadandawarytrottingpacewhichremindedmeofagun-dog.Imustbeforgiventhesememoriesofthepast:atafuneraltheyareapttocomeunbidden,thereissomuchwaitingabout.Not
7、manypeopleattendedtheservice,whichtookplaceatafamouscrematorium,buttherewasthatslightstirringofexcitedexpectationwhichisneverexperiencedatagraveside.Willtheovendoorsopen?Willthecoffinstickonthewaytotheflames?Iheardavoicebehindmesayingin
