hemingway, ernest - islands in the stream-第51章
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e then。 The hell with it； he thought。 No。 Go in and do it。 Itˇs good for your damned morale and you have to go into town after breakfast。
Shaving； he sipped the drink halfway through lathering； after lathering； and during the process of relathering； and changing blades three times in getting the two…week stubble off his cheeks； chin； and throat。 The cat walked around and watched him while he shaved and rubbed against his legs。 Then suddenly he bounded out of the room and Thomas Hudson knew he had heard the milk bowls being put down on the tiled floor of the dining room。 He had not heard the click himself nor had he heard any calling。 But Boise had heard it。
Thomas Hudson finished shaving and poured his right hand full of the wonderful ninety…degree pure alcohol that was as cheap in Cuba as miserable rubbing alcohol in the States and doused it over his face； feeling its cold bite take away the soreness from the shaving。
I donˇt use sugar； nor smoke tobacco； he thought； but by God I get my pleasure out of what they distill in this country。
The lower parts of the bathroom windows were painted over because the stone paved patio ran all around the house； but the upper halves of the windows were of clear glass and he could see the branches of the palm trees whipping in the wind。 Sheˇs blowing even heavier than I thought。 There would almost be time to haul out。 But you canˇt tell。 It all depends on what she does when she goes into the northeast。 It certainly had been fun not to think about the sea for the last few hours。 Letˇs keep it up； he thought。 Letˇs not think about the sea nor what is on it or under it； or anything connected with it。 Letˇs not even make a list of what we will not think of about it。 Letˇs not think of it at all。 Letˇs just have the sea in being and leave it at that。 And the other things； he thought。 We wonˇt think about them either。
¨Where would the se？or like to have breakfast？〃 Mario asked。
¨Any place away from the puta sea。〃
¨In the living room or in the se？orˇs bedroom？〃
¨In the bedroom。 Pull out the wicker chair and put the breakfast on a table by it。〃
He drank the hot tea and ate a fried egg and some toast with orange marmalade。
¨Is there no fruit？〃
¨Only bananas。〃
¨Bring some。〃
¨Are they not bad with alcohol？〃
¨That is superstition。〃
¨But while you were away a man died in the village from eating bananas when he was drinking rum。〃
¨How do you know he wasnˇt just a banana…eating rummy who died from rum？〃
¨No； se？or。 This man died very suddenly from drinking a small amount of rum after eating a large quantity of bananas。 They were his own bananas from his garden。 He lived on the hill behind the village and worked for the route number seven of the buses。〃
¨May he rest in peace；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Bring me a few bananas。〃
Mario brought the bananas； small； yellow； ripe； from the tree in the garden。 They were hardly bigger； peeled； than a manˇs fingers and they were delicious。 Thomas Hudson ate five of them。
¨Observe me for symptoms；〃 he said。 ¨And bring the Princessa to eat the other egg。〃
¨I gave her an egg to celebrate your return；〃 the boy said。 ¨I also gave an egg to Boise and to Willy。〃
¨What about Goats？〃
¨The gardener said it was not good for Goats to eat much until his wounds are healed。 His wounds were severe。〃
¨What sort of a fight was it？〃
¨It was very serious。 They fought for nearly a mile。 We lost them in the thorn brush beyond the garden。 They fought with no noise at all； the way they fight now。 I donˇt know who won。 Big Goats came in first and we took care of his wounds。 He came to the patio and lay beside the cistern。 He couldnˇt jump to the top of it。 Fats came in an hour later and we cared for his wounds。〃
¨Do you remember how loving they were when they were brothers？〃
¨Of course。 But I am afraid now that Fats will kill Goats。 He must weigh nearly a pound more。〃
¨Goats is a great fighting cat。〃
¨Yes； se？or。 But figure out for yourself what a full pound means。〃
¨I donˇt think it can mean as much in cats as it does in fighting cocks。 You think of everything in terms of fighting chickens。 It doesnˇt mean much in men unless one man must weaken himself to make the weight。 Jack Dempsey weighed only 185 pounds when he won the championship of the world。 Willard weighed 230。 Goats and Fats are both big cats。〃
¨The way they fight； a pound is a terrible advantage；〃 Mario said。 ¨If they were being fought for money； no one would give away a pound。 They would not give away ounces。〃
¨Bring me some more bananas。〃
¨Please； se？or。〃
¨You really believe that nonsense？〃
¨Itˇs not nonsense； se？or。〃
¨Then bring me another whisky and mineral water。〃
¨If you order me to。〃
¨I ask you to。〃
¨If you ask； it is an order。〃
¨Then bring it。〃
The boy brought in the whisky with ice and cold； charged mineral water and Thomas Hudson took it and said； ¨Observe me for symptoms。〃 But the worried look on the boyˇs dark face made him tire of the teasing and he said； ¨Truly； I know it will not make me sick。〃
¨The se？or knows what he is doing。 But it was my duty to protest。〃
¨Thatˇs all right。 Youˇve protested。 Has Pedro come yet？〃
¨No； se？or。〃
¨When he comes tell him to have the Cadillac ready to go to town at once。〃
Now you take a bath； Thomas Hudson said to himself。 Then you dress for Havana。 Then you ride into town to see the Colonel。 What the hell is wrong with you？ Plenty is wrong with me； he thought。 Plenty。 The land of plenty。 The sea of plenty。 The air of plenty。
He sat in a wicker chair with his feet up on the extension that pulled out from under the seat and looked at the pictures on the wall of his bedroom。 At the head of the bed； the cheap bed with the no…good mattress that had been bought as an economy because he never slept in it except in case of quarrels； there was Juan Grisˇs Guitar Player。 Nostalgia hecha hombre； he thought in Spanish。 People did not know that you died of it。 Across the room； above the bookcase； was Paul Kleeˇs Monument in Arbeit。 He didnˇt love it as he loved the Guitar Player but he loved to look at it and he remembered how corrupt it had seemed when he first bought it in Berlin。 The color was as indecent as the plates in his fatherˇs medical books that showed the different types of chancres and venereal ulcers； and how frightened of it his wife had been until she had learned to accept its corruption and only see it as a painting。 He knew no more about it now than when he first saw it in Flechtheimˇs Gallery in the house by the river that wonderful cold fall in Berlin when they had been so happy。 But it was a good picture and he liked to look at it。
Above the other bookcase was one of Massonˇs forests。 This was Ville dˇAvray and he loved it the way he loved the Guitar Player。 That was the great thing about pictures； you could love them with no hopelessness at all。 You could love them without sorrow and the good ones made you happy because they had done what you always tried to do。 So it was done and it was all right； even if you failed to do it。
Boise came into the room and jumped up onto his lap。 He jumped beautifully and could leap； without effort showing； to the top of the high chest of drawers in the big bedroom。 Now； having leaped moderately and neatly； he settled down on Thomas Hudsonˇs lap and made loving pushes with his forepaws。
¨Iˇm looking at the pictures； Boy。 Youˇd be better off if you liked pictures。〃
Who knows though but he may get as much from leaping and from night hunting as I get from the pictures； Thomas Hudson thought。 It is a damned shame he canˇt see them though。 You canˇt tell。 He might have frightful taste in pictures。
¨I wonder who youˇd like； Boy。 Probably the Dutch period when they painted such wonderful still lifes of fish and oysters and game。 Hey； lay off me there。 This is the day time。 Youˇre not supposed to do that sort of thing in the day time。〃
Boise continued with his lovemaking and Thomas Hudson pushed him onto his side to quiet him。
¨You have to observe a few decencies； Boy；〃 he s
