hemingway, ernest - islands in the stream-第52章
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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 said。 ¨I havenˇt even gone out to see the other cats； to please you。〃
Boise was happy and Thomas Hudson felt the purr in his throat with his fingers。
¨I have to bathe； Boy。 You spend half your time doing that。 But you do it with your own tongue。 Thatˇs when you wonˇt pay any attention to me。 When you wash yourself youˇre just like a damned businessman at his office。 Thatˇs business。 Thatˇs not to be interrupted。 Well； I have to bathe now。 But instead I sit here drinking in the morning like a damned rummy。 Thatˇs one of the differences between us。 You couldnˇt steer eighteen hours either。 I can； though。 Twelve anytime。 Eighteen when I have to。 Nineteen yesterday and this morning。 But I canˇt jump and I canˇt hunt at night like you。 We do some pretty damn fancy hunting at night though。 But youˇve got your radar in your whiskers。 And a pigeon probably has his Huff Duff in that incrustation above his beak。 Anyway； all homing pigeons have the incrustation。 What sort of ultra…high frequencies have you got； Boy？〃
Boise lay there heavy and solid and long； purring silently and very happy。
¨What does your search receiver say； Boy？ Whatˇs your pulse width？ Whatˇs your pulse repetition frequency？ Iˇve got a magnetron built in。 But donˇt tell anybody。 But with the consequent higher resolution attained by the UHF； enemy whores can be detected at a greater distance。 Itˇs microwave； Boy； and youˇre purring it right now。〃
So thatˇs how you kept your resolution not to think about it until we get going again。 It wasnˇt the sea you wanted to forget。 You know you love the sea and would not be anywhere else。 Go on out to the porch and look at her。 She is not cruel or callous nor any of that Quatsch。 She is just there and the wind moves her and the current moves her and they fight on her surface but down below none of it matters。 Be thankful that you are going out on her again and thank her for being your home。 She is your home。 Donˇt talk nor think nonsense about her。 She is not your trouble。 Youˇre making a little more sense； he told himself。 Although you donˇt make too damned much ashore。 All right； he told himself。 I have to make so much sense at sea that I donˇt want to make any ashore。
Ashore is a lovely place； he thought。 Today we would see just how lovely it could be。 After I see the goddamned Colonel； he thought。 Well I always enjoy seeing him because it builds up my morale。 Letˇs not go into the Colonel； he thought。 Thatˇs one of those things we are going to skip while we have a lovely day。 I will go to see him。 But I wonˇt go into him。 Enough has gone into him already that will never get out。 And enough has gone out of him that they will never get back in。 So I thought you werenˇt going to go into him。 Iˇm not。 Iˇm just going in to see him and report。
He finished the drink； lifted the cat off his lap； stood up and looked at the three paintings； and then went in and took a shower。 The water heater had only been on since the boys came in the morning and there was not much hot water。 But he soaped himself clean； scrubbed his head； and finished off with cold water。 He dressed in white flannel shirt； dark tie； flannel slacks； wool socks and his ten…year…old English brogues； a cashmere pullover sweater； and an old tweed jacket。 He rang for Mario。
¨Is Pedro here？〃
¨Yes； se？or。 He has the car outside。〃
¨Make me a Tom Collins with coconut water and bitters to take。 Put it in one of the cork holders。〃
¨Yes； se？or。 Donˇt you want a coat？〃
¨Iˇll take a coat to wear back if it gets cold。〃
¨Will you be back for lunch？〃
¨No。 Nor for dinner。〃
¨Do you want to see any of the cats before you go？ They are all out in the lee of the wind in the sun。〃
¨No。 I will see them tonight。 I want to bring them a present。〃
¨I go to make the drink。 It will take a moment for the coconut。〃
Now why in hell wouldnˇt you go to see the cats？ he asked himself。 I donˇt know； he answered。 That one I did not understand at all。 That was a new one。
Boise was following him； a little worried at this going away； but not panicky since there was no baggage and no packing。 ¨Maybe I did it for you； Boy；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Donˇt you worry。 Iˇll be back sometime tonight or in the morning。 With my ashes dragged； I hope。 Properly； I hope。 Then maybe we will make a little better sense around here。 V？monos a limpiar la escopeta。〃
He came out of the long； bright living room that still seemed enormous and down the stone steps into the even greater brightness of the Cuban winter morning。 The dogs played around his legs and the sad pointer came up grovelling and wagging his lowered head。
¨You poor miserable beast；〃 he said to the pointer。 He patted him and the dog fawned on him。 The other mongrel dogs were gay and prancing in the excitement of the cold and the wind。 There were some dead branches broken off the ceiba tree that grew out of the patio and they lay on the steps where they had fallen in the wind。 The chauffeur came from behind the car； shivering exaggeratedly； and said； ¨Good morning； Mr。 Hudson。 How was the voyage？〃
¨Good enough。 How are the Cars？〃
¨All in perfect shape。〃
¨Iˇll bet；〃 Thomas Hudson said in English。 Then to Mario； who came out of the house and down the steps to the car carrying the tall dark； rusty…colored drink； wrapped round with a sheet of moulded cork that came to within a half…inch of the rim of the glass； ¨Get a sweater for Pedro。 One of those that buttons in front。 From Mr。 Tomˇs clothes。 See that the steps are cleaned of this trash。〃
Thomas Hudson handed the drink to the chauffeur to hold and stooped to pet the dogs。 Boise was sitting on the steps； watching them with contempt。 There was Negrita； a small black bitch going gray with age； her tail curled over her back； her tiny feet and delicate legs almost sparkling as she played； her muzzle as sharp as a fox terrier and her eyes loving and intelligent。
He had seen her one night in a bar following some people out and asked what breed of dog she was。
¨Cuban；〃 the waiter said。 ¨Sheˇs been here four days。 She follows everyone out but they always shut the doors of their cars on her。〃
They had taken her home to the Finca and for two years she had not been in heat and Thomas Hudson had thought she was too old to breed。 Then； one day； he had to break her loose from a police dog and after that she had police dog pups； pups from a pit bull； pointer pups； and a wonderful unknown pup that was bright red and looked as though his father might have been an Irish setter except that he had the chest and shoulders of a pit bull and a tail that curled up over his back like Negritaˇs。
Now her sons were all around her and she was pregnant again。
¨Who did she breed with？〃 Thomas Hudson asked the chauffeur。
¨I donˇt know。〃
Mario； who came out with the sweater and gave it to the chauffeur； who took off his frayed uniform coat to put it on； said； ¨The father is the fighting dog in the village。〃
¨Well； goodbye； dogs；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨So long； Boy；〃 he said to the cat who came bounding down through the dogs to the car。 Thomas Hudson； sitting in the car now； holding the cork…wrapped drink； leaned out of the window and touched the cat who rose on his hind legs to push his head against his fingers。 ¨Donˇt worry； Boy。 Iˇll be back。〃
¨Poor Boise；〃 Mario said。 He picked him up and held him in his arms and the cat looked after the car as it turned； circling the flower bed； and went down the uneven gully…washed driveway until it was hidden by the hill slope and the tall mango trees。 Then Mario took the cat into the house and put him down and the cat jumped up onto the window sill and continued to look out at where the driveway disappeared under the hill。
Mario stroked him but the cat did not relax。
¨Poor Boise；〃 the tall Negro boy said。 ¨Poor； poor Boise。〃
In the car Thomas Hudson and the chauffeur went down the driveway and the chauffeur jumped out and unchained the gate and then climbed back
