The seasonwas drawing to its dusty end, and everyone I knew was arranging to go away.Mrs. Strickland was taking her family to the coast of Norfolk, so that thechildren might have the sea and her husband golf. We said good-bye to oneanother, and arranged to meet in the autumn. But on my last day in town, comingout of the Stores, I met her with her son and daughter; like myself, she hadbeen making her final purchases before leaving London, and we were both hot andtired. I proposed that we should all go and eat ices in the park.

I think Mrs.Strickland was glad to show me her children, and she accepted my invitationwith alacrity. They were even more attractive than their photographs hadsuggested, and she was right to be proud of them. I was young enough for themnot to feel shy, and they chattered merrily about one thing and another. Theywere extraordinarily nice, healthy young children. It was very agreeable underthe trees.

喧嚣纷扰的社交季节逐渐接近尾声，我认识的每一个人都忙着准备离开诚里。思特里克兰德太太计划把一家人带到诺佛克海滨去，孩子们可以在那里洗海水浴，丈夫可以打高尔夫球。我们告了别，说好秋天再会面。但是在我留在伦敦的最后一天，刚从陆海军商店里买完东西走出来，却又遇到思特里克兰德太太带着她的一儿一女；同我一样，她也是在离开伦敦之前抓空买最后一批东西。我们都又热又累，我提议一起到公园去吃一点冷食。

我猜想思特里克兰德太太很高兴让我看到她的两个孩子，她一点儿也没有犹豫就接受了我的邀请。孩子们比照片上看到的更招人喜爱，她为他们感到骄傲是很有道理的。我的年纪也很轻，所以他们在我面前一点也不拘束，只顾高高兴兴地谈他们自己的事。这两个孩子都十分漂亮，健康活泼。歇息在树荫下，大家都感到非常愉快。