hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃And　then　only　to　the　person　who　does　it　and　a　bloody　bore　to　everyone　else；〃　David　said。　〃Do　you　agree；　Heiress？〃
〃Do　you　call　her　Heiress？〃　Catherine　asked。　〃That's　a　nice　funny　name。〃
〃I　can't　very　well　call　her　Ma'am　or　Highness；〃　David　said。　〃Do　you　agree；　Heiress？　About　perversion？〃
〃I　always　thought　it　was　overrated　and　silly；〃　she　said。　〃It's　only　something　girls　do　because　they　have　nothing　better。〃
〃But　one's　first　time　at　anything　is　interesting；〃　Catherine　said。

〃Yes；〃　David　said。　〃But　would　you　want　to　always　talk　about　your　first　ride　at　Steeplechase　Park　or　how　you；　yourself；　person　ally　soloed　alone　all　by　yourself　in　a　plane　absolutely　away　from　the　earth　and　up　in　the　sky？〃

〃I'm　ashamed；〃　Catherine　said。　〃Look　at　me　and　see　if　I'm　not　ashamed。〃

David　put　his　arm　around　her。

〃Don't　be　ashamed；〃　he　said。　〃Just　remember　how　you'd　like　to　hear　old　Heiress　here　recall　how　she　went　up　in　that　plane；　just　herself　and　the　plane；　and　there　was　nothing　between　her　and　the　earth；　imagine　the　Earth；　with　a　big　E；　but　just　her　plane　and　they　might　have　been　killed　and　smashed　to　horrible　bits　both　of　them　and　she　lose　her　money　and　her　health　and　her　sanity　and　her　life　with　a　capital　L　and　her　loved　ones　or　me　or　you　or　Jesus；　all　with　capital　letters；　if　she　〃crashed〃&mdash；　put　the　word　crashed　in　quotes。〃

〃Did　you　ever　solo；　Heiress？〃

〃No；〃　the　girl　said。　〃I　don't　have　to　now。　But　I　would　like　another　drink。　I　love　you；　David。〃

〃Kiss　her　again　the　way　you　did　before；〃　Catherine　said。

〃Sometime；〃　David　said。　〃I'm　making　drinks。〃

〃I'm　so　glad　we're　all　friends　again　and　everything　is　fine；〃　Catherine　said。　She　was　very　animated　now　and　her　voice　was　natural　and　almost　relaxed。

〃I　forgot　about　the　surprise　that　Heiress　bought　this　morning。　I'll　go　and　get　it。〃

When　Catherine　was　gone；　the　girl　took　David's　hand　and　held　it　very　tight　and　then　kissed　it。　They　sat　and　looked　at　each　other。　She　touched　his　hand　with　her　fingers　almost　absent　mindedly。　She　curled　her　fingers　around　his　and　then　released　them。　〃We　don't　need　to　talk；〃　she　said。　〃You　don't　want　me　to　make　a　speech　do　you？〃

〃No。　But　we　have　to　talk　sometime。〃

'Would　you　like　me　to　go　away？〃

〃You'd　be　smarter　to　go　away。

〃Would　you　kiss　me　so　I　know　that　it　is　all　right　if　I　stay？〃　Catherine　had　come　in　now　with　the　young　waiter　who　carried　a　large　tin　of　caviar　in　a　bowl　of　ice　on　a　tray　with　a　plate　of　toast。　〃That　was　a　wonderful　kiss；〃　she　said。　〃Everyone　saw　it　so　there's　no　longer　any　fear　of　scandal　or　anything；〃　Catherine　said。　〃They're　cutting　up　some　egg　whites　and　some　onion。
It　was　very　large　firm　gray　caviar　and　Catherine　dipped　it　onto　the　pieces　of　thin　toast。
〃Heiress　bought　you　a　case　of　B6llinger　Brut　1915　and　there　is　some　iced。　Don't　you　think　we　should　drink　a　bottle　with　this？〃
〃Sure；〃　said　David。　〃Let's　have　it　all　through　the　meal。〃
〃Isn't　it　lucky　Heiress　and　I　are　rich　so　you'll　never　have　anything　to　worry　about？　We'll　take　good　care　of　him　won't　we　Heiress？〃

'We　must　try　very　hard；〃　the　girl　said。　〃I'm　trying　to　study　his　needs。　This　was　all　we　could　find　for　today。〃
Chapter　Fourteen





HE　HAD　5LEPT　about　two　hours　when　the　daylight　woke　him　and　he　looked　at　Catherine　sleeping　easily　and　looking　happy　in　her　sleep。　He　left　her　looking　beautiful　and　young　and　unspoiled　and　then　went　into　the　bathroom　and　showered　and　put　on　a　pair　of　shorts　and　walked　barefoot　through　the　garden　to　the　room　where　he　worked。　The　sky　was　washed　clean　after　the　wind　and　it　was　the　fresh　early　morning　of　a　new　day　toward　the　end　of

summer。

He　started　in　again　on　the　new　and　difficult　story　and　worked　attacking　each　thing　that　for　years　he　had　put　off　facing。　He　worked　until　nearly　eleven　o'clock　and　when　he　had　finished　for　the　day　he　shut　up　the　room　and　went　out　and　found　the　two　girls　playing　chess　at　a　table　in　the　garden。　They　both　looked　fresh　and　young　and　as　attractive　as　the　wind…washed　morning
sky。
〃She's　beating　me　again；〃　Catherine　said。　〃How　are　you；　David？〃
The　girl　smiled　at　him　very　shyly。


They　are　the　two　loveliest　girls　I've　ever　seen；　David　thought。　Now　what　will　this　day　bring。　〃How　are　you　two？〃　he　said。
〃We're　very　well；〃　the　girl　said。　〃Did　you　have　good　luck？〃
〃It's　all　uphill　but　it's　going　well；〃　he　said。
〃You　haven't　had　any　breakfast。〃
〃It's　too　late　for　breakfast；〃　David　said。
〃Nonsense；〃　Catherine　said。　〃You're　wife　of　the　day；　Heiress。　Make　him　eat　breakfast。〃
〃Wouldn't　you　like　coffee　and　some　fruit；　David？〃　the　girl　asked。　〃You　ought　to　eat　something。〃
〃I'll　have　some　black　coffee；〃　David　said。
〃I'll　bring　you　something；〃　the　girl　said　and　went　off　into　the　hotel。
David　sat　by　Catherine　at　the　table　and　she　put　the　chessmen　and　the　board　on　a　chair。　She　mussed　his　hair　and　said；　〃Have　you　forgotten　you　have　a　silver　head　like　mine？〃
〃Yes；〃　he　said。
〃It's　going　to　be　lighter　and　lighter　and　I'll　be　fairer　and　fairer　and　darker　in　the　body　too。〃
〃That　will　be　wonderful。〃
〃Yes　and　I'm　all　over　everything。〃
The　pretty　dark　girl　was　bringing　a　tray　with　a　small　bowl　rounded　with　caviar；　a　half　lemon；　a　spoon　and　two　pieces　of　toast　and　the　young　waiter　had　a　bucket　with　a　bottle　of　the　B6llinger　and　a　tray　with　three　glasses。
〃This　will　be　good　for　David；〃　the　girl　said。　〃Then　we　can　go　swimming　before　lunch。〃


After　the　swimming　and　lying　in　the　sun　on　the　beach　and　a　big　long　lunch　with　more　of　the　Bdllinger；　Catherine　said；　〃I'm　really　tired　and　sleepy。〃
〃You　swam　a　long　way；〃　David　said。　〃We'll　make　a　siesta。〃

〃I　want　to　really　sleep；〃　Catherine　said。

〃Do　you　feel　well；　Catherine？〃　the　girl　asked。

〃Yes。　just　deadly　sleepy。〃

〃We'll　put　you　to　bed；〃　David　said。　〃Do　you　have　a　ther　mometer？〃　he　asked　the　girl。

〃I'm　sure　I　haven't　any　fever；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　just　want　to　sleep　for　a　long　time。〃

When　she　was　in　bed　the　girl　brought　in　the　thermometer　and　David　took　Catherine's　temperature　and　her　pulse。　The　temperature　was　normal　and　the　pulse　was　one　hundred　and　five。

〃The　pulse　is　a　little　high；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　don't　know　your　normal　pulse。〃

〃I　don't　either　but　it's　probably　too　fast。〃

〃I　don't　think　the　pulse　means　much　with　the　temperature　normal；〃　David　said。　〃But　if　you　have　a　fever　I'll　bring　a　doctor　up　from　Cannes。〃

〃I　don't　want　a　doctor；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　just　want　to　sleep。　Can　I　sleep　now？〃

〃Yes；　my　beauty。　You　call　if　you　want　me。

They　stood　and　watched　her　go　to　sleep　and　then　went　out　very　quietly　and　David　walked　along　the　stones　and　looked　through　the　window。　Catherine　was　sleeping　quietly　and　her　breathing　was　regular。　He　brought　two　chairs　up　and　a　table　and　they　sat　in　the　shade　near　Catherine's　window　and　looked　out　through　the　pines　to　the　blue　sea。　〃What　do　you　think？〃　David　asked。

〃I　don't　know。　She　was　happy　this　morning。　just　as　you　saw　her　when　you　finished　writing。〃

'What　about　now？〃

〃Maybe　just　a　reaction　from　yesterday。　She's　a　very　natural　girl；　David；　and　this　is　natural。〃

〃Yesterday　was　like　loving　someone　when　someone　s　died；〃　he　said。　〃It　wasn't　right。〃　He　stood　up　and　walked　to　the　window

and　looked　in。　Catherine　was　sleeping　in　the　same　position　and　breathing　lightly。　〃She's　sleeping　well；〃　he　told　the　girl。　〃Wouldn't　you　like　to　take　a　nap？〃

〃I　think　so。〃

〃I'm　going　down　to　my　room　where　I　work；〃　he　said。　〃There's　a　door　to　yours　that　bolts　on　each　side。〃　He　walked　down　along　the　stones　and　unlocked　the　door　of　his　room　and　then　unbolted　the　door　between　the　two　rooms。　He　stood　and　waited　and　then　heard　the　bolt　turn　on　the　other　side　of　the　door　and　then　the　door　opened。　They　sat　side　by　side　on　the　bed　and　he　put　his　arm　around　her。　〃Kiss　me；〃　David　said。

〃I　love　to　kiss　you；〃　she　said。　〃I　love　it　so　very　much。　But　I　can't　do　the　other。〃

〃No？〃

〃No；　I　can't。〃

Then　she　said；　〃Isn't　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you　now？　I'm　so　ashamed　about　the　other　but　you　know　how　it　could。　make　trouble。〃

〃Just　lie　here　by　me。〃

〃I'd　love　that。〃

〃Do　what　you　like。〃

〃I　will；〃　she　said。　〃You　too　please。　Do　what　we　can。


Catherine　slept　all　through　the　afternoon　and　early　evening。　David　and　the　girl　were　sitting　at　the　bar　having　a