首发偶发空缺 (临时空缺)- 第41部分

‘Beyond　the　Fields；　apparently。’　Kay　laughed；　with　condescension。　‘You　want　to　draw　a　line　neatly　between　the　home…owning　middle　classes　and　the　lower—’

‘Pagford’s　full　of　working…class　people；　Kay；　the　difference　is；　most　of　them　work。　D’you　know　what　proportion　of　the　Fields　lives　off　benefits？　Responsibility；　you　say：　what　happened　to　personal　responsibility？　We’ve　had　them　through　the　local　school　for　years：　kids　who　haven’t　got　a　single　worker　in　the　family；　the　concept　of　earning　a　living　is　pletely　foreign　to　them；　generations　of　non…workers；　and　we’re　expected　to　subsidize　them—’

‘So　your　solution　is　to　shunt　off　the　problem　onto　Yarvil；’　said　Kay；　‘not　to　engage　with　any　of　the　underlying—’

‘Mississippi　mud　pie？’　called　Samantha。

Gavin　and　Mary　took　slices　with　thanks；　Kay；　to　Samantha’s　fury；　simply　held　out　her　plate　as　though　Samantha　were　a　waitress；　her　attention　all　on　Miles。

‘…　the　addiction　clinic；　which　is　absolutely　crucial；　and　which　certain　people　are　apparently　lobbying　to　close—’

‘Oh；　well；　if　you’re　talking　about　Bellchapel；’　said　Miles；　shaking　his　head　and　smirking；　‘I　hope　you’ve　mugged　up　on　what　the　success　rates　are；　Kay。　Pathetic；　frankly；　absolutely　pathetic。　I’ve　seen　the　figures；　I　was　going　through　them　this　morning；　and　I　won’t　lie　to　you；　the　sooner　they　close—’

‘And　the　figures　you’re　talking　about　are　…？’

‘Success　rates；　Kay；　exactly　what　I　said：　the　number　of　people　who　have　actually　stopped　using　drugs；　gone　clean—’

‘I’m　sorry；　but　that’s　a　very　naive　point　of　view；　if　you’re　going　to　judge　success　purely—’

‘But　how　on　earth　else　are　we　supposed　to　judge　an　addiction　clinic’s　success？’　demanded　Miles；　incredulous。　‘As　far　as　I　can　tell；　all　they　do　at　Bellchapel　is　dole　out　methadone；　which　half　of　their　clients　use　alongside　heroin　anyway。’

‘The　whole　problem　of　addiction　is　immensely　plicated；’　said　Kay；　‘and　it’s　naive　and　simplistic　to　put　the　problem　purely　in　terms　of　users　and　non　…’

But　Miles　was　shaking　his　head；　smiling；　Kay；　who　had　been　enjoying　her　verbal　duel　with　this　self…satisfied　lawyer；　was　suddenly　angry。

‘Well；　I　can　give　you　a　very　concrete　example　of　what　Bellchapel’s　doing：　one　family　I’m　working　with　–　mother；　teenage　daughter　and　small　son　–　if　the　mother　wasn’t　on　methadone；　she’d　be　on　the　streets　trying　to　pay　for　her　habit；　the　kids　are　immeasurably　better　off—’

‘They’d　be　better　off　away　from　their　mother；　by　the　sound　of　it；’　said　Miles。

‘And　where　exactly　would　you　propose　they　go？’

‘A　decent　foster　home　would　be　a　good　start；’　said　Miles。

‘Do　you　know　how　many　foster　homes　there　are；　against　how　many　kids　needing　them？’　asked　Kay。

‘The　best　solution　would　have　been　to　have　them　adopted　at　birth—’

‘Fabulous。　I’ll　hop　in　my　time　machine；’　retorted　Kay。

‘Well；　we　know　a　couple　who　were　desperate　to　adopt；’　said　Samantha；　unexpectedly　throwing　her　weight　behind　Miles。　She　would　not　forgive　Kay　for　the　rude　outstretched　plate；　the　woman　was　bolshy　and　patronizing；　exactly　like　Lisa；　who　had　monopolized　every　get…together　with　her　political　views　and　her　job　in　family　law；　despising　Samantha　for　owning　a　bra　shop。　‘Adam　and　Janice；’　she　reminded　Miles　in　parenthesis；　who　nodded；　‘and　they　couldn’t　get　a　baby　for　love　nor　money；　could　they？’

‘Yes；　a　baby；’　said　Kay；　rolling　her　eyes；　‘everybody　wants　a　baby。　Robbie’s　nearly　four。　He’s　not　potty…trained；　he’s　developmentally　behind　for　his　age　and　he’s　almost　certainly　had　inappropriate　exposure　to　sexual　behaviour。　Would　your　friends　like　to　adopt　him？’

‘But　the　point　is；　if　he’d　been　taken　from　his　mother　at　birth—’

‘She　was　off　the　drugs　when　he　was　born；　and　making　good　progress；’　said　Kay。　‘She　loved　him　and　wanted　to　keep　him；　and　she　was　meeting　his　needs　at　the　time。　She’d　already　raised　Krystal；　with　some　family　support—’

‘Krystal！’　shrieked　Samantha。　‘Oh　my　God；　are　we　talking　about　the　Weedons？’

Kay　was　horrified　that　she　had　used　names；　it　had　never　mattered　in　London；　but　everyone　truly　did　know　everyone　in　Pagford；　it　seemed。

‘I　shouldn’t　have—’

But　Miles　and　Samantha　were　laughing；　and　Mary　looked　tense。　Kay；　who　had　not　touched　her　pie；　and　had　managed　very　little　of　the　first　course；　realized　that　she　had　drunk　too　much；　she　had　been　sipping　wine　steadily　out　of　nerves；　and　now　she　had　mitted　a　prime　indiscretion。　Still；　it　was　too　late　to　undo　that；　anger　overrode　every　other　consideration。

‘Krystal　Weedon　is　no　advert　for　that　woman’s　mothering　skills；’　said　Miles。

‘Krystal’s　trying　her　damnedest　to　hold　her　family　together；’　said　Kay。　‘She　loves　her　little　brother　very　much；　she’s　terrified　he’ll　be　taken　away—’

‘I　wouldn’t　trust　Krystal　Weedon　to　look　after　a　boiling　egg；’　said　Miles；　and　Samantha　laughed　again。　‘Oh；　look；　it’s　to　her　credit　she　loves　her　brother；　but　he　isn’t　a　cuddly　toy—’

‘Yes；　I　know　that；’　snapped　Kay；　remembering　Robbie’s　shitty；　crusted　bottom；　‘but　he’s　still　loved。’

‘Krystal　bullied　our　daughter　Lexie；’　said　Samantha；　‘so　we’ve　seen　a　different　side　of　her　to　the　one　I’m　sure　she　shows　you。’

‘Look；　we　all　know　Krystal’s　had　a　rough　deal；’　said　Miles；　‘nobody’s　denying　that。　It’s　the　drug…addled　mother　I’ve　got　an　issue　with。’

‘As　a　matter　of　fact；　she’s　doing　very　well　on　the　Bellchapel　programme　at　the　moment。’

‘But　with　her　history；’　said　Miles；　‘it　isn’t　rocket　science；　is　it；　to　guess　that　she’ll　relapse？’

‘If　you　apply　that　rule　across　the　board；　you　ought　not　to　have　a　driving　licence；　because　with　your　history　you’re　bound　to　drink　and　drive　again。’

Miles　was　temporarily　baffled；　but　Samantha　said　coldly；　‘I　think　that’s　a　rather　different　thing。’

‘Do　you？’　said　Kay。　‘It’s　the　same　principle。’

‘Yes；　well；　principles　are　sometimes　the　problem；　if　you　ask　me；’　said　Miles。　‘Often　what’s　needed　is　a　bit　of　mon　sense。’

‘Which　is　the　name　people　usually　give　to　their　prejudices；’　rejoined　Kay。

‘According　to　Nietzsche；’　said　a　sharp　new　voice；　making　them　all　jump；　‘philosophy　is　the　biography　of　the　philosopher。’

A　miniature　Samantha　stood　at　the　door　into　the　hall；　a　busty　girl　of　around　sixteen　in　tight　jeans　and　a　T…shirt；　she　was　eating　a　handful　of　grapes　and　looking　rather　pleased　with　herself。

‘Everyone　meet　Lexie；’　said　Miles　proudly。　‘Thank　you　for　that；　genius。’

‘You’re　wele；’　said　Lexie　pertly；　and　she　swept　off　upstairs。

A　heavy　silence　sank　over　the　table。　Without　really　knowing　why；　Samantha；　Miles　and　Kay　all　glanced　towards　Mary；　who　looked　as　though　she　might　be　on　the　verge　of　tears。

‘Coffee；’　said　Samantha；　lurching　to　her　feet。　Mary　disappeared　into　the　bathroom。

‘Let’s　go　and　sit　through；’　said　Miles；　conscious　that　the　atmosphere　was　somewhat　charged；　but　confident　that　he　could；　with　a　few　jokes　and　his　habitual　bonhomie；　steer　everyone　back　into　charity　with　each　other。　‘Bring　your　glasses。’

His　inner　certainties　had　been　no　more　rearranged　by　Kay’s　arguments　than　a　breeze　can　move　a　boulder；　yet　his　feeling　towards　her　was　not　unkind；　but　rather　pitying。　He　was　the　least　intoxicated　by　the　constant　refilling　of　glasses；　but　on　reaching　the　sitting　room　he　realized　how　very　full　his　bladder　was。

‘Whack　on　some　music；　Gav；　and　I’ll　go　and　get　those　choccies。’

But　Gavin　made　no　move　towards　the　vertical　stacks　of　CDs　in　their　sleek　Perspex　stands。　He　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　Kay　to　start　on　him。　Sure　enough；　as　soon　as　Miles　had　vanished　from　sight；　Kay　said；　‘Well；　thank　you　very　much；　Gav。　Thanks　for　all　the　support。’

Gavin　had　drunk　even　more　greedily　than　Kay　throughout　dinner；　enjoying　his　own　private　celebration　that　he　had　not；　after　all；　been　offered　up　as　a　sacrifice　to　Samantha’s　gladiatorial　bullying。　He　faced　Kay　squarely；　full　of　a　courage　born　not　only　of　wine　but　because　he　had　been　treated　for　an　hour　as　somebody　important；　knowledgeable　and　supportive；　by　Mary。

‘You　seemed　to　be　doing　OK　on　your　own；’　he　said。

Indeed；　the　little　he　had　permitted　himself　to　hear　of　Kay　and　Miles’　argument　had　given　him　a　pronounced　sense　of　déjà　vu；　if　he　had　not　had　Mary　to　distract　him；　he　might　have　fancied　himself　back　on　that　famous　evening；　in　the　identical　dining　room；　when　Lisa　had　told　Miles　that　he　epitomized　all　that　was　wrong　with　society；　and　Miles　had　laughed　in　her　face；　and　Lisa　had　lost　her　temper　and　refused　to　stay　for　coffee。　It　was　not　very　long　after；　that　Lisa　had　admitted　that　she　was　sleeping　with　an　associate　partner　at　her　firm　and　advised　Gavin　to　get　tested　for　chlamydia。

‘I　don’t　know　any　of　these　people；’　said　Kay；　‘and　you　haven’t　done　one　damn　thing　to　make　it　any　easier　for　me；　have　you？’

‘What　did　you　want　me　to　do？’　asked　Gavin。　He　was　wonderfully　calm；　insulated　by　the　imminent　returns　of　the　Mollisons　and　Mary；　and　by　the　copious　amounts　of　Chianti　he　had　consumed。　‘I　didn’t　want　an　argument　about　the　Fields。　I　don’t　give　a　monkey’s　about　the　Fields。　Plus；’　he　added；　‘it’s　a　touchy　subject　around　Mary；　Barry　was　fighting　on　the　council　to　keep　the　Fields　part　of　Pagford。’

‘Well；　then；　why　couldn’t　you　have　told　me　–　given　me　a　hint？’

He　laughed；　exactly　as　Miles　had　laughed　at　her。　Before　she　could　retort；　the　others　returned　like　the　Magi　bearing　gifts：　Samantha　carrying　a　tray　of　cups；　followed　by　Mary　holding　the　cafetière；　and　Miles；　with　Kay’s　chocolates。　Kay　saw　the　flamboyant　gold　ribbon　on　the　box　and　remembered　how　optimistic　she　had　been　about　tonight　when　she　had　bought　them。　She　turned　her　face　away；　trying　to　hide　her　anger；　frantic　with　the　desire　to　shout　at　Gavin；　and　also　with　a　sudden；　shocking　urge　to　cry。

‘It’s　been　so　nice；’　she　heard　Mary　say；　in　a　thick　voice　that　suggested　she；　too；　might　have　been　crying；　‘but　I　won’t　stay　for　coffee；　I　don’t　want　to　be　late　back；　Declan’s　a　bit　…　a　bit　unsettled　at　the　moment。　Thanks　so　much；　Sam；　Miles；　it’s　been　good　to；　you　know　…　well；　get　out　for　a　bit。’

‘I’ll　walk　you　up　the—’　Miles　began；　but　Gavin　was　talking　firmly　over　him。

‘You　s