Queen's Folly - 1953 - (narrative excerpt)

Aug 5, 2026

Upload by Aria

1953年，Aria回到家中等待奶妈Nanny與顾客来访。她们交谈关于当日客流稀少、收入仅有半克朗硬币，以及周边知名景点带来的竞争压力。Aria认为安静偏僻与缺乏宣传使Queen’s Folly难以吸引游客，并回忆起打开宅邸给公众参观的初衷与当时Charles的犹豫。她们在不安与希望中讨论“必须做点什么”，氛围由日常琐事逐渐转向更深的忧虑。

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages217

Reading Time5 h 34 min

AccessFree to download

Chapter 1

1953：到访与收入

竞争压力与缺乏宣传

公开参观的缘起与回应

Chapter 1

1953

“Sorry to be late, dearie, but the milk didn’t arrive from the farm till a few minutes ago. Your tea’s waitin’ for you now.”

Aria rose slowly from the table where she had been sitting and smiled.

“I thought Bill must be late again,” she said.“Don’t worry, Nanny, and for goodness’ sake don’t say anything to him. You know what a job Charles has to get cowmen.”

“It’s a job to get anyone these days,” Nanny answered tartly. “Now you run along for your tea. Did anyone come this afternoon?”

Aria looked down at the box on the table in which reposed six halfcrowns.

“As you see, we haven’t been overwhelmed by the crowds,” she smiled,“There were four Americans and a horrible couple on a motorcycle. The woman said ‘reely’, in her opinion, she didn’t think the house was worth halfa-crown and she wondered how we had the cheek to charge it.”

“What impudence!” Nanny ejaculated. “I wish I’d been here. I’d have given her a piece o􀂭 my mind.”

Aria laughed. She had been conversant with the ‘pieces’ o􀂭 Nanny’s mind for as long as she could remember. They always sounded very 􀂭ierce in anticipation, but in actual fact they were not likely to make anyone over the age o􀂭 three quake in their shoes.

“We mustn’t drive away the few customers we have,” she said. “Despite the woman’s nasty remarks, her husband bought a couple o􀂭 postcards. You will 􀂭ind the money in the drawer. Charles said we were to keep it separate.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Nanny said irritably.

She invariably put any money there was into a muddle and disliked the slightest suggestion that she was not a meticulous accountant,

“Six people in an afternoon!” Aria said, stretching her hands over her head. “Fifteen shillings! It’s hopeless, isn’t it, Nanny? I shall talk to Charles tonight. He was so tired when he came in yesterday evening that I didn’t like to worry him.”

“Now, think before you do anything rash, dearie,” Nanny admonished her.“And I’m not agreein’ with your wild ideas – mind you.”

“But you know as well as I do, Nanny, that something has to be done,”Aria insisted.

Nanny gave a sigh that seemed to come right from the very depth o􀂭 her frail little body.

“Yes, dearie, I suppose something has to be done,” she agreed.“But what? That’s the question.”

“And I know the answer,” Aria said. She bent down unexpectedly and kissed her old Nanny’s withered cheek. “You are not to worry, whatever happens. It will all come right in the long run, you see i􀂭 it doesn’t. Doubtless it’s all for the best! Don’t you remember how often you used to say that to me when I was little?”

“Indeed I remember,” Nanny answered.“It used to cheer me up no end to say it, but I’m not sure in my bones that it was always right.”

“Well, I’m sure this time,” Aria smiled.

She walked from the table across to the window. Outside the sun was shining and a light breeze was rustling through the pale green early summer foliage o􀂭 the trees. There was a soft murmur o􀂭 bees in the rosebushes that stood in front o􀂭 the house. Otherwise everything was very quiet, the soft quiet peace o􀂭 the English countryside.

“Too quiet!” Aria suddenly said aloud, following the trend o􀂭 her thoughts.

Nanny looked up in surprise from the table where she had seated herself.“What is?” she enquired.

“This place,” Aria replied. “Too quiet, too of􀂭 the beaten track, too small to command much attention. And we can’t afford to advertise. What chance do we have o􀂭 attracting visitors when within a few miles o􀂭 us are Hat􀂭ield House, Luton Hoo and Woburn Abbey? And with all the attractions the Duke

o􀂭 Bedford is introducing to bring the crowds into Woburn, why should anyone worry about us?”

“Why shouldn’t they?” Nanny enquired almost angrily. “Queen’s Folly is as old and as beautiful as Hat􀂭ield House.”

“And about a tenth o􀂭 the size,” Aria retorted and then laughed. “Don’t listen to me, Nanny. I am just feeling envious o􀂭 those who can collect so many more half-crowns than we can b

FAQs

Queen’s Folly这天的顾客情况如何？

当天来访很少，Aria提到下午只有六位客人，收入也不理想。

Aria认为Queen’s Folly吸引力不足的原因是什么？

她认为这里太安静、位置偏僻且离主流路线太远，又无法负担宣传；周边还有Hatfield House、Luton Hoo、Woburn Abbey等更具吸引力的景点。

Aria与Charles为何会决定对公众开放？

Charles一开始反对陌生人打扰，但Aria说服他：开放是为了维持生计，借满足喜欢参观旧物与过去辉煌遗存的人们的好奇心来争取收入。

Aug 5, 2026

Upload by Aria