hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第14章

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〃Not　at　all。　They　look　right。　They　just　looked　so　well　creased。〃
After　breakfast　while　David　shaved　and　showered　and　then　pulled　on　a　pair　of　old　flannels　and　a　fisherman's　shirt　and　found　his　espadrilles　Catherine　put　on　a　blue　linen　shirt　with　an　open　collar　and　a　heavy　white　linen　skirt。
〃We're　better　this　way。　Even　if　the　slacks　are　right　for　here　they're　too　show…off　for　this　morning。　We'll　save　them。〃


It　was　very　friendly　and　offhand　at　the　coiffeur's　but　very　professional。　Monsieur　Jean；　who　was　about　David's　age　and　looked　more　Italian　than　French；　said；　〃I　will　cut　it　as　she　asks。　Do　you　agree；　Monsieur？〃
〃I　don't　belong　to　the　syndicate；〃　David　said。　〃I　leave　it　to　you　two。〃
〃Perhaps　we　should　experiment　on　Monsieur；〃　Monsieur　Jean　said。　〃In　case　anything　goes　wrong。
But　Monsieur　Jean　began　cutting　Catherine's　hair　very　care　fully　and　skillfully　and　David　watched　her　dark　serious　face　above　the　smock　that　came　close　around　her　neck。　She　looked　into　the　hand　mirror　and　watched　the　comb　and　scissors　lifting


and　snipping。　The　man　was　working　like　a　sculptor；　absorbed　and　serious。　〃I　thought　about　it　all　last　night　and　this　morning；〃　the　coiffeur　said。　〃If　you　don't　believe　that；　Monsieur；　I　under…　stand。　But　this　is　as　important　to　me　as　your　metier　is　to　you。

He　stepped　back　to　look　at　the　shape　he　was　making。　Then　he　snipped　more　rapidly　and　finally　turned　the　chair　so　the　big　mirror　was　reflected　in　the　small　one　Catherine　held。

〃Do　you　want　it　cut　that　way　above　the　ears？〃　she　asked　the　coiffeur。

〃As　you　like。　I　can　make　it　more　degage　if　you　wish。　But　it　will　be　beautiful　as　is　if　we　are　going　to　make　it　truly　fair。〃

〃I　want　it　fair；〃　Catherine　said。

He　smiled。　〃Madame　and　I　have　spoken　of　it。　But　I　said　it　must　be　Monsieur's　decision。〃

〃Monsieur　gave　his　decision；〃　Catherine　said。

〃How　fair　did　Monsieur　say　he　wished　it　to　be？〃

〃As　fair　as　you　can　make　it；〃　she　said。

〃Don't　say　that；〃　Monsieur　Jean　said。　〃You　must　tell　me。〃

〃As　fair　as　my　pearls；〃　Catherine　said。　〃You've　seen　them　plenty　of　times。〃

David　had　come　over　and　was　watching　Monsieur　Jean　stir　a　large　glassful　of　the　shampoo　with　a　wooden　spoon。　〃I　have　the　shampoos　made　up　with　castile　soap；〃　the　coiffeur　said。　〃It's　warm。　Please　come　over　here　to　the　basin。　Sit　forward；〃　he　said　to　Catherine；　〃and　put　this　cloth　across　your　forehead。〃

〃But　it　isn't　even　really　a　boy's　haircut；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　wanted　it　the　way　we　planned。　Everything's　going　wrong。

〃It　couldn't　be　more　a　boy's　haircut。　You　must　believe　me。

He　was　lathering　her　head　now　with　the　foamy　thick　shampoo　with　the　acrid　odor。

When　her　head　had　been　shampooed　and　rinsed　again　and　again　it　looked　to　David　as　though　it　had　no　color　and　the　water
tunnelled　through　it　showing　only　a　wet　paleness。　The　coiffeur　put　a　towel　over　it　and　rubbed　it　softly。　He　was　very　sure　about
it。
〃Don't　be　desperate；　Madame；〃　he　said。　〃Why　would　I　do　anything　against　your　beauty？〃

〃I　am　desperate　and　there　isn't　any　beauty。〃
He　dried　her　head　gently　and　then　kept　the　towel　over　her　head　and　brought　a　hand　blower　and　began　to　play　it　through　her　hair　as　he　combed　it　forward。
〃Now　watch；〃　he　said。
As　the　air　drove　through　her　hair　it　was　turning　from　damp　drab　to　a　silvery　northern　shining　fairness。　As　the　wind　of　the　blower　moved　through　it　they　watched　it　change。
〃You　shouldn't　have　despaired；〃　Monsieur　Jean　said；　not　saying　Madame　and　then　remembering。　〃Madame　wanted　it　fair？〃
〃It's　better　than　the　pearls；〃　she　said。　〃You're　a　great　man　and　I　was　terrible。〃
Then　he　rubbed　his　hands　together　with　something　from　a　jar。　〃I'll　just　touch　it　with　this；〃　he　said。　He　smiled　at　Catherine　very　happily　and　passed　his　hands　lightly　over　her　head。
Catherine　stood　up　and　looked　at　herself　very　seriously　in　the　mirror。　Her　face　had　never　been　so　dark　and　her　hair　was　like　the　bark　of　a　young　white　birch　tree。
〃I　like　it　so　much；〃　she　said。　〃Too　much。〃
She　looked　in　the　mirror　as　though　she　had　never　seen　the　girl　she　was　looking　at。
〃Now　we　must　do　Monsieur；〃　the　coiffeur　said。　〃Does　Monsieur　wish　the　cut？　It's　very　conservative　but　it's　also　sportif。〃
〃The　cut；〃　David　said。　〃I　don't　think　I've　had　a　haircut　in　a　month。〃
〃Please　make　it　the　same　as　mine；〃　Catherine　said。
〃But　shorter；〃　David　said。


8o

〃No。　Please　just　the　same。
When　it　was　cut　David　stood　up　and　ran　his　hand　over　his　head。　It　felt　cool　and　comfortable。
〃Aren't　you　going　to　let　him　lighten　it？〃

〃No。　We've　had　enough　miracles　for　one　day。〃
〃Just　a　little？〃

David　looked　at　Catherine　and　then　at　his　own　face　in　the　mirror。　His　was　as　brown　as　hers　and　it　was　her　haircut。
〃You　really　want　it　that　much？〃
〃Yes　I　do；　David。　Truly。　Just　to　try　it　a　little　bit。　Please。〃
He　looked　once　more　in　the　mirror　and　walked　over　then　and　sat　down。　The　coiffeur　looked　at　Catherine。
〃Go　ahead　and　do　it；〃　she　said。
Chapter　Ten

THE　PATRON　WAS　SITTING　at　one　of　his　tables　on　the　terrace　of　the　long　house　with　a　bottle　of　wine；　a　glass　and　an　empty　coffee　cup　reading　the　Eclaireur　de　Nice　when　the　blue　car　came　up　in　a　rush　on　the　gravel　and　Catherine　and　David　got　out　and　caine　walking　down　the　flagstones　to　the　terrace。　He　had　not　expected　them　back　so　soon　and　he　was　nearly　asleep　but　he　stood　up　and　said　the　first　thing　that　came　in　his　head　as　they　were　opposite　him。

〃Madame　et　Monsieur　ont　fait　decolorer　les　cheveux。　C'est　bien。〃

〃Merci　Monsieur。　On　le　fait　toujours　dans　le　mois　d'aout。〃

〃C'est　bien。　C'est　tres　bien。〃

'That's　nice；〃　said　Catherine　to　David。　〃We're　good　clients。　What　the　good　client　does　is　tres　bien。　You're　tres　bien。　My　God　you　are。〃

In　their　room　a　good　sailing　breeze　was　blowing　in　from　the　sea　and　the　room　was　cold。

〃I　love　that　blue　shirt；〃　David　said。　〃Stand　there　like　that　in　it。


83
82

〃It's　the　color　of　the　car；〃　she　said。　〃Would　it　look　nicer　with　out　a　skirt？〃

〃Everything　on　you　looks　nicer　without　a　skirt；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　going　out　and　see　that　old　goat　and　be　an　even　better　client。〃

He　came　back　with　a　bucket　of　ice　and　a　bottle　of　the　champagne　that　the　proprietor　had　ordered　for　them　and　that　they　had　drunk　so　seldom　and　he　held　two　glasses　on　a　small　tray　in　his　other　hand。

〃This　ought　to　be　fair　warning　for　them；〃　he　said。

〃We　didn't　need　it；〃　Catherine　said。

〃We　can　just　try　it。　It　won't　take　fifteen　minutes　to　cool。〃

〃Don't　tease。　Please　come　to　bed　and　let　me　see　you　and　feel　you。

She　was　taking　his　shirt　up　over　his　head　and　he　stood　up　and　helped　her。


After　she　was　asleep　David　got　up　and　looked　at　himself　in　the　bathroom　mirror。　He　picked　up　a　brush　and　brushed　his　hair。　There　was　no　other　way　to　brush　it　but　the　way　it　had　been　cut。　It　would　disarrange　and　muss　but　it　had　to　fall　that　way　and　the　color　was　the　same　as　Catherine's。　He　went　to　the　door　and　looked　at　her　on　the　bed。　Then　he　came　back　and　picked　up　her　big　hand　mirror。

〃So　that's　how　it　is；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃You've　done　that　to　your　hair　and　had　it　cut　the　same　as　your　girl's　and　how　do　you　feel？〃　He　asked　the　mirror。　〃How　do　you　feel？　Say　it。

〃You　like　it；〃　he　said。

He　looked　at　the　mirror　and　it　was　someone　else　he　saw　but　it　was　less　strange　now。

〃All　right。　You　like　it；〃　he　said。　〃Now　go　through　with　the　rest　of　it　whatever　it　is　and　don't　ever　say　anyone　tempted　you　or　that　anyone　bitched　you。〃

He　looked　at　the　face　that　was　no　longer　strange　to　him　at　all　but　was　his　face　now　and　said；　〃You　like　it。　Remember　that。　Keep　that　straight。　You　know　exactly　how　you　look　now　and　how　you　are。

Of　course　he　did　not　know　exactly　how　he　was。　But　he　made　an　effort　aided　by　what　he　had　seen　in　the　mirror。


They　ate　dinner　on　the　terrace　in　front　of　the　long　house　that　night　and　were　very　excited　and　quiet　and　enjoyed　looking　at　each　other　in　the　shaded　light　on　the　table。　After　dinner　Catherine　said　to　the　boy　who　had　brought　their　coffee；　〃Find　the　pail　for　the　champagne　in　our　room　and　ice　a　new　bottle　please。〃

〃Do　we　want　another？〃　David　asked。

〃I　think　so。　Don't　you？〃

〃Sure。〃

〃You　don't　have　to。〃

〃Do　you　want　a　fine？〃

〃No。　I'd　rather　drink　the　wine。　Do　you　have　to　work　tomorrow？〃

〃We'll　see。