hemingway, ernest - islands in the stream-第51节
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¨Heˇs dead。〃
¨Iˇm so sorry。 I didnˇt know。〃
¨Thatˇs all right；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Iˇll buy you a drink。〃
¨Iˇm so very sorry。 Please know how terribly sorry I am。 How was he killed？〃
¨I donˇt know yet；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Iˇll let you know when I know。〃
¨Where was it？〃
¨I donˇt know that。 I know where he was flying but I donˇt know anything else。〃
¨Did he get into London and see any of our friends？〃
¨Oh yes。 Heˇd been in town several times and to Whiteˇs each time and heˇd seen whoever was around。〃
¨Well； thatˇs a comfort in a way。〃
¨A what？〃
¨I mean itˇs nice to know he saw our friends。〃
¨Certainly。 Iˇm sure he had a good time。 He always had an awfully good time。〃
¨Should we drink to him？〃
¨Shit； no；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 He could feel it all coming up； everything he had not thought about； all the grief he had put away and walled out and never even thought of on the trip nor all this morning。 ¨Letˇs not。〃
¨I think it is the thing to do；〃 Ignacio Natera Revello said。 ¨I think it is eminently proper and the thing to do。 But I must buy the drink。〃
¨All right。 Weˇll drink to him。〃
¨What was his rank？〃
¨Flight lieutenant。〃
¨Heˇd probably have been a wing commander by now or at least squadron leader。〃
¨Letˇs skip his rank。〃
¨Just as you wish；〃 Ignacio Natera Revello said。 ¨To my dear friend and your son Tom Hudson。 Dulce es morir？ pro patria。〃
¨In the pigˇs asshole；〃 Thomas Hudson said。
¨Whatˇs the matter。 Was my Latin faulty？〃
¨I wouldnˇt know； Ignacio。〃
¨But your Latin was excellent。 I know from people who were at school with you。〃
¨My Latin is very beat up；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Along with my Greek； my English； my head； and my heart。 All I know how to speak now is frozen daiquiri。 ？T？ hablas frozen daiquiri t？？〃
¨I think we might show a little more respect to Tom。〃
¨Tom was a pretty good joker。〃
¨He certainly was。 He had one of the finest and most delicate senses of humor Iˇve ever known。 And he was one of the best…looking boys and with the most beautiful manners。 And a damned fine athlete。 He was tops as an athlete。〃
¨Thatˇs right。 He threw the discus 142 feet。 He played fullback on offense and left tackle on defense。 He played a good game of tennis and he was a first…rate wing shot and a good fly fisherman。〃
¨He was a splendid athlete and a fine sportsman。 I think of him as one of the very finest。〃
¨Thereˇs only one thing really wrong with him。〃
¨Whatˇs that？〃
¨Heˇs dead。〃
¨Now donˇt be morbid； Tommy。 You must think of Tom as he was。 Of his gaiety and his radiance and his wonderful promise。 Thereˇs no sense being morbid。〃
¨None at all；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Letˇs not be morbid。〃
¨Iˇm glad you agree。 Itˇs been splendid to have a chance to talk about him。 Itˇs been terrible to have the news。 But I know you will bear up just as I will； even though it is a thousand times worse for you being his father。 What was he flying？〃
¨Spitfires。〃
¨Spitties。 I shall think of him then in a Spitty。〃
¨Thatˇs a lot of bother to go to。〃
¨No； no it isnˇt。 Iˇve seen them in the cinema。 Iˇve several books on the RAF and we get the publications of the British Information Bureau。 They have excellent stuff； you know。 I know exactly how he would have looked。 Probably wearing one of those Mae Wests and with his chute and his flying togs and his big boots。 I can picture him exactly。 Now I have to be getting home to lunch。 Will you come with me？ I know Lutecia would love to have you。〃
¨No。 I have to meet a man here。 Thanks very much。〃
¨Goodbye； old boy；〃 Ignacio Natera Revello said。 ¨I know youˇll take this thing the way you should。〃
¨You were kind to help me。〃
¨No； I wasnˇt kind at all。 I loved Tom。 As you did。 As we all did。〃
¨Thanks for all the drinks。〃
¨Iˇll get them back from you another day。〃
He went out。 From beyond him； down the bar； one of the men from the boat moved up to Hudson。 He was a dark boy； with short； clipped； curly black hair； and a left eye that had a slightly droopy lid； the eye was artificial but this did not show since the government had presented him with four different eyes； bloodshot； slightly bloodshot； almost clear； and clear。 He was wearing slightly bloodshot； and he was already a little drunk。
¨Hi； Tom。 When did you get in town？〃
¨Yesterday；〃 then speaking slowly and almost without moving his lips； ¨Take it easy。 Donˇt be a fucking comedian。〃
¨Iˇm not。 Iˇm just getting drunk。 They cut me open they find security written on my liver。 Iˇm the security king。 You know that。 Listen； Tom； I was standing up next to the phony Englishman and I couldnˇt help but hear。 Did your boy Tommy get killed？〃
¨Yeah。〃
¨Oh shit；〃 the boy said。 ¨Oh shit。〃
¨I donˇt want to talk about it。〃
¨Of course not。 But when did you hear？〃
¨Before the last trip。〃
¨Oh shit。〃
¨What are you doing today？〃
¨Iˇm going to eat over at the Basque Bar with a couple of characters and then weˇre all going to get laid。〃
¨Where are you going to have lunch tomorrow？〃
¨At the Basque Bar。〃
¨Ask Paco to call me up from lunch tomorrow； will you？〃
¨Sure。 Out at the house？〃
¨Yes。 At the house。〃
¨Do you want to come around with us and get laid？ Weˇre going up to Henryˇs Sin House？〃
¨I might come around。〃
¨Henryˇs hunting girls now。 Heˇs been hunting girls ever since breakfast。 Heˇs been laid a couple of times already。 But heˇs trying to beat the two tomatoes we had。 We got them at the Kursaal and they look pretty bad in the daylight。 We couldnˇt find a goddam thing。 This townˇs really gone to hell。 Heˇs got the two tomatoes up at the sin house just in case and heˇs out hunting girls with Honest Lil。 Theyˇve got a car。〃
¨Were they doing any good？〃
¨I donˇt think so。 Henry wants that little girl。 The little one he sees all the time at the Fronton。 Honest Lil canˇt get her because sheˇs afraid of him because heˇs so big。 She said she could get her for me。 But she canˇt get her for Henry because sheˇs spooked of his size and his weight and things sheˇs heard。 But Henry doesnˇt want anything else now because the two tomatoes topped him off。 So now itˇs this little girl and heˇs in love with her。 Just like that。 In love with her。 Heˇs probably forgotten about it now and is banging the tomatoes again right now。 Heˇs got to eat； though； and weˇre going to meet at the Basque Bar。〃
¨Make him eat；〃 Thomas Hudson said。
¨You canˇt make him do anything。 You can。 But I canˇt。 But Iˇll beg him to eat。 Iˇll plead with him to eat。 Iˇll set him an example by eating。〃
¨Get Paco to make him eat。〃
¨Wouldnˇt you think he would be hungry after that？〃
¨Wouldnˇt you？ˇ
Just then the biggest man that Thomas Hudson knew； and the most cheerful and with the widest shoulders and the best manners came in through the door of the bar with a smile on his face； which was beading with sweat even on the cold day。 His hand was out in greeting。 He was so big he made everyone at the bar look stunted and he had a lovely smile。 He was dressed in old blue trousers； a Cuban countrymanˇs shirt； and rope…soled shoes。 ¨Tom；〃 he said。 ¨You bastard。 Weˇve been in search of the lovelies。〃
His handsome face； as soon as he was out of the wind； sweated even more。
¨Pedrico。 Iˇll have one of those； too。 The double size。 Or larger if you make them。 Imagine seeing you here； Tom。 And Iˇve forgotten。 Hereˇs Honest Lil。 Come over here； my beauty。〃
Honest Lil had come in the other door。 She looked her best when sitting at the far end of the bar when you saw only her lovely dark face and the grossness that had come over her body was hidden by the polished wood of the bar。 Now； coming toward the bar from the door； there was no hiding her body； so she propelled it； swaying； to the bar as rapidly as she could without visibly hurrying and got up onto the stool Thomas Hudson had occupied。 This moved him one stool to the right and gave her the covered left flank。
¨Hello； Tom；〃 she said and kissed Thomas Hudson。 ¨Henry is terrible。〃
¨Iˇm not at all terrible； my beauty；〃 Henry told her。
¨Youˇre terrible；〃 she told him。 ¨Every time I see you； you are more terrible。 Thomas； you protect me from him。〃
¨Whatˇs he being terrible about？〃
¨He wants a little tiny girl that he is crazy for and the little tiny girl canˇt go with him。 But she wouldnˇt go anyway because she is frightened of him because he is so big and weighs two hundred and thirty pounds。〃
Henry Wood blushed； sweat visibly； and took a big sip of his drink。
¨Two hundred and twenty…five；〃 he said。
¨What did I tell you？〃 the dark boy said。 ¨Isnˇt that exactly what I told you？〃
¨Just what business is it of yours to be telling anyone anything？〃 Henry asked him。
¨Two tramps。 Two tomatoes。 Two broken…down waterfront broads。 Two cunts with but a single thought： the rent。 We lay them。 We trade cunts and re…lay them。 Itˇs strictly from wet decks。 I say one friendly understan
