hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第5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！


hooked　the　key　from　the　board　and　said；　〃I'll　go　up　to　the　room　and　get　cleaned　up　and　meet　you　at　the　cafe。〃

After　he　finished　his　glass　he　said　goodbye　to　the　postman　and　walked　down　along　the　canal　to　the　cafe。　It　was　good　to　sit　in　the　shade　after　walking　back　bareheaded　in　the　sun　from　the　far　beach　and　it　was　pleasant　and　cool　in　the　cafe。　He　ordered　a

vermouth　and　soda　and　took　out　his　pocket　knife　and　slit　open　his　letters。　All　three　envelopes　were　from　his　publishers　and　two　of　them　were　fat　with　clippings　and　the　proofs　of　advertisements。　He　glanced　at　the　clippings　and　then　read　the　long　letter。　It　was　cheerful　and　guardedly　optimistic。　It　was　too　early　to　tell　how　the　book　would　do　but　everything　looked　good。　Most　of　the　reviews　were　excellent。　Of　course　there　were　some。　But　that　was　to　be　expected。　Sentences　had　been　underlined　in　the　reviews　that　would　probably　be　used　in　the　future　advertisements。　His　publisher　wished　he　could　say　more　about　how　the　book　would　do　but　he　never　made　predictions　as　to　sales。　It　was　bad　practice。　The　point　was　that　the　book　could　not　have　been　better　received。　The　reception　was　sensational　really。　But　he　would　see　the　clippings。　The　first　printing　had　been　five　thousand　copies　and　on　the　strength　of　the　reviews　a　second　printing　had　been　ordered。　The　upcoming　advertisements　would　carry　the　phrase　Now　in　Its　Second　Printing。　His　publisher　hoped　that　he　was　as　happy　as　he　deserved　to　be　and　taking　the　rest　that　he　so　richly　deserved。　He　sent　his　best　greetings　to　his　wife。

The　young　man　borrowed　a　pencil　from　the　waiter　and　com　menced　to　multiply　2。50　by　one　thousand。　That　was　easy。　Ten　percent　of　that　was　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　Five　times　that　was　twelve　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　Deduct　seven　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　for　the　advance。　That　left　five　hundred　dollars　earned　by　the　first　printing。

Now　there　was　the　second　printing。　Say　that　was　two　thousand。　That　was　twelve　and　a　half　percent　of　five　thousand　dollars。　If　that　was　how　the　contract　was。　That　would　be　six　hundred　and　twenty…five　dollars。　But　maybe　it　did　not　go　up　to　twelve　and　a　half　percent　until　ten　thousand。　Well　it　was　still　five　hundred　dollars。　That　would　still　leave　a　thousand。

He　started　to　read　the　reviews　and　found　that　he　had　drunk　the　vermouth　without　ever　noticing　it。　He　ordered　another　and　returned　the　pencil　to　the　waiter。　He　was　still　reading　the　reviews　when　the　girl　came　in　bringing　her　heavy　envelope　of　letters。
〃I　didn't　know　they'd　come；〃　she　said。　〃Let　me　see　them。　Please　let　me　see　them。〃
The　waiter　brought　her　a　vermouth　and　putting　it　down　saw　the　picture　as　the　girl　unfolded　a　clipping。
〃C'est　Monsieur？〃　he　asked。
〃Yes　it　is；〃　the　girl　said　and　held　it　up　for　him　to　see。
〃But　differently　dressed；〃　the　waiter　said。　〃Do　they　write　about　the　marriage？　May　I　see　a　picture　of　Madame？〃
〃Not　about　the　marriage。　Criticisms　of　a　book　by　Monsieur。〃
〃Magnificent；〃　said　the　waiter　who　was　deeply　moved。　〃Is　Madame　also　a　writer？〃
〃No；〃　the　girl　said　not　looking　up　from　the　clippings。　〃Madame　is　a　housewife。〃
The　waiter　laughed　proudly。　〃Madame　is　probably　in　the　cinema。〃
They　both　read　clippings　and　then　the　girl　put　the　one　she　was　reading　down　and　said；　〃I'm　frightened　by　them　and　all　the　things　they　say。　How　can　we　be　us　and　have　the　things　we　have　and　do　what　we　do　and　you　be　this　that's　in　the　clippings？〃
〃I've　had　them　before；〃　the　young　man　said。　〃They're　bad　for　you　but　it　doesn't　last。〃
〃They're　terrible；〃　she　said。　〃They　could　destroy　you　if　you　thought　about　them　or　believed　them。　You　don't　think　I　married　you　because　you　are　what　they　say　you　are　in　these　clippings　do　you？〃
〃No。　I　want　to　read　them　and　then　we'll　seal　them　up　in　the　envelope。〃
〃I　know　you　have　to　read　them。　I　don't　want　to　be　stupid　about　them。　But　even　in　an　envelope　it's　awful　to　have　them　with　us。　It's　like　bringing　along　somebody's　ashes　in　a　jar。〃

〃Plenty　of　people　would　be　happy　if　their　damned　husbands　had　good　reviews。〃

〃I'm　not　plenty　of　people　and　you're　not　my　damned　husband。　Please　let's　not　fight。〃

〃We　won't。　You　read　them　and　if　there's　anything　good　you　tell　me　and　if　they　say　anything　about　the　book　that's　intelligent　that　we　don't　know　you　tell　me。　The　book's　made　some　money　already；〃　he　told　her。

〃That's　wonderful。　I'm　so　glad。　But　we　know　it's　good。　If　the　reviews　had　said　it　was　worthless　and　it　never　made　a　cent　I　would　have　been　just　as　proud　and　just　as　happy。〃

I　wouldn't；　the　young　man　thought。　But　he　did　not　say　it。　He　went　on　reading　the　reviews；　unfolding　them　and　folding　them　up　again　and　putting　them　back　in　the　envelope。　The　girl　sat　opening　envelopes　and　reading　her　letters　without　interest。　Then　she　looked　out　of　the　cafe　at　the　sea。　Her　face　was　a　dark　gold　brown　and　she　had　brushed　her　hair　straight　back　from　her　forehead　the　way　the　sea　had　pulled　it　when　she　had　come　out　of　the　water　and　where　it　was　cropped　close　and　on　her　cheeks　the　sun　had　burned　it　to　white　gold　against　the　brown　of　her　skin。　She　looked　out　at　the　sea　and　her　eyes　were　very　sad。　Then　she　went　back　to　opening　letters。　There　was　one　long　typewritten　one　that　she　read　with　concentration。　Then　she　went　on　opening　and　reading　the　other　letters。　The　young　man　looked　at　her　and　thought　she　looked　a　little　as　though　she　were　shelling　peas。

〃What　was　in　the　letters？〃　the　young　man　asked。

〃There　were　checks　in　some。〃

〃Big　ones？〃

〃Two。〃

〃That's　fine；〃　he　said。

〃Don't　go　away　like　that。　You　always　said　it　never　made　any　difference。〃

〃Have　I　said　anything？〃

〃No。　You　just　went　away。

〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said。　〃How　big　are　they？〃

〃Not　much　really。　But　good　for　us。　They've　been　deposited。　It's　because　I'm　married。　I　told　you　it　was　the　best　thing　for　us　to　be　married。　I　know　it　doesn't　mean　anything　as　capital　but　this　is　spendable。　We　can　spend　it　and　it　doesn't　hurt　anybody　and　it's　for　that。　It　doesn't　have　anything　to　do　with　regular　income　nor　what　I　get　if　I　live　to　be　twenty…five　or　if　I　ever　live　to　be　thirty。　This　is　ours　for　anything　we　want　to　do。　Neither　of　us　will　have　to　worry　about　balances　for　a　while。　It's　that　simple。〃

〃The　book　has　paid　back　the　advance　and　made　about　a　thousand　dollars；〃　he　said。

〃Isn't　that　awfully　good　when　it's　only　just　come　out？〃

〃It's　all　right。　Should　we　have　another　one　of　these？〃　he　asked。

〃Let's　drink　something　else。〃

〃How　much　vermouth　did　you　drink？〃

〃Only　the　one。　I　must　say　it　was　dull。〃

〃I　drank　two　and　didn't　even　taste　them。〃

〃What　is　there　that's　real？〃　she　said。

〃Did　you　ever　drink　Armagnac　and　soda？　That's　real　enough。〃

〃Good。　Let's　try　that。〃

The　waiter　brought　the　Armagnac　and　the　young　man　told　him　to　bring　a　cold　bottle　of　Perrier　water　instead　of　the　syphon。　The　waiter　poured　two　large　Armagnacs　and　the　young　man　put　ice　in　the　big　glasses　and　poured　in　the　Perrier。

〃This　will　fix　us；〃　he　said。　〃It's　a　hell　of　a　thing　to　drink　before　lunch　though。〃

The　girl　took　a　long　sip。　〃It's　good；〃　she　said。　〃It　has　a　fresh　clean　healthy　ugly　taste。〃　She　took　another　long　sip。　〃I　can　really　feel　it。　Can　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said　and　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I　can　feel　it。〃

She　drank　from　the　glass　again　and　smiled　and　the　laugh　wrinkles　came　at　the　corner　of　her　eyes。　The　cold　Perrier　had　made　the　heavy　brandy　alive。

〃For　heroes；〃　he　said。

〃I　don't　mind　being　a　hero；〃　she　said。　〃We're　not　like　other　people。　We　don't　have　to　call　each　other　darling　or　my　dear　or　my　love　nor　any　of　that　to　make　a　point。　Darling　and　my　dearest　and　my　very　dearest　and　all　that　are　obscene　to　me　and　we　call　each　other　by　our　Christian　names。　You　know　what　I'm　trying　to　say。　Why　do　we　have　to　do　other　things　like　everyone　does？〃

〃You're　a　very　intelligent　girl。〃

〃All　right　Davie；〃　she　said。　〃Why　do　we　have　to　be　stuffy？　Why　don't　we　keep　on　and　travel　now　when　it　can　never　be　more　fun？　We'll　do　everything　you　want。　If　you'd　been　a　European　with　a　lawyer　my　money　would　have　been　yours　any　way。　It　is　yours。〃

〃The　hell　with　it。〃

〃All　right。　The　hell　with　it。　But　we'll　spend　it　and　I　think　it's　wonderful。　You　can　write　afterwards。　That　way　we　can　have　the　fun　before　I　have　a　baby　for　one　thing。