hemingway, ernest - islands in the stream-第12章
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¨Still puffy。〃
Roger watched him work and he did not turn around。
¨If it wasnˇt for the hand that would all seem just like a nasty dream。〃
¨Pretty nasty one。〃
¨Do you suppose that guy really did come out with a shotgun？〃
¨I donˇt know；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨And I donˇt care。〃
¨Sorry；〃 Roger said。 ¨Want me to go？〃
¨No。 Stick around。 Iˇm about through。 I wonˇt pay any attention to you。〃
¨They got away at first light；〃 Roger said。 ¨I saw them go。〃
¨What were you doing up then？〃
¨I couldnˇt sleep after I stopped reading and I wasnˇt very good company for myself so I went down to the docks and sat around with some of the boys。 The Ponce never did close up。 I saw Joseph。〃
¨Joseph said you were out sculling。〃
¨Right…hand sculling。 Trying to exercise it out。 I did too。 Feel fine now。〃
¨Thatˇs about all I can do now；〃 Thomas Hudson said and started to clean up and put the gear away。 ¨The kids will be just about taking off now。〃 He looked at his watch。 ¨Why donˇt we just have a quick one？〃
¨Fine。 I could use one。〃
¨It isnˇt quite twelve。〃
¨I donˇt think that makes any difference。 Youˇre through working and Iˇm on a vacation。 But maybe we better wait till twelve if thatˇs your rule。〃
¨All right。〃
¨Iˇve been keeping that rule too。 Itˇs an awful nuisance some mornings when a drink would make you feel all right。〃
¨Letˇs break it；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨I get awfully excited when I know Iˇm going to see them；〃 he explained。
¨I know。〃
¨Joe；〃 Roger called。 ¨Bring the shaker and rig for martinis。〃
¨Yes sir。 I got her rigged now。〃
¨What did you rig so early for？ Do you think we are rummies？〃
¨No sir； Mr。 Roger。 I figured that was what you were saving that empty stomach for。〃
¨Hereˇs to us and the kids；〃 Roger said。
¨They ought to have fun this year。 You better stay up here too。 You can always get away to the shack if they get on your nerves。〃
¨Iˇll stay up here part of the time if I donˇt bother you。〃
¨You donˇt bother me。〃
¨It will be wonderful to have them。〃
It was too。 They were good kids and now they had been at the house for a week。 The tuna run was over and there were few boats at the island now and the life was slow and normal again and the weather was early summer。
The boys slept on cots on the screened porch and it is much less lonely sleeping when you can hear children breathing when you wake in the night。 The nights were cool from the breeze that came across the banks and when the breeze fell it would be cool from the sea。
The boys had been a little shy when they first came and much neater than they were later。 But there was no great neatness problem if you had them rinse the sand from their feet before they came into the house and hang their wet swimming shorts outside and put on dry ones in the house。 Joseph aired their pajamas when he made up the cots in the morning and after sunning them folded the pajamas and put them away and there were only the shirts and the sweaters they wore in the evening to be scattered around。 That； at least； was how it was in principle。 Actually every sort of gear they owned was scattered all over everywhere。 Thomas Hudson did not mind it。 When a man lives in a house by himself he gets very precise habits and they get to be a pleasure。 But it felt good to have some of them broken up。 He knew he would have his habits again long after he would no longer have the boys。
Sitting on the sea porch working he could see the biggest one and the middle…sized one and the small one lying on the beach with Roger。 They were talking； and digging in the sand； and arguing but he could not hear what they were saying。
The biggest boy was long and dark with Thomas Hudsonˇs neck and shoulders and the long swimmerˇs legs and big feet。 He had a rather Indian face and was a happy boy although in repose his face looked almost tragic。
Thomas Hudson had looked at him when his face had that sad look and asked； ¨What are you thinking about； Schatz？〃
¨Fly…tying；〃 the boy would say； his face lighting instantly。 It was the eyes and the mouth that made it tragic…looking when he was thinking and； when he spoke； they brought it to life。
The middle boy always reminded Thomas Hudson of an otter。 He had the same color hair as an otterˇs fur and it had almost the same texture as that of an underwater animal and he browned all over in a strange dark gold tan。 He always reminded his father of the sort of animal that has a sound and humorous life by itself。 Otters and bears are the animals that joke most and bears； of course； are very close to men。 This boy would never be wide enough and strong enough to be a bear and he would never be an athlete； nor did he want to be； but he had a lovely small…animal quality and he had a good mind and a life of his own。 He was affectionate and he had a sense of justice and was good company。 He was also a Cartesian doubter and an avid arguer and he teased well and without meanness although sometimes he teased toughly。 He had other qualities no one knew about and the other two boys respected him immensely although they tried to tease him and tear him down on any point where he was vulnerable。 Naturally they had rows among themselves and they teased each other with considerable malice； but they were well mannered and respectful with grown…ups。
The smallest boy was fair and was built like a pocket battleship。 He was a copy of Thomas Hudson； physically； reduced in scale and widened and shortened。 His skin freckled when it tanned and he had a humorous face and was born being very old。 He was a devil too； and deviled both his older brothers； and he had a dark side to him that nobody except Thomas Hudson could ever understand。 Neither of them thought about this except that they recognized it in each other and knew it was bad and the man respected it and understood the boyˇs having it。 They were very close to each other although Thomas Hudson had never been as much with this boy as with the others。 This youngest boy； Andrew； was a precocious excellent athlete and he had been marvelous with horses since he had first ridden。 The other boys were very proud of him but they did not want any nonsense from him； either。 He was a little unbelievable and anyone could well have doubted his feats except that many people had seen him ride and watched him jump and seen his cold； professional modesty。 He was a boy born to be quite wicked who was being very good and he carried his wickedness around with him transmuted into a sort of teasing gaiety。 But he was a bad boy and the others knew it and he knew it。 He was just being good while his badness grew inside him。
There； below the sea porch； the four of them were lying on the sand with the oldest boy； young Tom； on one side of Roger and the smallest one； Andrew； next to him on the middle side and the middle one； David； stretched out next to Tom on his back with his eyes closed。 Thomas Hudson cleaned up his gear and went down to join them。
¨Hi； papa；〃 the oldest boy said。 ¨Did you work well？〃
¨Are you going to swim； papa？〃 asked the middle boy。
¨The waterˇs pretty good； papa；〃 the youngest boy said。
¨How are you father？〃 Roger grinned。 ¨Howˇs the painting business； Mr。 Hudson？〃
¨Painting business is over for the day； gentlemen。〃
¨Oh swell；〃 said David； the middle boy。 ¨Do you think we can go goggle…fishing？〃
¨Letˇs go after lunch。〃
¨Thatˇs wonderful；〃 the big boy said。
¨Wonˇt it maybe be too rough？〃 Andrew； the youngest boy； asked。
¨For you； maybe；〃 his oldest brother； Tom； told him。
¨No； Tommy。 For anyone。〃
¨They stay in the rocks when itˇs rough；〃 David said。 ¨Theyˇre afraid of the surge the same way we are。 I think it makes them seasick too。 Papa； donˇt fish get seasick？〃
¨Sure；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Sometimes in the live…well of a smack in rough weather the groupers will get so seasick that they die。〃
¨Didnˇt I tell you？〃 David asked his older brother。
¨They get sick and they die；〃 young Tom said。 ¨But what proves that itˇs seasick？〃
¨I think you could say they were reall
