hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第38节

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〃They　taste　like　the　sea；〃　he　said。

〃Let's　go　to　sleep　out　here。〃

〃Could　you？〃

〃It's　too　hard　to　keep　my　back　arched。〃

〃Let's　swim　way　out　and　then　swim　in。〃

。　。
〃All　right。〃
They　swam　far　out；　further　than　they　had　ever　swum　before；　far　enough　so　they　could　see　past　the　next　headland　and　on　out　until　they　could　see　the　broken　purple　line　of　the　mountains　behind　the　forest。　They　lay　there　in　the　water　and　watched　the　coast。　Then　they　swam　in　slowly。　They　stopped　to　rest　when　they　lost　the　mountains　and　again　when　they　lost　the　headland　and　then　swam　slowly　and　strongly　on　in　past　the　entrance　to　the　cove　and　pulled　themselves　out　on　the　beach。

〃Are　you　tired？〃　David　asked。

〃Very；〃　Marita　said。　She　had　never　swum　that　far　before。

〃Are　you　still　pounding？〃

〃Oh　I'm　fine。〃

David　walked　up　the　beach　and　over　to　the　rock　and　found　one　of　the　bottles　of　Tavel　and　two　towels。

〃You　look　like　a　seal；〃　David　said　sitting　down　beside　her　on　the　sand。

He　handed　her　the　Tavel　and　she　drank　from　the　bottle　and　handed　it　back。　He　took　a　long　drink　and　then　on　the　smooth　dry　sand；　stretched　out　in　the　sun；　the　lunch　basket　by　them　and　the　wine　cool　as　they　drank　from　the　bottle；　Marita　said；　〃Catherine　wouldn't　have　gotten　tired。〃

〃The　hell　she　wouldn't。　She　never　swam　that　far。〃

〃Truly？〃

〃We　swam　a　long　way；　girl。　I　was　never　out　where　we　could　see　those　backdrop　mountains　before。〃

〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃There　isn't　anything　we　can　do　about　her　today　so　let's　not　think　about　it。　David？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Do　you　still　love　me？〃

〃Yes。　Very　much。〃

〃Perhaps　I　made　a　great　mistake　with　you　and　you're　just　being　kind　to　me。

〃You　didn't　make　any　mistakes　and　I'm　not　being　kind　to　you。

Marita　took　a　handful　of　radishes　and　ate　them　slowly　and　drank　some　wine。　The　radishes　were　young　and　crisp　and　sharp　in　flavor。

〃You　don't　have　to　worry　about　working；〃　she　said。　〃I　know。　That　will　be　all　right。〃

〃Sure；〃　David　said。

He　cut　one　of　the　artichoke　hearts　up　with　the　fork　and　ate　a　chunk　swirled　in　the　mustard　sauce　Madame　had　made。

〃May　I　have　the　Tavel？〃　Marita　said。　She　took　a　good　swallow　of　the　wine　and　set　the　bottle　down　by　David　putting　its　base　firmly　in　the　sand　and　leaning　it　against　the　basket。　〃Isn't　it　a　good　lunch　Madame　made；　David？〃

〃It's　an　excellent　lunch。　Did　Aurol　really　give　her　a　black　eye？〃

〃Not　a　real　one。〃

〃She　has　a　bad　tongue　with　him。〃

〃There's　the　difference　in　age　and　he　was　within　his　rights　to　hit　her　if　she　was　insulting。　She　said　so。　At　the　end。　And　she　sent　you　messages。

'What　messages？〃

〃Just　loving　messages。

〃She　loves　you；〃　David　said。

〃No。　You　stupid。　She's　only　on　my　side。〃

〃There　aren't　any　sides　anymore；〃　David　said。

〃No；〃　Marita　said。　〃And　we　didn't　try　to　make　sides。　It　just　happened。〃

〃It　happened　all　right。〃　David　handed　her　the　jar　with　the　cut　up　artichoke　heart　and　the　dressing　and　found　the　second　bottle　of　Tavel。　It　was　still　cool。　He　took　a　long　drink　of　the　wine。　〃We've　been　burned　out；〃　he　said。　〃Crazy　woman　burned　out　the　Bournes。〃

〃Are　we　the　Bournes？〃

〃Sure。　We're　the　Bournes。　It　may　take　a　while　to　have　the　papers。　But　that's　what　we　are。　Do　you　want　me　to　write　it　out？　I　think　I　could　write　that。〃
243




〃You　don't　need　to　write　it。〃

〃I'll　write　it　in　the　sand；〃　David　said。


They　slept　well　and　naturally　through　the　late　afternoon　and　when　the　sun　was　low　Marita　woke　and　saw　David　lying　in　the　bed　by　her　side。　His　lips　were　closed　and　he　was　breathing　very　slowly　and　she　looked　at　his　face　and　his　covered　eyes　that　she　had　only　seen　lidded　in　sleep　twice　before　and　looked　at　his　chest　and　his　body　with　the　arms　straight　by　his　sides。　She　went　over　to　the　door　of　the　bathroom　and　looked　at　herself　in　the　full　length　mirror。　Then　she　smiled　at　the　mirror。　When　she　was　dressed　she　went　out　to　the　kitchen　and　talked　with　Madame。

Later；　David　was　still　asleep　and　she　sat　by　him　on　the　bed。　In　the　dusk　his　hair　was　whitish　against　his　dark　face；　and　she　waited　for　him　to　wake。


They　sat　at　the　bar　and　were　both　drinking　Haig　Pinch　and　Perrier。　Marita　was　being　very　careful　with　her　drink。　She　said；　〃I　think　you　should　go　to　town　every　day　and　get　the　papers　and　have　a　drink　and　read　by　yourself。　I　wish　there　was　a　club　or　a　real　cafe　where　you　met　your　friends。〃

〃There　isn't〃

〃Well；　I　think　it　would　be　good　every　day　for　you　to　be　away　from　me　for　a　while　when　you're　not　working。　You've　been　over　run　with　girls。　I'm　always　going　to　see　you　have　your　men　friends。　That's　one　thing　very　bad　that　Catherine　did。〃

〃Not　on　purpose　and　it　was　my　own　fault。〃

〃Maybe　that's　true。　But　do　you　think　we'll　have　friends？　Good　friends？〃

〃We　each　have　one　already。〃

〃Will　we　have　others？〃

〃Maybe。〃

。

〃Will　they　take　you　away　because　they　know　more　than　I　do？〃
〃They　won't　know　more。
〃Will　they　come　along　young　and　new　and　fresh　with　new　things　and　you　be　tired　of　me？〃
〃They　won't　and　I　won't　be。〃
〃I'll　kill　them　if　they　do。　I'm　not　going　to　give　you　away　to　anyone　the　way　she　did。〃
〃That's　good。〃
〃I　want　you　to　have　men　friends　and　friends　from　the　war　and　to　shoot　with　and　to　play　cards　at　the　club。　But　we　don't　have　to　have　you　have　women　friends；　do　we？　Fresh；　new　ones　who　will　fall　in　love　and　really　understand　you　and　all　that？〃
〃I　don't　run　around　with　women。　You　know　that。〃
〃They　are　new　all　the　time；〃　Marita　said。　〃There　are　new　ones　every　day。　No　one　can　ever　be　sufficiently　warned。　You　most　of　all。〃
〃I　love　you；〃　David　said；　〃and　you're　my　partner　too。　But　take　it　easy。　Just　be　with　me。
〃I'm　with　you。〃
〃I　know　it　and　I　love　to　look　at　you　and　know　you're　here　and　that　we'll　sleep　together　and　be　happy。〃


In　the　dark；　Marita　lay　against　him　and　he　felt　her　breasts　against　his　chest　and　her　arm　behind　his　head　and　her　hand　touching　him　and　lips　against　his。
〃I'm　your　girl；〃　she　said　in　the　dark。　〃Your　girl。　No　matter　what　I'm　always　your　girl。　Your　good　girl　who　loves　you。
〃Yes；　my　dearest　love。　Sleep　well。　Sleep　well。〃
〃You　go　to　sleep　first；〃　Marita　said；　〃and　I'll　be　back　in　a　minute。〃
He　was　asleep　when　she　came　back　and　she　got　in　under　the　sheet　and　lay　beside　him。　He　was　sleeping　on　his　right　side　and　breathing　softly　and　steadily。


Chapter　Thirty





DAVID　WOKE　IN　THE　MORNING　when　the　first　light　came　in　the　window。　It　was　still　gray　outside　and　there　were　different　pine　trunks　than　the　ones　he　usually　woke　to　see　and　a　longer　gap　beyond　them　toward　the　sea。　His　right　arm　was　stiff　because　he　had　slept　on　it。　Then；　awake；　he　knew　he　was　in　a　strange　bed　and　he　saw　Marita　lying　sleeping　by　him。　He　remembered　everything　and　he　looked　at　her　lovingly　and　covered　her　fresh　brown　body　with　the　sheet　and　then　kissed　her　very　lightly　again　and　putting　on　his　dressing　gown　walked　out　into　the　dew…wet　early　morning　carrying　the　image　of　how　she　looked　with　him　to　his　room。　He　took　a　cold　shower；　shaved；　put　on　a　shirt　and　a　pair　of　shorts　and　walked　down　to　his　working　room。　He　stopped　at　the　door　of　Marita's　room　and　opened　it　very　carefully。　He　stood　and　looked　at　her　sleeping；　and　closed　the　door　softly　and　went　into　the　room　where　he　worked。　He　got　out　his　pencils　and　a　new　cahier；　sharpened　five　pencils　and　began　to　write　the　story　of　his　father　and　the　raid　in　the　year　of　the　Maji…Maji　rebellion　that　had　started　with　the　trek　across　the　bitter　lake。　He
made　the　crossing　now　and　completed　the　dreadful　trek　of　the　first　day　when　the　sunrise　had　caught　them　with　the　part　that　had　to　be　done　in　the　dark　only　half　finished　and　the　mirages　already　making　as　the　heat　became　unbearable。　By　the　time　the　morning　was　well　advanced　and　a　strong　fresh　east　breeze　was　blowing　through　the　pines　from　the　sea　he　had　finished　the　night　at　the　first　camp　under　the　fig　trees　where　the　water　came　down　from　the　escarpment　and　was　moving　out　of　that　camp　in　the　early　morning　and　up　the　long　draw　that　led　to　the　steep　cut　up　onto　the　escarpment。

He　found　he　knew　much　more　about　his　father　than　when　he　had　first　written　this　story　and　he　knew　he　could　measure　his　progress　by　the　small　things　which　made　his　father　more　tactile　and　to　have　more　dimensions　than　he　had　in　the　story　before。　He　was　fortunate；　just　now；　that　his　father　was　not　a　simple　man。

David　wrote　steadily　and　well　and　the　sentences　that　he　had　made　before　came　to　him　complete　and　entire　and　he　put　them　down；　corrected　them；　and　cut　them　as　if　he　were　going　over　proof。　Not　a　sentence　was　missing　and　there　were　many　that　he　put　down　as　they　were　returned　to　him　without　changing　them。　By　two　o'clock　he　had　recovered；　corrected　and　improved　what　it　had　taken　him　five　days　to　write　originally。　He　wrote　on　a　while　longer　now　and　there　was　no　sign　that　any　of　it　would　ever　cease　returning　to　him　intact。

…END…