hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第21节

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〃Lunch　must　be　ready　by　now。〃
〃Just　one；　darling。　They　only　have　us　for　lunch。〃
David　made　two　martinis　taking　his　time　and　the　girl　came　in。　She　was　wearing　a　white　sharkskin　dress　and　she　looked　fresh　and　cool。　〃May　I　have　one　too；　David？　It　was　a　very　hot　day。　how　was　it　here？〃
〃You　should　have　stayed　home　and　looked　after　him；〃　Catherine　said。
〃I　got　along　all　right；〃　David　said。　〃The　sea　was　very　good。〃
〃You　use　such　interesting　adjectives；〃　Catherine　said。　〃They　make　everything　so　vivid。〃
〃Sorry；〃　David　said。
〃That's　another　dandy　word；〃　Catherine　said。　〃Explain　what　dandy　means　to　your　new　girl。　It's　an　Americanism。〃
〃I　think　I　know　it；〃　the　girl　said。　〃It's　the　third　word　in　'Yankee　Doodle　Dandy。'　Don't　please　be　cross　Catherine。〃
〃I'm　not　cross；〃　Catherine　said。　〃But　two　days　ago　when　you　made　passes　at　me　it　was　simply　dandy　but　today　if　I　felt　that　way　the　slightest　bit　you　had　to　act　as　though　I　was　an　I　don't　know　what。〃
〃I'm　sorry；　Catherine；〃　the　girl　said。
〃Another　sorry　sorry；〃　Catherine　said。　〃As　though　you　hadn't　taught　me　what　little　I　know。〃
〃Should　we　have　lunch？〃　David　said。　〃It's　been　a　hot　day　Devil；　and　you're　tired。〃
〃I'm　tired　of　everybody；〃　Catherine　said。　〃Please　forgive　me。　〃There's　nothing　to　forgive；〃　the　girl　said。　〃I'm　sorry　I　was　stuffy。　I　didn't　come　here　to　be　that　way。〃　She　walked　over　to　Catherine　and　kissed　her　very　gently　and　lightly。　〃Now　be　a　good　girl；〃　she　said。　〃Should　we　go　to　the　table？〃
〃Didn't　we　have　lunch？〃　Catherine　asked。

〃No；　Devil；〃　David　said。　〃We're　going　to　have　lunch　now。〃

At　the　end　of　lunch　Catherine　who　had　made　sense　through　nearly　all　of　it　except　for　some　absentmindedness　said；　〃Please　excuse　me　but　I　think　I　ought　to　sleep。〃

〃Let　me　come　with　you　and　see　you　get　to　sleep；〃　the　girl　said。

〃Actually　I　think　I　drank　too　much；〃　Catherine　said。

〃I'll　come　in　and　take　a　nap　too；〃　David　said。

〃No　please　David。　Come　in　when　I'm　asleep　if　you　want；〃　Catherine　said。

In　about　half　an　hour　the　girl　came　out　of　the　room　〃She's　all　right；〃　she　said。　〃But　we　must　be　careful　and　good　with　her　and　only　think　about　her。〃

In　the　room　Catherine　was　awake　when　David　came　in　and　he　went　over　and　sat　on　the　bed。

〃I'm　not　a　damned　invalid；〃　she　said。　〃I　just　drank　too　much。　I　know。　I'm　sorry　I　lied　to　you　about　it。　How　could　I　do　that；　David？〃

〃You　didn't　remember。〃

〃No。　I　did　it　on　purpose。　Will　you　take　me　back？　I'm　over　all　the　bitchiness。〃

〃You　never　were　away。

〃If　you　take　me　back　is　all　I　want。　I'll　be　your　really　true　girl　and　really　truly　be。　Would　you　like　that？〃

He　kissed　her。

〃Really　kiss　me。〃

〃Oh；〃　she　said。　〃Please　be　slow。〃


They　swam　at　the　cove　where　they　had　gone　the　first　day。　David　had　planned　to　send　the　two　girls　to　swim　and　then　to　take　the　old　Isotta　down　to　Cannes　to　have　the　brakes　fixed　and　the　ignition　overhauled。　But　Catherine　had　asked　him　to　please　swim　with　them　and　to　do　the　car　the　next　day　and　she　seemed

'34　'35

so　happy　and　sound　and　cheerful　again　after　her　nap　and　Marita　had　said　very　seriously；　〃Will　you　please　come？〃　So　he　had　driven　them　to　the　turnout　for　the　cove　and　shown　them　both　on　the　way　how　dangerously　the　brakes　were　working。

〃You'd　kill　yourself　with　this　car；〃　he　told　Marita。　〃It's　a　crime　to　drive　it　the　way　it　is。〃

〃Had　I　ought　to　get　a　new　one？〃　she　asked。

〃Christ　no。　Just　let　me　fix　the　brakes　to　start　with。〃

〃We　need　a　larger　car　with　room　for　all　of　us；〃　Catherine　said。　〃This　is　a　fine　car；〃　David　said。　〃It　just　needs　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　work　done　on　it。　But　it's　too　much　car　for　you。〃

〃You　see　if　they　can　fix　it　properly；〃　the　girl　said。　〃If　they　can't　we'll　get　the　type　of　car　you　want。〃

Then　they　were　tanning　on　the　beach　and　David　said　lazily；　〃Come　in　and　swim。

〃Pour　some　water　on　my　head；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　brought　a　sand　bucket　in　the　rucksack。〃

〃Oh　that　feels　wonderful；〃　she　said。　〃Could　I　have　one　more？　Pour　it　on　my　face　too。〃

She　lay　on　the　hard　beach　on　her　white　robe　in　the　sun　and　David　and　the　girl　swam　out　to　sea　and　around　the　rocks　at　the　mouth　of　the　cove。　The　girl　was　swimming　ahead　and　David　overhauled　her。　He　reached　out　and　grabbed　a　foot　and　then　held　her　close　in　his　arms　and　kissed　her　as　they　treaded　water。　She　felt　slippery　and　strange　in　the　water　and　they　seemed　the　same　height　as　they　treaded　water　with　their　bodies　close　together　and　kissed。　Then　her　head　went　under　and　he　leaned　back　and　she　came　up　laughing　and　shaking　her　head　that　was　sleek　as　a　seal；　and　she　brought　her　lips　against　his　again　and　they　kissed　until　they　both　went　under。　They　lay　side　by　side　and　floated　and　touched　and　then　kissed　hard　and　happily　and　went　under　again。

〃I　don't　worry　about　anything　now；〃　she　said；　when　they　came　up　again。　〃You　mustn't　either。〃

〃I　won't；〃　he　said　and　they　swam　in。

〃You　better　go　in；　Devil；〃　he　said　to　Catherine。　〃Your　head　will　get　too　hot。〃

〃All　right。　Let's　go　in；〃　she　said。　〃Let　Heiress　darken　now。　Let　me　put　some　oil　on　her。〃

〃Not　too　much；〃　the　girl　said。　〃May　I　have　a　pail　of　water　on　my　head　too？〃

〃Your　head's　as　wet　as　it　can　get；〃　Catherine　said。

〃I　just　wanted　to　feel　it；〃　the　girl　said。

〃Wade　out；　David；　and　get　a　good　cold　one；〃　Catherine　said。　And　after　he　had　poured　the　clear　cool　sea　water　on　Marita's　head　they　left　her　lying　with　her　face　on　her　arms　and　swam　out　to　sea。　They　floated　easily　like　sea　animals　and　Catherine　said；　〃Wouldn't　it　be　wonderful　if　I　wasn't　crazy？〃

〃You're　not　crazy。

〃Not　this　afternoon；〃　she　said。　〃Anyway　not　so　far。　Can　we　swim　further？〃

〃We're　pretty　well　out；　Devil。〃

〃All　right。　Let's　swim　back　in。　But　the　deep　water's　beautiful　out　here。〃

〃Do　you　want　to　swim　down　once　before　we　go　in？〃

〃Just　once；〃　she　said。　〃In　this　very　deep　part。〃

〃We'll　swim　down　until　we　just　can　make　it　up。〃

136　'37


Chapter　Sixteen





HE　WOKE　when　it　was　barely　just　light　enough　to　see　the　pine　trunks　and　he　left　the　bed；　careful　not　to　wake　Catherine；　found　his　shorts　and　went；　the　soles　of　his　feet　wet　from　the　dew　on　the　stones；　along　the　length　of　the　hotel　to　the　door　of　his　work　room。　As　he　opened　the　door　he　felt；　again；　the　touch　of　the　air　from　the　sea　that　promised　how　the　day　would　be。

When　he　sat　down　the　sun　was　not　yet　up　and　he　felt　that　he　had　made　up　some　of　the　time　that　was　lost　in　the　story。　But　as　he　reread　his　careful　legible　hand　and　the　words　took　him　away　and　into　the　other　country；　he　lost　that　advantage　and　was　faced　with　the　same　problem　and　when　the　sun　rose　out　of　the　sea　it　had；　for　him；　risen　long　before　and　he　was　well　into　the　crossing　of　the　gray；　dried；　bitter　lakes　his　boots　now　white　with　crusted　alkalis。　He　felt　the　weight　of　the　sun　on　his　head　and　his　neck　and　his　back。　His　shirt　was　wet　and　he　felt　the　sweat　go　down　his　back　and　between　his　thighs。　When　he　stood　straight　up　and　rested；　breathing　slowly；　and　his　shirt　hung　away　from

his　shoulders；　he　could　feel　it　dry　in　the　sun　and　see　the　white　patches　that　the　salts　of　his　body　made　in　the　drying。　He　could　feel　and　see　himself　standing　there　and　knew　there　was　nothing　to　do　except　go　on。

At　half　past　ten　he　had　crossed　the　lakes　and　was　well　beyond　them。　By　then　he　had　reached　the　river　and　the　great　grove　of　fig　trees　where　they　would　make　their　camp。　The　bark　of　the　trunks　was　green　and　yellow　and　the　branches　were　heavy。　Baboons　had　been　eating　the　wild　figs　and　there　were　baboon　droppings　and　broken　figs　on　the　ground。　The　smell　was　foul。

But　the　half　past　ten　was　on　the　watch　on　his　wrist　as　he　looked　at　it　in　the　room　where　he　sat　at　a　table　feeling　the　breeze　from　the　sea　now　and　the　real　time　was　evening　and　he　was　sitting　against　the　yellow　gray　base　of　a　tree　with　a　glass　of　whiskey　and　water　in　his　hand　and　the　rolled　figs　swept　away　watching　the　porters　butchering　out　the　Kongoni　he　had　shot　in　the　first　grassy　swale　they　passed　before　they　came　to　the　river。

I'll　leave　them　with　meat；　he　thought　and　so　it　is　a　happy　camp　tonight　no　matter　what　comes　after。　So　he　put　his　pencils　and　the　notebooks　away　and　locked　the　suitcase　and　went　out　the　door　and　walked　on　the　stones；　dry　and　warm　now；　to　the　hotel　patio。

The　girl　was　sitting　at　one　of　the　tables　reading　a　book。　She　wore　a　striped　fisherman's　shirt　and　tennis　skirt　and　espadrilles　and　when　she　saw　him　she　looked　up　and　David　thought　she　was　going　to　blush　but　she　seemed　to　check　it　and　said；　〃Good　morning；　David。　Did　you　work　well？〃

〃Yes；　beauty；〃　he　said。

She　stood　up　then　and　kissed　him　good　morning　and　said；　〃I'm　very　happy　then。　Catherine　went　in　to　Cannes。　She　said　to　tell　you　I　was　to　take　you　swimming。〃

〃Didn't　she　want　you　to　go　in　town　with　her？〃


〃No。　She　wanted　me　to　stay。　She　said　you　got　up　terribly　early　to　work　and　maybe　you'd　be　lonely　when　you　finished。　Can　I　order　some　breakfast？　You　shouldn't　always　not　eat　breakfast。〃
The　girl　went　into　the　kitchen　and　she　came　out　with　oeufs　plat　avec　jambon　and　English　mustard　and　Sovora。
〃Was　it　difficult　today？〃　she　asked　him。
〃No；〃　he　said。　〃It's　always　difficult　but　it's　easy　too。　It　went　very　well。〃
〃I　wish　I　could　help。〃
〃Nobody　can　help；〃　he　said。
〃But　I　can　help　in　other