cw.imarriedadeadman-第6章

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portance　of　men　to　women's　conversations；　to　all　appearances　hadn't　even　been　missed。
　Patrice　was　acting　the　part　of　a　look…out；　her　eyes　watchfully　and　jealously　fastened　on　a　certain　door；　far　down　the　aisle　behind　them；　in　the　dim　distance。　To　do　this；　she　was　kneeling　erect　on　the　seat；　in　reverse；　staring　vigilantly　over　the　back　of　it。　This　somewhat　unconventional　position；　however；　did　nothing　whatever　to　inhibit　her　conversational　flow；　which　proceeded　as　freely　and　blithely　as　ever。　Only；　owing　to　her　elevated　stance；　the　next　seat　back　now　shared　the　benefit　of　most　of　it；　along　with　her　own。　Fortunately；　however；　its　occupants　were　disqualified　from　any　great　amount　of　interest　in　it　by　two　facts；　they　were　both　men；　and　they　were　both　asleep。
　A　ripple　of　reflected　light　suddenly　ran　down　the　sleek　chromium　of　the　door　that　had　her　attention。
　〃She　just　came　out；〃　she　hissed　with　an　explosive　sibilance；　and　executed　an　agitated　series　of　twists；　turns；　and　drops　on　the　seat；　as　though　this　were　something　vital　that　had　to　be　acted　upon　immediately。　〃Hurry　up！　Now！　Now's　our　chance。　Get　a　move　on。　Before　somebody　else　gets　there　ahead　of　us。　There's　a　fat　woman　three　seats　down　been　taking　her　things　out　little　by　little。　If　she　ever　gets　in　first；　we're　sunk！〃　Carried　away　by　her　own　excitement　（and　everything　in　life；　to　her；　seemed　to　be　deliciously；　titillatingly　exciting）；　she　even　went　so　far　as　to　give　her　seat…mate　a　little　push　and　urge　her：　〃Run！　Hold　the　door　for　us。　Maybe　if　she　sees　you　there　already；　she'll　change　her　mind。〃
　She　prodded　her　relaxed　spouse　cruelly　and　heartlessly　in　a　great　many　places　at　once；　to　bring　him　back　to　awareness。
　〃Quick！　Hugh！　The　overnight…case！　We'll　lose　our　chance。　Up　there；　stupid。　Up　there　on　the　rack…〃
　〃All　right；　take　it　easy；〃　the　somnolent　Hugh　grunted；　eyes　still　pletely　buried　under　his　obliterating　hat…brim。　〃Talk；　talk；　talk；　Yattatta；　yattatta；　yattatta。　Woman　is　born　to　exercise　her　jaw。〃
　〃Man　is　born　to　get　a　poke　on　his；　if　he　doesn't　get　a　move　on。〃
　He　finally　pushed　his　hat　back　out　of　the　way。　〃What　do　you　want　from　me　now？　You　got　it　down　yourself。〃
　〃Well；　get　your　big　legs　out　of　the　way　and　let　us　by！　You're　blocking　the　way…〃
　He　executed　a　sort　of　drawbridge　maneuver；　folding　his　legs　back　to　himself；　hugging　them；　then　stretching　them　out　again　after　the　passage　had　been　acplished。
　〃Where　y'going；　in　such　a　hurry？〃　he　asked　innocently。
　〃Now；　isn't　that　stupid？〃　mented　Patrice　to　her　panion。
　The　two　of　them　went　almost　running　down　the　aisle；　without　bothering　to　enlighten　him　further。
　〃He　takes　a　thirty…six　sleeve；　and　it　doesn't　do　me　a　bit　of　good　in　an　emergency；〃　she　plained　en　route；　swinging　the　kit。
　He　had　turned　his　head　to　watch　them　curiously；　and　in　perfectly　sincere　inprehension。　Then　he　went；　〃Oh。〃　Understanding　their　destination　now；　if　not　the　turmoil　attendant　on　it。　Then　he　pulled　his　hat　down　to　his　nose　again；　to　resume　his　fractured　slumbers　where　they　had　been　broken　off　by　this　feminine　logistical　upheaval。
　Patrice　had　closed　the　chromium　door　after　the　two　of　them；　meanwhile；　and　given　its　inside　lock…control　a　little　twist　of　defiant　exclusion。　Then　she　let　out　a　deep　breath。　〃There。　We're　in。　And　possession　is　nine…tenths　of　the　law。　I'm　going　to　take　as　long　as　I　want；〃　she　announced　determinedly；　setting　down　the　overnight…case　and　unlatching　its　lid。　〃If　anybody　else　wants　to　get　in；　they'll　just　have　to　wait。　There's　only　room　enough　for　two　anyway。　And　even　so；　they　have　to　be　awfully　good　friends。〃
　〃We're　nearly　the　last　ones　still　up；　anyway；〃　Helen　said。
　〃Here；　have　some？〃　Patrice　was　bringing　up　a　fleecy　fistful　of　facial　tissues　from　the　case；　she　divided　them　with　her　friend。
　〃I　missed　these　an　awful　lot　on　the　Other　Side。　Couldn't　get　them　for　love　nor　money。　I　used　to　ask　and　ask；　and　they　didn't　know　what　I　meant…〃
　She　stopped　and　eyed　her　panion。　〃Oh；　you　have　nothing　to　rub　off；　have　you？　Well；　here；　rub　some　of　this　on；　then　you'll　have　that　to　rub　off。〃
　Helen　laughed。　〃You　make　me　feel　so　giddy；〃　she　said　with　a　wistful　sort　of　admiration。
　Patrice　hunched　her　shoulders　and　grimaced　impishly。　〃It's　my　last　fling；　sort　of。　From　tomorrow　night　on　I　may　have　to　be　on　my　best　behavior。　Sober　and　sedate。〃　She　made　a　long　face；　and　steepled　her　hands　against　her　stomach；　in　mimicry　of　a　bluenosed　clergyman。
　〃Oh；　on　account　of　meeting　your　in…laws；〃　Helen　remembered。
　〃Hugh　says　they're　not　like　that　at　all；　I　have　absolutely　nothing　to　worry　about。　But　of　course　he　just　may　be　slightly　prejudiced　in　their　favor。　I　wouldn't　think　much　of　him　if　he　wasn't。〃
　She　was　scouring　a　mystic　white　circle　on　each　cheek；　and　then　spreading　them　around；　mouth　open　the　whole　while；　though　it　played　no　part　in　the　rite　itself。
　〃Go　ahead；　help　yourself；〃　she　invited。　〃Stick　your　finger　in　and　dig　out　a　gob。　I'm　not　sure　what　it　does　for　you；　but　it　smells　nice；　so　there's　nothing　to　lose。〃
　〃Is　that　really　true；　what　you　told　me？〃　Helen　said；　following　suit。　〃That　they've　never　even　seen　you　until　now？　I　can't　believe　it〃
　〃Cross　my　heart　and　hope　to　die；　they've　never　laid　eyes　on　me　in　their　lives。　I　met　Hugh　on　the　Other　Side；　like　I　told　you　this　afternoon；　and　we　were　married　over　there；　and　we　went　on　living　over　there　until　just　now。　My　folks　were　dead；　and　I　was　on　a　scholarship；　studying　music；　and　he　had　a　job　with　one　of　these　government　agencies；　you　know；　one　of　these　initialed　outfits。　They　don't　even　know　what　I　look　like！〃
　〃Didn't　you　even　send　them　a　picture　of　yourself？　Not　even　after　you　were　married？〃
　〃We　never　even　had　a　wedding…picture　taken；　you　know　how　us　kids　are　nowadays。　Biff；　bing；　bang！　and　we're　married。　I　started　to　send　them　one　of　myself　several　times；　but　I　was　never　quite　satisfied　with　the　ones　I　had。　Self…conscious；　you　know；　I　wanted　to　make　such　a　good　first　impression。　One　time　Hugh　even　arranged　a　sitting　for　me　at　a　photographer；　and　when　I　saw　the　proofs　I　said；　'Over　my　dead　body　you'll　send　these！'　Those　French　photographers！　I　knew　I　was　going　to　meet　them　eventually；　and　snapshots　are　so…　so…Anyway　the　ones　I　take。　So　finally　I　said　to　him；　'I've　waited　this　long；　I'm　not　going　to　send　any　to　them　at　all　now。　I'll　save　it　up　for　a　surprise；　let　them　see　me　in　the　flesh　instead；　when　they　finally　do。　That　way；　they　won't　build　up　any　false　hopes　and　then　be　disappointed。'　I　used　to　censor　all　his　letters　too；　wouldn't　let　him　describe　me。　You　can　imagine　how　he　would　have　done　it。　'Mona　Lisa；'　Venus　on　the　half…shell。　I'd　say；　'No　you　don't！'　when　I'd　catch　him　at　it；　and　scratch　it　out　We'd　have　more　tussles　that　way；　chase　each　other　around　the　room；　trying　to　get　the　letter　back　or　trying　to　get　it　away　from　me。〃
　She　became　serious　for　a　moment。　Or　at　least；　approached　as　closely　to　it　as　she　seemed　capable　of。
　〃Y'know；　now　I　wish　I　hadn't　done　that；　sort　of。　Played　hide　and　seek　with　them　like　this；　I　mean。　Now　I　have　got　cold　feet。　Do　you　think　they'll　really　like　me？　Suppose　they　don't？　Suppose　they　have　me　built　up　in　their　expectations　as　someone　entirely　different；　and…〃
　Like　the　little　boy　in　the　radio　skit　who　prattles　about　a　selfinvented　bugaboo　until　he　ends　up　by　frightening　himself　with　it。
　〃How　on　earth　do　you　make　the　water　stay　in　this　thing？〃　she　interrupted　herself。　She　pounded　lightly　on　the　plunger　set　into　the　washbasin。　〃Every　time　I　get　it　to　fill；　it　runs　right　out　again。〃
　〃Twist　it　a　little；　and　then　push　down　on　it；　I　think。〃
　Patrice　stripped　off　her　wedding…band　before　plunging　her　hands　in。　〃Hold　this　for　me；　I　want　to　wash　my　hands。　I　have　a　horror　of　losing　it　It　slipped　down　a　drain　on　the　Other　Side；　once；　and　they　had　to　take　out　a　whole　section　of　pipe　before　they　could　get　it　out　for　me。〃
　〃It's　beautiful；〃　Helen　said　wistfully。
　〃Isn't　it；　though？〃　Patrice　agreed。　〃See？　It　has　our　names；　together；　around　it　on　the　inside。　Isn't　that　a　cute　idea？　Keep　it　on　your　finger　for　me　a　minute；　that's　the　safest。〃
　〃Isn't　it　supposed　to　be　bad　luck　to　do　that？　I　mean；　for　you　to　take　it　off；　and　for　me　to　put　it　on？〃
　Patrice　tossed　her　head　vainglorious