carson mccullers - the heart is a lonely hunter-第63章

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the　bob…wire　fence　and　then　take　that　path　there—see！'　


The　woods　were　very　quiet。　Slick　pine　needles　covered　the　
ground。　Within　a　few　minutes　they　had　reached　the　creek。　The　
water　was　brown　and　swift。　Cool。　There　was　no　sound　except　
from　the　water　and　a　breeze　singing　high　up　in　the　pine　trees。　
It　was　like　the　deep；　quiet　woods　made　them　timid；　and　they　
walked　softly　along　the　bank　beside　the　creek。　
'Don't　it　look　pretty。'　
Harry　laughed。　'What　makes　you　whisper？　Listen　here！'232　

He　clapped　his　hand　over　his　mouth　and　gave　a　long　Indian　
whoop　that　echoed　back　at　them。　'Come　on。　Let's　jump　in　the　
water　and　cool　off。'　
'Aren't　you　hungry？'　
'O。K。　Then　we'll　eat　first。　We'll　eat　half　the　lunch　now　and　half　
later　on　when　we　come　out'　
She　unwrapped　the　jelly　sandwiches。　When　they　were　finished　
Harry　balled　the　papers　neatly　and　stuffed　them　into　a　hollow　
tree　stump。　Then　he　took　his　shorts　and　went　down　the　path。　
She　shucked　off　her　clothes　behind　a　bush　and　struggled　into　
Hazel's　bathing…suit　The　suit　was　too　small　and　cut　her　
between　the　legs。　
〃You　ready？'　Harry　hollered。　
She　heard　a　splash　in　the　water　and　when　she　reached　the　bank　
Harry　was　already　swimming。　'Don't　dive　yet　until　I　find　out　if　
there　are　any　stumps　or　shallow　places；'　he　said。　She　just　
looked　at　his　head　bobbing　in　the　water。　She　had　never　
intended　to　dive；　anyway。　She　couldn't　even　swim。　She　had　
been　in　swimming　only　a　few　times　in　her　life—and　then　she　
always　wore　water…wings　or　stayed　out　of　parts　that　were　over　
her　head。　But　it　would　be　sissy　to　tell　Harry。　She　was　
embarrassed。　All　of　a　sudden　she　told　a　tale：　
'I　don't　dive　any　more。　I　used　to　dive；　high　dive；　all　the　time。　
But　once　I　busted　my　head　open；　so　I　can't　dive　any　more。'　She　
thought　for　a　minute。　'It　was　a　double　jack…knife　dive　I　was　
doing。　And　when　I　came　up　there　was　blood　all　in　the　water。　
But　I　didn't　think　anything　about　it　and　just　began　to　do　
swimming　tricks。　These　people　were　hollering　at　me。　Then　I　
found　out　where　all　this　blood　in　the　water　was　coming　from。　
And　I　never　have　swam　good　since。'　
Harry　scrambled　up　the　bank。　'Gosh！　I　never　heard　about　that。'　


She　meant　to　add　on　to　the　tale　to　make　it　sound　more　
reasonable；　but　instead　she　just　looked　at　Harry。　His　skin　was　
light　brown　and　the　water　made　it　shining。　There　were　hairs　
on　his　chest　and　legs。　In　the　tight　trunks　he　seemed　very　
naked。　Without　his　glasses　his　face　was　wider　and　more　
handsome。　His　eyes　were　wet　and　blue。　He　was　looking　at　her　
and　it　was　like　suddenly　they　got　embarrassed。　

233　

The　water's　about　ten　feet　deep　except　over　on　the　other　bank；　
and　there　it's　shallow。'；　
'Less　us　get　going。　I　bet　that　cold　water　feels　good。'　
She　wasn't　scared。　She　felt　the　same　as　if　she　had　got　caught　at　
the　top　of　a　very　high　tree　and　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　just　
climb　down　the　best　way　she　could—a　dead…calm　feeling。　She　
edged　off　the　bank　and　was　in　ice…cold　water。　She　held　to　a　
root　until　it　broke　in　her　hands　and　then　she　began　to　swim。　
Once　she　choked　and　went　under；　but　she　kept　going　and　
didn't　lose　any　face。　She　swam　and　reached　the　other　side　of　
the　bank　where　she　could　touch　bottom。　Then　she　felt　good。　
She　smacked　the　water　with　her　fists　and　called　out　crazy　
words　to　make　echoes。　
Watch　here！'　
Harry　shimmied　up　a　tall；　thin　little　tree。　The　trunk　was　limber　
and　when　he　reached　the　top　it　swayed　down　with　him。　He　
dropped　into　the　water。　
'Me　too！　Watch　me　do　it！'　
〃That's　a　sapling。'　
She　was　as　good　a　climber　as　anybody　on　the　block。　She　
copied　exactly　what　he　had　done　and　hit　the　water　with　a　hard　
smack。　She　could　swim；　too。　Now　she　could　swim　O。K。　
They　played　follow　the　leader　and　ran　up　and　down　the　bank　
and　jumped　in　the　cold　brown　water。　They　hollered　and　
jumped　and　climbed。　They　played　around　for　maybe　two　
hours。　Then　they　were　standing　on　the　bank　and　they　both　
looked　at　each　other　and　there　didn't　seem　to　be　anything　new　
to　do。　Suddenly　she　said：　
'Have　you　ever　swam　naked？'　
The　woods　was　very　quiet　and　for　a　minute　he　did　not　answer。　
He　was　cold。　His　titties　had　turned　hard　and　purple。　His　lips　
were　purple　and　his　teeth　chattered。　'I—I　don't　think　so。'　


This　excitement　was　in　her；　and　she　said　something　she　didn't　
mean　to　say。　'I　would　if　you　would。　I　dare　you　to。'　
Harry　slicked　back　the　dark；　wet　bangs　of　his　hair。　'O。K。'　
They　both　took　off　their　bathing…suits。　Harry　had　his　back　to　
her。　He　stumbled　and　his　ears　were　red。　Then　they　turned　
toward　each　other。　Maybe　it　was　half　an　hour　they　stood　there　
—maybe　not　more　man　a　minute。234　

Harry　pulled　a　leaf　from　a　tree　and　tore　it　to　pieces。　'We　better　
get　dressed。'　
All　through　the　picnic　dinner　neither　of　them　spoke。　They　
spread　the　dinner　on　the　ground。　Harry　divided　everything　in　
half。　There　was　the　hot；　sleepy　feeling　of　a　summer　afternoon。　
In　the　deep　woods　they　could　hear　no　sound　except　the　slow　
flowing　of　the　water　and　the　songbirds。　Harry　held　his　stuffed　
egg　and　mashed　the　yellow　with　his　thumb。　What　did　that　
make　her　remember？　She　heard　herself　breathe。　
Then　he　looked　up　over　her　shoulder。　〃Listen　here。　I　think　
you're　so　pretty；　Mick。　I　never　did　think　so　before。　I　don't　
mean　I　thought　you　were　very　ugly—I　just　mean　that'　
She　threw　a　pine　cone　in　the　water。　'Maybe　we　better　start　
back　if　we　want　to　be　home　before　dark。'　
'No；'　he　said。　'Let's　lie　down。　Just　for　a　minute。'　
He　brought　handfuls　of　pine　needles　and　leaves　and　gray　
moss。　She　sucked　her　knee　and　watched　him。　Her　fists　were　
tight　and　it　was　like　she　was　tense　all　over。　
'Now　we　can　sleep　and　be　fresh　for　the　trip　home。'　
They　lay　on　the　soft　bed　and　looked　up　at　the　dark…green　pine　
clumps　against　the　sky。　A　bird　sang　a　sad；　clear　song　she　had　
never　heard　before。　One　high　note　like　an　oboe　—and　then　it　
sank　down　five　tones　and　called　again。　The　song　was　sad　as　a　
question　without　words。　
'I　love　that　bird；'　Harry　said。　'I　think　it's　a　vireo。'　
'I　wish　we　was　at　the　ocean。　On　the　beach　and　watching　the　
ships　far　out　on　the　water。　You　went　to　the　beach　one　summer　
—exactly　what　is　it　like？'　
His　voice　was　rough　and　low。　Well—there　are　the　waves。　
Sometimes　blue　and　sometimes　green；　and　in　the　bright　sun　
they　look　glassy。　And　on　the　sand　you　can　pick　up　these　little　
shells。　Like　the　kind　we　brought　back　in　a　cigar　box。　And　over　


the　water　are　these　white　gulls。　We　were　at　the　Gulf　of　
Mexico—these　cool　bay　breezes　blew　all　the　time　and　there　
it's　never　baking　hot　like　it　is　here。　Always'　
'Snow；'　Mick　said。　'That's　what　I　want　to　see。　Cold；　white　
drifts　of　snow　like　in　pictures。　Blizzards。　White；　cold　snow　
that　keeps　falling　soft　and　falls　on　and　on　and　on　through　all　
the　winter。　Snow　like　in　Alaska。'　

235　

They　both　turned　at　the　same　time。　They　were　close　against
each　other。　She　felt　him　trembling　and　her　fists　were　tight
enough　to　crack。　'Oh；　God；'　he　kept　saying　over　and　over。　It
was　like　her　head　was　broke　off　from　her　body　and　thrown
away。　And　her　eyes　looked　up　straight　into　the　blinding　sun
while　she　counted　something　in　her　mind。　And　then　this　was
the　way。
This　was　how　it　was。
They　pushed　the　wheels　slowly　along　the　road。　Harry's　head
hung　down　and　his　shoulders　were　bent。　Their　shadows　were
long　and　black　on　the　dusty　road；　for　it　was　late　afternoon。
'Listen　here；'　he　said。
'Yeah。
'
〃We　got　to　understand　this。　We　got　to。　Do　you—any？
'
'I　don't　know。　I　reckon　ndt。
'
'Listen　here。　We　got　to　do　something。　Let's　sit　down。
'
They　dropped　the　bicycles　and　sat　by　a　ditch　beside　the　road。
They　sat　far　apart　from　each　other。　The　late　sun　burned　down
on　their　heads　and　there　were　brown；　crumbly　ant　beds　all
around　them。
'We　got　to　understand　this；'　Harry　said。
He　cried。　He　sat　very　still　and　the　tears　rolled　down　Ms　white
face。　She　could　not　think　about　the　thing　that　made　him　cry。
An　ant　stung　her　on　the　ankle　and　she　picked　it　up　in　her
fingers　and　looked　at　it　very　close。
'It's　this　way；'　he　said。　1　never　had　even　kissed　a　girl　before。
'
'Me　neither。　I　never　kissed　any　boy。　Out　of　the　family。
*
'That's　all　I