hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第14节
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〃Who are those two？〃 Catherine said。 〃Do you know？〃
〃I've never seen them。〃
〃I have。 They must live around here somewhere。 I saw them in Nice。〃
〃The one girl's handsome；〃 David said。 〃She has fine legs too。〃
'They're sisters；〃 Catherine said。 〃They're both nice looking really。〃
〃But the one's a beauty。 They're not Americans。〃
The two girls were arguing and Catherine said to David； 〃It's a big row； I think。〃
〃How did you know they were sisters？〃
〃I thought they were in Nice。 Now I'm not sure。 The car has Swiss plates。〃
〃It's an old Isotta。〃
〃Should we wait and see what happens？ We haven't seen any drama for a long time。〃
〃I think it's just a big Italian row。
〃It must be getting serious because it's quieter。〃
〃It will flare up。 The one is a damned handsome girl。〃
〃Yes； she is。 And here she comes over。
David stood up。
〃I'm sorry；〃 the girl said in English。 〃Please forgive me。 Please sit down；〃 she said to David。
'Will you sit down？〃 Catherine asked。
〃I shouldn't。 My friend is furious with me。 But I told her you would understand。 You will forgive me？〃
〃Should we forgive her？〃 Catherine said to David。
〃Let's forgive her。〃
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〃I knew you would understand；〃 the girl said。 〃It's only to tell me where you had your hair cut。〃 She blushed。 〃Or is it like copying a dress？ My friend said it was more offensive。〃
〃I'll write it down for you；〃 Catherine said。
〃I'm very ashamed；〃 the girl said。 〃You're not offended？〃
〃Of course not；〃 Catherine said。 〃Would you have a drink with us？〃
〃I shouldn't。 May I ask my friend？〃
She went back to her table for a moment and there was a short and vicious low…pitched exchange。
〃My friend regrets very much but she cannot come over；〃 the girl said。 〃But I hope we will meet again。 You have been so very kind。〃
〃How about that？〃 Catherine said when the girl had gone back to her friend。 〃For on a windy day。〃
〃She'll be back to ask where you had your slacks cut。〃 The row was still going on at the other table。 Then the two of them stood up and came over。
〃May I present my friend the&mdash；〃
〃I am Nina。〃
〃Our name is Bourne；〃 David said。 〃How very pleasant of you to join us。
〃You were very nice to let us come over；〃 the handsome one said。 〃It was an impudent thing to do。〃 She blushed。
〃It's very flattering；〃 Catherine said。 〃But he's a very good coiffeur。〃
〃He must be；〃 the handsome one said。 She had a breathless way of speaking and she blushed again。 〃We saw you in Nice；〃 she said to Catherine。 〃I wanted to speak to you then。 I mean ask you。
She can't blush again； David thought。 But she did。
〃Who's going to have their hair cut？〃 Catherine asked。
〃I am；〃 the handsome one said。
〃I am too； stupid；〃 Nina said。
〃You said you weren't。〃
〃I changed my mind。〃
〃I really am；〃 the handsome one said。 〃We must go now。 Do you come here to this cafe？〃
〃Sometimes；〃 Catherine said。
〃I hope we'll see you sometime then；〃 the handsome one said。 〃Goodbye and thank you for being so gracious。
The two girls went to their table and Nina called the waiter and they paid and were gone。
〃They're not Italian；〃 David said。 〃The one is nice but she could make you nervous blushing。〃
〃She's in love with you。〃
〃Sure。 She saw me in Nice。〃
〃Well I can't help it if she is with me。 It isn't the first girl that ever was and a lot of good it did them。〃
〃How about Nina？〃
〃That bitch；〃 Catherine said。
〃She was a wolf。 I suppose it should be amusing。〃
〃I didn't think it was amusing；〃 Catherine said。 〃I thought it was sad。〃
〃So did I。〃
〃We'll find another cafe；〃 she said。 〃They're gone now anyway。〃
'They were spooky。〃
〃I know；〃 she said。 〃For me too。 But the one girl was nice。 She had beautiful eyes。 Did you see？〃
〃She was an awful blusher though。〃
〃I liked her。 Didn't you？〃
〃I suppose so。〃
〃People that can't blush are worthless。〃
〃Nina blushed once；〃 David said。
〃I could be awfully rude to Nina。〃
〃It wouldn't touch her。〃
〃No。 She's well armored。〃
〃Do you want another drink before we go home？〃
〃I don't need one。 But you have one。〃
〃I don't need one。
〃Have another。 You usually have two in the evening。 I'll take a small one to keep company。
〃No。 Let's go home。〃
In the night he woke and heard the wind high and wild and turned and pulled the sheet over his shoulder and shut his eyes again。 He felt her breathing and shut his eyes again。 He felt her breathing softly and regularly and then he went back to sleep。
Chapter Eleven
IT WAS THE SECOND DAY of the wind and it had not slackened。
He left the ongoing narrative of their journey where it was to write a story that had come to him four or five days before and had been developing； probably； he thought； in the last two nights while he had slept。 He knew it was bad to interrupt any work he was engaged in but he felt confident and sure of how well he was going and he thought he could leave the longer narrative and write the story which he believed he must write now or lose。
The story started with no difficulty as a story does when it is ready to be written and he got past the middle of it and knew he should break off and leave it until the next day。 If he could not keep away from it after he had taken a break he would drive through and finish it。 But he hoped he could keep away from it and hit it fresh the next day。 It was a good story and now he remembered how long he had intended to write it。 The story had not come to him in the past few days。 His memory had been inaccurate in that。 It was the necessity to write it that had come to him。 He knew how the story ended now。 He had always
known the wind and sand…scoured bones but they were gone now and he was inventing all of it。 It was all true now because it happened to him as he wrote and only its bones were dead and scattered and behind him。 It started now with the evil in the shamba and he had to write it and he was very well into it。
He was tired and happy from his work when he found Catherine's note that she had not wanted to disturb him； had gone out and would be back for lunch。 He left the room and ordered breakfast and； as he waited for it； Monsieur Aurol； the proprietor； came in and they spoke about the weather。 Monsieur Aurol said the wind came this way sometimes。 It was not a true mistral； the season guaranteed that； but it would probably blow for three days。 The weather was insane now。 Monsieur had undoubtedly noticed that。 If anyone kept track of it they would know that it had not been normal since the war。
David said he had not been able to keep track of it because he had been travelling but there was no doubt that the weather was strange。 Not only the weather； said Monsieur Aurol； every thing was changed and what was not changed was changing fast。 It might very well all be for the best and he； for one； did not oppose it。 Monsieur； as a man of the world； probably saw it in the same way。
Undoubtedly； said David； seeking for a decisive and terminal idiocy； it was necessary to review the cadres。
Precisely； said Monsieur Aurol。
They left it at that and David finished his caf6 creme and read the Miroir des Sports and began to miss Catherine。 He went into the room and found Far Away and Long Ago and came out onto the terrace and settled himself in the sun by the table out of the wind to read the lovely book。 Catherine had sent to Galignani's in Paris for the Dent edition for a present for him and when the books had come they had made him feel truly rich。 The figures in his bank balances； the franc and dollar accounts； had； ever since
Grau du Roi； seemed completely unreal and he had never con sidered them as actual money。 But the books of W。 H。 Hudson had made him feel rich and when he told Catherine this she was very pleased。
After he had read an hour he started to miss Catherine very badly and he found the boy who served at table and asked him to bring a whiskey and Perrier。 Later he had another。 It was well past lunch when he heard the car come up the hill。
They came along the walk and he heard their voices。 They were excited and happy； then the girl was suddenly silent； and Catherine said； 〃Look who I brought to see you。
〃Please； I know I should not have come；〃 the girl said。 It was the dark handsome one of the two they had met at the cafe yesterday； the one who blushed。
〃How are you？〃 David said。 She had evidently been to the coiffeur's and her hair had been cropped short the way Catherine's had been at Biarritz。 〃I see you found the place。〃
The girl blushed and looked at Catherine for courage。 〃Look at her；〃 Catherine said。 〃Go muss her head up。〃 〃Oh Catherine；〃 the girl said。 Then she said to David； 〃You can if you want。〃
〃Don't be frightened；〃 he said。 〃What do you think you've got into？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃I'm just so happy to be here。〃
'Where have you two been？〃 David asked Catherine。 〃Jean's of course。 Then we just stopped and had a drink and I asked Marita if she'd come to lunch。 Aren't you glad to see us？〃'
〃I'm delighted。 Will you have another drink？〃
〃Would you make martinis？〃 Catherine asked。 〃One won't hurt you；〃 she said to the girl。
〃No please。 I have to drive。〃
〃Do you want a sherry？〃
〃No please。〃
David went behind the bar and found glasses and some ice and made two martinis。
〃I'll taste yours if I may；〃 the gir
