hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第34节

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　child's　notebooks　and　he　doesn't　throw　anything　away。　He　just　crosses　things　out　and　writes　along　the　sides　of　the　pages。　The　whole　business　is　a　fraud　really。　He　makes　mistakes　in　spelling　and　grammar　too。　Did　you　know；　Marita；　that　he　doesn't　even　really　know　grammar？〃

〃Poor　David；〃　Marita　said。

〃Of　course　his　French　is　worse；〃　Catherine　said。　〃You've　never　seen　him　try　to　write　it。　He　fakes　along　well　enough　in　conversa　tion　and　he's　amusing　with　his　slang。　But　actually　he's　illiterate。〃

。　。
〃Too　bad；〃　said　David。
〃I　thought　he　was　wonderful；〃　Catherine　said；　〃until　I　found　he　couldn't　write　even　a　simple　note　correctly。　But　then　you'll　be　able　to　write　in　French　for　him。〃

〃Ta　queule；〃　David　said　cheerfully。

〃He's　good　at　that　sort　of　thing；〃　Catherine　said。　〃Quick　tags　of　slang　that　are　probably　outdated　before　he　knows　it。　He　speaks　very　idiomatic　French　but　he　can't　write　it　at　all。　He's　really　illiterate；　Marita；　and　you　have　to　face　it。　His　handwriting　is　terrible　too。　He　can't　write　like　a　gentleman　nor　speak　like　one　in　any　language。　Especially　not　his　own。〃

〃Poor　David；〃　Marita　said。

〃I　can't　say　I've　given　him　the　best　years　of　my　life；〃　Catherine　said。　〃Because　I've　only　lived　with　him　since　March　I　think　it　was；　but　I've　certainly　given　him　the　best　months　of　my　life。　The　ones　I've　had　the　most　fun　in　anyway　and　he　certainly　made　them　fun　too。　I　wish　it　hadn't　ended　in　complete　disillusion　too　but　what　are　you　to　do　if　you　discover　the　man　is　illiterate　and　practices　solitary　vice　in　a　wastebasket　full　of　clippings　from　something　called　The　Original　Romeike's；　whoever　they　are。　Any　girl　would　be　discouraged　and　frankly　I'm　not　going　to　put　up　with　it。〃

〃You　take　the　clippings　and　burn　them；〃　David　said。　〃That　would　be　the　soundest　thing。　Wouldn't　you　like　to　go　in　now　and　swim；　Devil？〃

Catherine　looked　at　him　slyly。

〃How　did　you　know　I　did　it？〃　she　asked。

〃Did　what？〃

〃Burned　the　clippings。〃

〃Did　you；　Catherine？〃　Marita　asked。

〃Of　course　I　did；〃　Catherine　said。

David　stood　looking　at　her。　He　felt　completely　hollow。　It　was　like　coming　around　a　curve　on　a　mountain　road　and　the　road　not
being　there　and　only　a　gulf　ahead。　Marita　was　standing　now　too。　Catherine　was　looking　at　them　her　face　calm　and　reasonable。
〃Let's　go　in　and　swim；〃　Marita　said。　〃We'll　just　swim　out　to　the　point　and　back。〃
〃I'm　glad　you're　being　pleasant　finally；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I've　been　wanting　to　go　in　for　a　long　time。　It's　really　getting　quite　cool。　We　forget　it's　September。〃


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Chapter　Twenty…six






THEY　DRESSED　ON　THE　BEACH　and　climbed　up　the　steep　trail　with　David　carrying　the　bag　with　the　beach　things　to　where　the　old　car　was　waiting　in　the　pine　woods。　The　got　in　and　David　drove　back　to　the　hotel　in　the　early　evening　light。　Catherine　was　quiet　in　the　car　and　to　anyone　passing　them　they　might　have　been　returning　from　any　afternoon　at　one　of　the　unfrequented　beaches　of　the　Est&el。　The　war　ships　were　no　longer　in　sight　when　they　left　the　car　on　the　driveway；　and　the　sea　beyond　the　pines　was　blue　and　calm。　The　evening　was　as　beautiful　and　clear　as　the　morning　had　been。

They　walked　down　to　the　entrance　of　the　hotel　and　David　took　the　bag　with　the　beach　things　into　the　storeroom　and　put　it　down。

〃Let　me　take　them；〃　Catherine　said。　〃They　ought　to　go　to　dry。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　David　said。　He　turned　at　the　door　of　the　storeroom　and　walked　out　and　then　down　to　his　work　room　at　the　end　of　the　hotel。　Inside　the　room　he　opened　the　big　Vuitton　suitcase。　The　pile　of　cahiers　that　the　stories　had　been　written　in　was　gone。　So


218

。


were　the　four　bulky　envelopes　from　the　bank　that　had　contained　the　press　clippings。　The　pile　of　cahiers　with　the　narrative　written　in　them　were　intact。　He　closed　and　locked　the　suitcase　and　searched　all　of　the　drawers　in　the　armoire　and　searched　the　room。　He　had　not　believed　that　the　stories　could　be　gone。　He　had　not　believed　that　she　could　do　it。　At　the　beach　he　had　known　that　she　might　have　done　it　but　it　had　seemed　impossible　and　he　had　not　really　believed　it。　They　had　been　calm　and　careful　and　restrained　about　it　as　you　were　trained　to　be　in　danger　or　emergency　or　in　disaster　but　it　had　not　seemed　possible　that　it　could　really　have　happened。

Now　he　knew　that　it　had　happened　but　still　thought　it　might　be　some　ghastly　joke。　So；　empty　and　dead　in　his　heart；　he　re　opened　the　suitcase　and　checked　it　and　after　he　locked　it　he　checked　the　room　again。

Now　there　was　no　danger　and　no　emergency。　It　was　only　disaster　now。　But　it　couldn't　be。　She　must　have　hidden　them　someplace。　They　could　be　in　the　storeroom；　or　in　their　own　room；　or　she　could　have　put　them　in　Marita's　room。　She　couldn't　really　have　destroyed　them。　No　one　could　do　that　to　a　fellow　human　being。　He　still　could　not　believe　that　she　had　done　it　but　he　felt　sick　inside　himself　when　he　closed　and　locked　the　door。

The　two　girls　were　at　the　bar　when　David　came　in。　Marita　looked　up　at　him　and　saw　how　things　were　and　Catherine　watched　him　come　in　by　looking　at　the　mirror。　She　did　not　look　at　him；　only　at　his　reflection　in　the　mirror。

〃Where　did　you　put　them；　Devil？〃　David　asked。

She　turned　away　from　the　mirror　and　looked　at　him。　〃I　won't　tell　you；〃　she　said。　〃I　took　care　of　them。〃

〃I　wish　you'd　tell　me；〃　David　said。　〃Because　I　need　them　very　much。〃

〃No；　you　don't；〃　she　said。　〃They　were　worthless　and　I　hated　them。〃


219
。　。

〃Not　the　one　about　Kibo；〃　David　said。　〃You　loved　Kibo。　Don't　you　remember？〃
〃He　had　to　go　too。　I　was　going　to　tear　him　out　and　keep　him　but　I　couldn't　find　him。　Anyway　you　said　he　was　dead。〃
David　saw　Marita　look　at　her　and　look　away。　Then　she　looked　back。　〃Where　did　you　burn　them；　Catherine？〃
〃I　won't　tell　you　either；〃　Catherine　said。　〃You're　part　of　the　same　thing。〃
〃Did　you　burn　them　with　the　clipping？〃　David　asked。
〃I　won't　tell　you；〃　Catherine　said。　〃You　talk　to　me　like　a　policeman　or　at　school。〃
〃Tell　me；　Devil。　I　only　want　to　know。〃
〃I　paid　for　them；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　paid　the　money　to　do　them。〃
〃I　know；〃　David　said。　〃It　was　very　generous　of　you。　Where　did　you　burn　them；　Devil？〃
〃I　won't　tell　her。〃
〃No。　Just　tell　me。〃
〃Ask　her　to　go　away。
〃I　really　have　to　go　anyway；〃　Marita　said。　〃I'll　see　you　later；　Catherine。〃
〃That's　good；〃　Catherine　said。　〃It　wasn't　your　fault；　Heiress。〃　David　sat　on　the　tall　stool　by　Catherine　and　she　looked　in　the　mirror　and　watched　Marita　go　out　of　the　room。
〃Where　did　you　burn　them；　Devil？〃　David　asked。　〃You　can　tell　me　now。
〃She　wouldn't　understand；〃　Catherine　said。　〃That's　why　I　wanted　her　to　go。
〃I　know；〃　said　David。　〃Where　did　you　burn　them；　Devil？〃
〃In　the　iron　drum　with　holes　that　Madame　uses　to　burn　trash；〃　Catherine　said。
〃Did　everything　burn　up？〃
〃Yes。　I　poured　on　some　petrol　from　a　bidon　in　the　remise。　It

made　a　big　fire　and　everything　burned。　I　did　it　for　you；　David；　and　for　all　of　us。〃

〃I'm　sure　you　did；〃　David　said。　〃Did　everything　burn？〃

〃Oh　yes。　We　can　go　out　and　look　if　you　like　but　it　isn't　necessary。　The　paper　all　burned　black　and　I　stirred　it　up　with　a　stick。〃

〃I'll　just　go　out　and　have　a　look；〃　David　said。

〃But　you'll　be　back；〃　Catherine　said。

〃Sure；〃　David　said。

The　burning　had　been　in　the　trash　burner　which　was　a　former　fifty…five…gallon　gasoline　drum　with　holes　punched　in　it。　The　stick　used　to　stir　the　ashes；　and　still　freshly　blackened　on　one　end；　was　an　old　broom　handle　which　had　been　used　in　this　capacity　before。　The　bidon　was　in　the　stone　shed　and　contained　kerosene。　In　the　drum　were　a　few　identifiable　charred　bits　of　the　green　covers　of　the　cahiers；　and　David　found　scraps　of　burnt　newsprint　and　two　charred　bits　of　pink　paper　which　he　identified　as　those　used　by　the　Romeike's　clipping　service。　On　one　he　could　dis　tinguish　the　Providence　RI　dateline。　The　ashes　had　been　well　stirred　but　there　would　doubtless　have　been　more　unburned　or　charred　material　if　he　had　cared　to　sift　or　examine　them　patiently。　He　tore　the　pink　paper　with　Providence　RI　printed　on　it　into　small　pieces　and　dropped　them　in　the　former　gasoline　drum　which　he　had　replaced　in　an　upright　position。　He　reflected　that　he　had　never　been　in　Providence；　Rhode　Island；　and　replacing　the　broom　handle　in　the　stone　shed；　where　he　noticed　the　presence　of　his　racing　bicycle；　the　tires　of　which　needed　inflation；　he　re　entered　the　kitchen　of　the　hotel；　which　was　empty；　and　pro　ceeded　to　the　salon　where　he　joined　his　wife　Catherine　at　the　bar。

'Wasn't　it　just　the　way　I　said？〃　Catherine　asked。

〃Yes；〃　David　said　and　sat　down　on　one　of　the　stools　and　put　his　elbows　on　the　bar。

〃It　probably　would　have　been　enough　to　burn　the　clippings；〃

220　221
。　。

Catherine　said。　〃But　I　really　thought　I　ought　to　make　a　clean　sweep。
〃You　did；　all　right；〃　David　said。
〃Now　you　can　go　right　on　with　the　narrative　and　there　will　be　nothing　to　interrupt　you。　You　can　start　in　the　morning。〃
〃Sure；〃　David　said。
〃I'm　glad　you're　reasonable　about　it；〃　Catherine　said。　〃You　couldn't　know　how　worthless　they　were；　David。　I　had　to　show　you。
〃You　couldn't　have　kept　the　Kibo　one　that　you　liked？〃
〃I　told　you　I　tried　to　find　it。　But　if　you　want　to　rewrite　it　I　can　tell　it　to　you　word　for　word。〃
〃That　will　be　fun。〃
〃It　will　be　re