hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第24章

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　David　overhauled　her。　He　reached　out　and　grabbed　a　foot　and　then　held　her　close　in　his　arms　and　kissed　her　as　they　treaded　water。　She　felt　slippery　and　strange　in　the　water　and　they　seemed　the　same　height　as　they　treaded　water　with　their　bodies　close　together　and　kissed。　Then　her　head　went　under　and　he　leaned　back　and　she　came　up　laughing　and　shaking　her　head　that　was　sleek　as　a　seal；　and　she　brought　her　lips　against　his　again　and　they　kissed　until　they　both　went　under。　They　lay　side　by　side　and　floated　and　touched　and　then　kissed　hard　and　happily　and　went　under　again。

〃I　don't　worry　about　anything　now；〃　she　said；　when　they　came　up　again。　〃You　mustn't　either。〃

〃I　won't；〃　he　said　and　they　swam　in。

〃You　better　go　in；　Devil；〃　he　said　to　Catherine。　〃Your　head　will　get　too　hot。〃

〃All　right。　Let's　go　in；〃　she　said。　〃Let　Heiress　darken　now。　Let　me　put　some　oil　on　her。〃

〃Not　too　much；〃　the　girl　said。　〃May　I　have　a　pail　of　water　on　my　head　too？〃

〃Your　head's　as　wet　as　it　can　get；〃　Catherine　said。

〃I　just　wanted　to　feel　it；〃　the　girl　said。

〃Wade　out；　David；　and　get　a　good　cold　one；〃　Catherine　said。　And　after　he　had　poured　the　clear　cool　sea　water　on　Marita's　head　they　left　her　lying　with　her　face　on　her　arms　and　swam　out　to　sea。　They　floated　easily　like　sea　animals　and　Catherine　said；　〃Wouldn't　it　be　wonderful　if　I　wasn't　crazy？〃

〃You're　not　crazy。

〃Not　this　afternoon；〃　she　said。　〃Anyway　not　so　far。　Can　we　swim　further？〃

〃We're　pretty　well　out；　Devil。〃

〃All　right。　Let's　swim　back　in。　But　the　deep　water's　beautiful　out　here。〃

〃Do　you　want　to　swim　down　once　before　we　go　in？〃

〃Just　once；〃　she　said。　〃In　this　very　deep　part。〃

〃We'll　swim　down　until　we　just　can　make　it　up。〃

136　'37


Chapter　Sixteen





HE　WOKE　when　it　was　barely　just　light　enough　to　see　the　pine　trunks　and　he　left　the　bed；　careful　not　to　wake　Catherine；　found　his　shorts　and　went；　the　soles　of　his　feet　wet　from　the　dew　on　the　stones；　along　the　length　of　the　hotel　to　the　door　of　his　work　room。　As　he　opened　the　door　he　felt；　again；　the　touch　of　the　air　from　the　sea　that　promised　how　the　day　would　be。

When　he　sat　down　the　sun　was　not　yet　up　and　he　felt　that　he　had　made　up　some　of　the　time　that　was　lost　in　the　story。　But　as　he　reread　his　careful　legible　hand　and　the　words　took　him　away　and　into　the　other　country；　he　lost　that　advantage　and　was　faced　with　the　same　problem　and　when　the　sun　rose　out　of　the　sea　it　had；　for　him；　risen　long　before　and　he　was　well　into　the　crossing　of　the　gray；　dried；　bitter　lakes　his　boots　now　white　with　crusted　alkalis。　He　felt　the　weight　of　the　sun　on　his　head　and　his　neck　and　his　back。　His　shirt　was　wet　and　he　felt　the　sweat　go　down　his　back　and　between　his　thighs。　When　he　stood　straight　up　and　rested；　breathing　slowly；　and　his　shirt　hung　away　from

his　shoulders；　he　could　feel　it　dry　in　the　sun　and　see　the　white　patches　that　the　salts　of　his　body　made　in　the　drying。　He　could　feel　and　see　himself　standing　there　and　knew　there　was　nothing　to　do　except　go　on。

At　half　past　ten　he　had　crossed　the　lakes　and　was　well　beyond　them。　By　then　he　had　reached　the　river　and　the　great　grove　of　fig　trees　where　they　would　make　their　camp。　The　bark　of　the　trunks　was　green　and　yellow　and　the　branches　were　heavy。　Baboons　had　been　eating　the　wild　figs　and　there　were　baboon　droppings　and　broken　figs　on　the　ground。　The　smell　was　foul。

But　the　half　past　ten　was　on　the　watch　on　his　wrist　as　he　looked　at　it　in　the　room　where　he　sat　at　a　table　feeling　the　breeze　from　the　sea　now　and　the　real　time　was　evening　and　he　was　sitting　against　the　yellow　gray　base　of　a　tree　with　a　glass　of　whiskey　and　water　in　his　hand　and　the　rolled　figs　swept　away　watching　the　porters　butchering　out　the　Kongoni　he　had　shot　in　the　first　grassy　swale　they　passed　before　they　came　to　the　river。

I'll　leave　them　with　meat；　he　thought　and　so　it　is　a　happy　camp　tonight　no　matter　what　comes　after。　So　he　put　his　pencils　and　the　notebooks　away　and　locked　the　suitcase　and　went　out　the　door　and　walked　on　the　stones；　dry　and　warm　now；　to　the　hotel　patio。

The　girl　was　sitting　at　one　of　the　tables　reading　a　book。　She　wore　a　striped　fisherman's　shirt　and　tennis　skirt　and　espadrilles　and　when　she　saw　him　she　looked　up　and　David　thought　she　was　going　to　blush　but　she　seemed　to　check　it　and　said；　〃Good　morning；　David。　Did　you　work　well？〃

〃Yes；　beauty；〃　he　said。

She　stood　up　then　and　kissed　him　good　morning　and　said；　〃I'm　very　happy　then。　Catherine　went　in　to　Cannes。　She　said　to　tell　you　I　was　to　take　you　swimming。〃

〃Didn't　she　want　you　to　go　in　town　with　her？〃


〃No。　She　wanted　me　to　stay。　She　said　you　got　up　terribly　early　to　work　and　maybe　you'd　be　lonely　when　you　finished。　Can　I　order　some　breakfast？　You　shouldn't　always　not　eat　breakfast。〃
The　girl　went　into　the　kitchen　and　she　came　out　with　oeufs　plat　avec　jambon　and　English　mustard　and　Sovora。
〃Was　it　difficult　today？〃　she　asked　him。
〃No；〃　he　said。　〃It's　always　difficult　but　it's　easy　too。　It　went　very　well。〃
〃I　wish　I　could　help。〃
〃Nobody　can　help；〃　he　said。
〃But　I　can　help　in　other　things　can't　I？〃
He　started　to　say　there　are　no　other　things　but　he　did　not　say　it　and　instead　he　said；　〃You　have　and　you　do。〃
He　wiped　the　last　of　the　egg　and　mustard　up　from　the　shallow　dish　with　a　small　piece　of　bread　and　then　drank　some　tea。　〃How　did　you　sleep？〃　he　asked。
〃Very　well；〃　the　girl　said。　〃I　hope　that's　not　disloyal。〃
〃No。　That's　intelligent。〃
〃Can　we　stop　being　so　polite？〃　the　girl　asked。　〃Everything　was　so　simple　and　fine　until　now。〃
〃Yes；　let's　stop。　Let's　stop　even　the　'I　can't　David　nonsense；〃　he　said。
〃All　right；〃　she　said　and　stood　up。　〃If　you　want　to　go　swim　ming　I'll　be　in　my　room。
He　stood　up。　〃Please　don't　go；〃　he　said。　〃I've　stopped　being　a　shit。〃
〃Don't　stop　for　me；〃　she　said。　〃Oh　David　how　could　we　ever　get　in　a　thing　like　this？　Poor　David。　What　women　do　to　you。　She　was　stroking　his　head　and　smiling　at　him。　〃I'll　get　the　swimming　things　if　you　want　to　swim。
〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　go　get　my　espadrilles。〃

They　lay　on　the　sand　where　David　had　spread　the　beach　robes　and　the　towels　in　the　shade　of　a　red　rock　and　the　girl　said；　〃You　go　in　and　swim　and　then　I　will。〃

He　lifted　very　slowly　and　gently　up　out　and　away　from　her　and　then　waded　out　from　the　beach　and　dove　under　where　the　water　was　cold　and　swam　deep。　When　he　came　up　he　swam　out　against　the　chop　of　the　breeze　and　then　swam　in　to　where　the　girl　was　waiting　for　him　standing　up　to　her　waist　in　the　water　her　black　head　sleek　and　wet；　her　light　brown　body　dripping。　He　held　her　tight　and　the　waves　washed　against　them。

They　kissed　and　she　said；　〃Everything　of　ours　washed　into　the　ocean。

〃We　have　to　get　back。〃

〃Let's　go　under　once　together　holding　tight。〃


Back　at　the　hotel　Catherine　had　not　arrived　and　after　they　had　taken　showers　and　changed　David　and　Marita　sat　at　the　bar　with　two　martinis。　They　looked　at　each　other　in　the　mirror。　They　watched　each　other　very　carefully　and　then　David　passed　his　finger　under　his　nose　while　he　looked　at　her　and　she　blushed。

〃I　want　to　have　more　things　like　that；〃　she　said。　〃Things　that　only　we　have　so　I　won't　be　jealous。〃

〃I　wouldn't　put　out　too　many　anchors；〃　he　said。　〃You　might　foul　the　cables。〃

〃No。　I'll　find　things　to　do　that　will　hold　you。〃

〃That's　a　good　practical　Heiress；〃　he　said。

〃I　wish　I　could　change　that　name。　Don't　you？〃

〃Names　go　to　the　bone；〃　he　said。

〃Then　let's　really　change　mine；〃　she　said。　〃Would　you　mind　terribly？〃

〃No。。　。　。　Haya。〃

〃Say　it　again　please。〃

〃Haya。〃
〃Is　it　good？〃
〃Very　good。　It's　a　small　name　between　us。　For　nobody　else　ever。

〃What　does　Haya　mean？〃

〃The　one　who　blushes。　The　modest　one。
He　held　her　close　and　tight　and　she　settled　against　him　and　her　head　was　on　his　shoulder。
〃Kiss　me　just　once；〃　she　said。


Catherine　came　into　the　big　room　dishevelled；　excited　and　full　of　accomplishment　and　gaiety。
〃You　did　take　him　swimming；〃　she　said。　〃You　both　do　look　handsome　enough；　though　still　wet　from　the　shower。　Let　me　look　at　you。
〃Let　me　look　at　you；〃　the　girl　said。　〃What　did　you　do　to　your　hair？〃
〃It's　cendre；〃　Catherine　said。　〃Do　you　like　it？　It's　a　rinse　that　Jean's　experimenting　with。〃