hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第17节

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〃In　our　storeroom　you　will　find　a　tin　of　Maquereau　Vin　Blanc　Capitaine　Cook。　Open　it　up　and　bring　me　two　on　a　plate。〃

〃They　won't　be　cold。〃

〃It　makes　no　difference。　Bring　them。〃

He　sat　and　ate　the　maquereau　yin　blanc　and　drank　the　whiskey　and　mineral　water。　It　did　make　a　difference　that　they　were　not　cold。　He　read　the　morning　paper　while　he　ate。

We　always　ate　fresh　fish　at　le　Grau　du　Roi；　he　thought；　but　that　was　a　long　time　ago。　He　started　to　remember　Grau　du　Roi　and　then　he　heard　the　car　coming　up　the　hill。

〃Take　this　away；〃　he　said　to　the　boy　and　he　stood　up　and　walked　into　the　bar　and　poured　himself　a　whiskey；　put　ice　in　it　and　filled　the　glass　with　Perrier。　The　taste　of　the　wine…spiced　fish　was　in　his　mouth　and　he　picked　up　the　bottle　of　mineral　water　and　drank　from　it。

He　heard　their　voices　and　then　they　came　in　the　door　as　happy　and　gay　as　yesterday。　He　saw　Catherine's　birch　bright　head　and　her　dark　face　loving　and　excited　and　the　other　girl　dark；　the　wind　still　in　her　hair；　her　eyes　very　bright　and　then　suddenly　shy　again　as　she　came　closer。

〃VVe　didn't　stop　when　we　saw　you　weren't　at　the　cafe；〃　Catherine　said。

〃I　worked　late。　How　are　you；　Devil？〃

〃I'm　very　well。　Don't　ask　me　how　this　one　is。

〃Did　you　work　well；　David？〃　the　girl　asked。

'That's　being　a　good　wife；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　forgot　to　ask。〃

'What　did　you　do　in　Nice？〃

〃Can　we　have　a　drink　and　then　tell？〃

They　were　close　to　him　on　each　side　and　he　felt　them　both。

〃Did　you　work　well；　David？〃　she　asked　again。

〃Of　course　he　did；〃　Catherine　said。　〃That's　the　only　way　he　ever　works；　stupid。〃

〃Did　you；　David？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said　and　rumpled　her　head。　〃Thanks。〃

〃Don't　we　get　a　drink？〃　Catherine　asked。　〃We　didn't　work　at　all。　We　just　bought　things　and　ordered　things　and　made　scandal。〃

〃We　didn't　make　any　real　scandal。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　don't　care　either。〃

〃What　was　the　scandal？〃　David　asked。

〃It　wasn't　anything；〃　the　girl　said。

〃I　didn't　mind　it；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　liked　it。〃

〃Someone　said　something　about　her　slacks　in　Nice。〃

〃That's　not　a　scandal；〃　David　said。　〃It's　a　big　town。　You　had　to　expect　that　if　you　went　there。〃

〃Do　I　look　any　different？〃　Catherine　asked。　〃I　wish　they'd　brought　the　mirror。　Do　I　look　any　different　to　you？〃

〃No。〃　David　looked　at　her。　She　looked　very　blond　and　disheveled　and　darker　than　ever　and　very　excited　and　defiant。

〃That's　good；〃　she　said。　〃Because　I　tried　it。〃

〃You　didn't　do　anything；〃　the　girl　said。

〃I　did　and　I　liked　it　and　I　want　another　drink。〃

〃She　didn't　do　anything；　David；〃　the　girl　said。

〃This　morning　I　stopped　the　car　on　the　long　clear　stretch　and　kissed　her　and　she　kissed　me　and　on　the　way　back　from　Nice　too　and　when　we　got　out　of　the　car　just　now。〃　Catherine　looked　at　him　lovingly　but　rebelliously　and　then　said；　〃It　was　fun　and　I　liked　it。　You　kiss　her　too。　The　boy's　not　here。〃

David　turned　to　the　girl　and　she　clung　to　him　suddenly　and　they　kissed。　He　had　not　meant　to　kiss　her　and　he　had　not　known　it　would　be　like　this　when　he　did　it。

〃That's　enough；〃　Catherine　said。

〃How　are　you？〃　David　said　to　the　girl。　She　was　shy　and　happy　again。
〃I'm　happy　the　way　you　said　to　be；〃　the　girl　told　him。
〃Everybody　is　happy　now；〃　Catherine　said。　〃We've　shared　all　the　guilt。〃
They　had　a　very　good　lunch　and　drank　cold　Tavel　through　the　hors　d'oeuvres；　the　poulet　and　the　ratatouille；　the　salad　and　the　fruit　and　cheese。　They　were　all　hungry　and　they　made　jokes　and　no　one　was　solemn。
〃There's　a　terrific　surprise　for　dinner　or　before；〃　Catherine　said。　〃She　spends　money　like　a　drunken　oil…lease　Indian；　David。〃
〃Are　they　nice？〃　the　girl　asked。　〃Or　are　they　like　Maharajas？〃
〃David　will　tell　you　about　them。　He　comes　from　Oklahoma。〃
〃I　thought　he　came　from　East　Africa。〃
〃No。　Some　of　his　ancestors　escaped　from　Oklahoma　and　took　him　to　East　Africa　when　he　was　very　young。
〃It　must　have　been　very　exciting。〃
〃He　wrote　a　novel　about　being　in　East　Africa　when　he　was　a　boy。〃
〃I　know。〃
〃You　read　it？〃　David　asked　her。
〃I　did；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　want　to　ask　me　about　it？〃
〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　familiar　with　it。〃
〃It　made　me　cry；〃　the　girl　said。　〃Was　that　your　father　in　it？〃
〃Some　ways。

〃You　must　have　loved　him　very　much。〃
〃I　did。〃
〃You　never　talked　to　me　about　him；〃　Catherine　said。
〃You　never　asked　me。〃　〃Would　you　have？〃　〃No；〃　he　said。
〃I　loved　the　book；〃　the　girl　said。　〃Don't　overreach；〃　Catherine　said。
〃I　wasn't。〃

〃When　you　kissed　him&mdash；〃
〃You　asked　me　to。〃


〃What　I　wanted　to　say　when　you　interrupted；〃　Catherine　said；　〃was　did　you　think　of　him　as　a　writer　when　you　kissed　him　and　liked　it　so　much？〃
David　poured　a　glass　of　Tavel　and　drank　some　of　it。
〃I　don't　know；〃　the　girl　said。　〃I　didn't　think。〃
〃I'm　glad；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　was　afraid　it　was　going　to　be　like　the　clippings。〃
The　girl　looked　really　mystified　and　Catherine　explained；　〃The　press　cuttings　about　the　second　book。　He's　written　two　you
know。〃

〃I　only　read　The　Rift。〃
〃The　second　one　is　about　flying。　In　the　war。　It's　the　only　good　thing　anyone　ever　wrote　about　flying。〃
〃Balls；〃　David　said。
〃Wait　until　you　read　it；〃　Catherine　said。　〃It's　a　book　you　had　to　die　to　write　and　you　had　to　be　completely　destroyed。　Don't　ever　think　I　don't　know　about　his　books　just　because　I　don't　think　he's　a　vvriter　when　I　kiss　him。〃
〃I　think　we　ought　to　take　a　siesta；〃　David　said。　〃You　ought　to　take　a　nap；　Devil。　You're　tired。〃
〃I　talked　too　much；〃　Catherine　said。　〃It　was　a　nice　lunch　and　I'm　sorry　if　I　talked　too　much　and　boasted。〃
〃I　loved　you　when　you　talked　about　the　books；〃　the　girl　said。　〃You　were　admirable。〃
〃I　don't　feel　admirable。　I　am　tired；〃　Catherine　said。　〃Have　you　plenty　to　read；　Marita？〃
〃I　have　two　books　still；〃　the　girl　said。　〃Later　I'll　borrow　some　if　I　may。
〃May　I　come　in　to　see　you　later？〃
〃If　you　want；〃　the　girl　said。
David　did　not　look　at　the　girl　and　she　did　not　look　at　him。
〃I　won't　disturb　you？〃　Catherine　said。
〃Nothing　that　I　do　is　important；〃　the　girl　said。

Catherine　and　David　lay　side　by　side　on　the　bed　in　their　room　with　the　wind　blowing　its　last　day　outside　and　it　was　not　like　siesta　in　the　old　days。

〃Can　I　tell　you　now？〃

〃I'd　rather　skip　it。〃

〃No；　let　me　tell。　This　morning　when　I　started　the　car　I　was　frightened　and　I　tried　to　drive　very　well　and　I　felt　hollow　inside。　Then　I　could　see　Cannes　up　ahead　on　the　hill　and　the　road　was　clear　all　up　ahead　by　the　sea　and　I　looked　behind　and　it　was　clear　and　I　pulled　out　from　the　road　into　the　brush。　Where　it's　like　the　sagebrush。　I　kissed　her　and　she　kissed　me　and　we　sat　in　the　car　and　I　felt　very　strange　and　then　we　drove　into　Nice　and　I　don't　know　whether　people　could　tell　it　or　not。　I　didn't　care　by　then　and　we　went　everywhere　and　bought　everything。　She　loves　to　buy　things。　Someone　made　a　rude　remark　but　it　was　nothing　really。　Then　we　stopped　on　the　way　home　and　she　said　it　was　better　if　I　was　her　girl　and　I　said　I　didn't　care　either　way　and　really　I　was　glad　because　I　am　a　girl　now　anyway　and　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　I　never　felt　so　not　knowing　ever。　But　she's　nice　and　she　wanted　to　help　me　I　think。　I　don't　know。　Anyway　she　was　nice　and　I　was　driving　and　she　was　so　pretty　and　happy　and　she　was　just　gentle　the　way　we　are　sometimes　or　me　to　you　or　either　of　us　and　I　said　I　couldn't　drive　if　she　did　that　so　we　stopped。　I　only　kissed　her　but　I　know　it　happened　with　me。　So　we　were　there　for　a　while　and　then　I　drove　straight　home。　I　kissed　her　before　we　came　in　and　we　were　happy　and　I　liked　it　and　I　still　like　it。〃

〃So　now　you've　done　it；〃　David　said　carefully；　〃and　you're　through　with　it。〃

〃But　I'm　not。　I　liked　it　and　I'm　going　to　really　do　it。〃

〃No。　You　don't　have

112　''3


〃I　do　and　I'm　going　to　do　it　until　I'm　through　with　it　and　I'm　over　it。〃

〃Who　says　you'll　be　over　it？〃
〃I　do。　But　I　really　have　to；　David。　I　didn't　know　I'd　ever　be　like　this。〃
He　did　not　say　anything。
〃I'll　be　back；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　I'll　get　over　it　as　well　as　I　know　anything。　Please　trust　me。
He　did　not　say　anything。
〃She's　waiting　for　me。　Didn't　you　hear　me　ask　her？　It's　like　stopping　in　the　middle　of　anything。〃
〃I'm　going　up　to　Paris；〃　David　said。　〃You　can　reach　me　through　the　bank。〃
〃No；〃　she　said。　〃No。　You　have　to　help　me。〃
〃I　can't　help　you。
〃You　can。　You　can't　go　away。　I　couldn't　stand　it　if　you　went　away。　I　don't　want　to　be　with　her。　It's　only　something　that　I　have　to　do。　Can't　you　understand？　Please　understand。　You　always　understand。〃
〃Not　this　part。〃
〃Please　try。　You　always　understood　before。　You　know　you　did。　Everything。　Didn't　you？〃
〃Yes。　Before。〃
〃It　started　with　us　and　there'll　only　be　us　when　I　get　this　finished。　I'm　not　in　love　with　anyone　else。〃
〃Don't　do　it。〃
〃I　have　to。　Ever　since　I　went　to　school　all　I　ever　had　was　chances　to　do　it　and　people　wanting　to　do　it　with　me。　And　I　never　would　and　never　did。　But　now　I　have　to。〃
He　said　nothing。
〃Please　know　how　it　is。〃
He　did　not　say　anything。
〃Anyway　she's　in　love　with　you　and　you　can　have　her　and　wash　everything　away　that　way。

114

〃You're　talking　crazy；　Devil。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　she　said。　〃I'll　stop。〃

〃Take　a　nap；〃　he　said。　〃Just　lie　close　and　quiet　and　we'll　both　go　to　sleep。〃

〃I　love　you　so；〃　she　sa