hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第7章

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〃Not　now。　Now　I'm　cold。　Please　hold　me　warm。

〃I　love　you　when　you　feel　cold　against　me。

〃If　it　gets　this　cold　here　at　night　we'll　have　to　wear　pyjama　tops。　That　will　be　fun　for　breakfast　in　bed。〃

〃It's　the　Atlantic　ocean；〃　she　said。　〃Listen　to　it。〃

〃We'll　have　a　good　time　while　we're　here；〃　he　told　her。　〃If　you　want　we'll　stay　a　while。　If　you　want　we'll　go。　There　are　plenty　of　places　to　go。。

〃We　might　stay　a　few　days　and　see。〃

〃Good。　If　we　do　I'd　like　to　start　to　write。〃

〃That　would　be　wonderful。　We'll　look　around　tomorrow。　You　could　work　here　in　the　room　if　I　were　out　couldn't　you？　Until　we　found　some　place？〃

〃Sure。〃

〃You　know　you　must　never　worry　about　me　because　I　love　you　and　we're　us　against　all　the　others。　Please　kiss　me；〃　she　said。

He　kissed　her。

〃You　know　I　haven't　done　anything　bad　to　us。　I　had　to　do　it。　You　know　that。〃

He　did　not　say　anything　and　listened　to　the　weight　of　the　surf　falling　on　the　hard　wet　sand　in　the　night。


The　next　morning　there　was　still　heavy　surf　and　the　rain　came　in　gusts。　They　could　not　see　the　Spanish　coast　and　when　it　cleared　between　the　driven　squalls　of　rain　and　they　could　see　across　the　angry　sea　in　the　bay　there　were　heavy　clouds　that　came　down　to　the　base　of　the　mountains。　Catherine　had　gone　out　in　a　raincoat　after　breakfast　and　had　left　him　to　work　in　the　room。　It　had　gone　so　simply　and　easily　that　he　thought　it　was　probably　worthless。　Be　careful；　he　said　to　himself；　it　is　all　very　well　for　you　to　write　simply　and　the　simpler　the　better。　But　do　not　start　to　think　so　damned　simply。　Know　how　complicated　it　is　and　then　state　it　simply。　Do　you　suppose　the　Grau　du　Roi　time　was　all　simple　because　you　could　write　a　little　of　it　simply？

He　went　on　writing　in　pencil　in　the　cheap；　lined；　school　notebook　that　was　called　a　cahier　and　already　numbered　one　in　roman　numeral。　He　stopped　finally　and　put　the　notebook　in　a　suitcase　with　a　cardboard　box　of　pencils　and　the　cone…shaped　sharpener；　leaving　the　five　pencils　he　had　dulled　to　point　up　for　the　next　day；　and　took　his　raincoat　from　the　hanger　in　the　closet　and　walked　down　the　stairs　to　the　lobby　of　the　hotel。　He　looked　into　the　hotel　bar　which　was　gloomy　and　pleasant　in　the　rain　and　already　had　some　customers　and　left　his　key　at　the　desk。　The　assistant　concierge　reached　into　the　mailbox　as　he　hung　up　the　key　and　said；　〃Madame　left　this　for　Monsieur。〃

He　opened　the　note　which　said；　David；　didn't　want　to　disturb　you　am　at　the　cafe　love　Catherine。　He　put　on　the　old　trench　coat；　found　a　boina　in　the　pocket　and　walked　out　of　the　hotel　into　the　rain。

She　was　at　a　corner　table　in　the　small　cafe　and　before　her　was　a　clouded　yellow…tinged　drink　and　a　plate　with　one　small　dark　red　freshwater　crayfish　and　the　debris　of　others。　She　was　very　far　ahead　of　him。　〃Where　have　you　been；　stranger？〃

〃Just　down　the　road　a　piece。〃　He　noticed　that　her　face　was　rain…washed　and　he　concentrated　on　what　rain　did　to　heavily　tanned　skin。　She　looked　very　nice　too　in　spite　of　it　and　he　was　happy　to　see　her　this　way。

'Did　you　get　going？〃　the　girl　asked。

〃Good　enough。〃

〃You　worked　then。　That's　fine。〃

The　waiter　had　been　serving　three　Spaniards　who　were　sitting　at　a　table　next　to　the　door。　He　came　over　now　holding　a　glass　and　an　ordinary　Pernod　bottle　and　a　small　narrow…lipped　pitcher　of　water。　There　were　lumps　of　ice　in　the　water。　〃Pour　Monsieur　aussi？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　the　young　man　said。　〃Please。〃

The　waiter　poured　their　high　glasses　half　full　of　the　off…yellow　liquid　and　started　to　pour　the　water　slowly　into　the　girl's　glass。　But　the　young　man　said；　〃I'll　do　it；〃　and　the　waiter　took　the　bottle　away。　He　seemed　relieved　to　be　taking　it　away　and　the　young　man　poured　the　water　in　a　very　thin　stream　and　the　girl　watched　the　absinthe　cloud　opalescently。　It　felt　warm　as　her　fingers　held　the　glass　and　then　as　it　lost　the　yellow　cast　and
began　to　look　milky　it　cooled　sharply　and　the　young　man　let　the　water　fall　in　a　drop　at　a　time。
〃'Why　does　it　have　to　go　in　so　slowly？〃　the　girl　asked。
〃It　breaks　up　and　goes　to　pieces　if　the　water　pours　in　too　fast；〃　he　explained。　〃Then　it's　flat　and　worthless。　There　ought　to　be　a　glass　on　top　with　ice　and　just　a　little　hole　for　the　water　to　drip。　But　everybody　would　know　what　it　was　then。〃
〃I　had　to　drink　up　fast　before　because　two　G。N。　's　were　in；　the　girl　said。

〃Whatyoumacallits　nationals。　In　khaki　with　bicycles　and　black　leather　pistol　holsters。　I　had　to　engulp　the　evidence。〃
〃Engulp？〃
〃Sorry。　Once　I　engulped　it　I　can't　say　it。〃
〃You　want　to　be　careful　about　absinthe。〃
〃It　only　makes　me　feel　easier　about　things。〃
〃And　nothing　else　does？〃
He　finished　making　the　absinthe　for　her；　holding　it　well　short　of　mildness。　〃Go　ahead；〃　he　told　her。　〃Don't　wait　for　me。〃　She　took　a　long　sip　and　then　he　took　her　glass　from　her　and　drank　and　said；　〃Thank　you；　Ma'am。　That　puts　heart　in　a　man。
〃So　make　your　own；　you　clipping　reader；〃　she　said。
〃What　was　that？〃　the　young　man　said　to　her。
〃I　didn't　say　it。〃
But　she　had　said　it　and　he　said　to　her；　〃Why　don't　you　just　shut　up　about　the　clippings。〃
〃Why？〃　she　said；　leaning　toward　him　and　speaking　too　loudly。　〃Why　should　I　shut　up？　Just　because　you　wrote　this　morning？　Do　you　think　I　married　you　because　you　re　a　writer？　You　and　your　clippings。〃
〃All　right；〃　the　young　man　said。　〃Can　you　tell　me　the　rest　of　it　when　we're　by　ourselves？〃
〃Don't　ever　think　for　a　moment　I　won't；〃　she　said。

〃I　guess　not；〃　he　said。

〃Don't　guess；〃　she　said。　〃You　can　be　certain。

David　Bourne　stood　up　and　went　over　to　the　hanger　and　lifted　his　raincoat　and　went　out　the　door　without　looking　back。

At　the　table　Catherine　raised　her　glass　and　tasted　the　absinthe　very　carefully　and　went　on　tasting　it　in　little　sips。

The　door　opened　and　David　came　back　in　and　walked　up　to　the　table。　He　was　wearing　his　trench　coat　and　had　his　boina　pulled　low　on　his　forehead。　〃Do　you　have　the　keys　to　the　car？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said。

〃May　I　have　them？〃

She　gave　them　to　him　but　said；　〃Don't　be　stupid；　David。　It　was　the　rain　and　you　being　the　only　one　who　had　worked。　Sit　down。〃

〃Do　you　want　me　to？〃

〃Please；〃　she　said。

He　sat　down。　That　didn't　make　much　sense；　he　thought。　You　got　up　to　go　out　and　take　the　damned　car　and　stay　out　and　the　hell　with　her　and　then　you　come　back　in　and　have　to　ask　for　the　key　and　then　sit　down　like　a　slob。　He　picked　up　his　glass　and　took　a　drink。　The　drink　was　good　anyway。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　lunch？〃　he　asked。

〃You　say　where　and　I'll　eat　it　with　you。　You　do　still　love　me；　don't　you？〃

〃Don't　be　silly。〃

〃That　was　a　sordid　quarrel；〃　Catherine　said。

〃The　first　one

〃It　was　my　fault　about　the　clippings。〃

〃Let's　not　mention　the　god　damned　clippings。〃

〃That's　what　it　was　all　about。〃

〃It　was　you　thinking　about　them　when　you　were　drinking。　Bringing　them　up　because　you　were　drinking。〃

〃It　sounds　like　regurgitating；〃　she　said。　〃Awful。　Actually　my　tongue　just　slipped　making　a　joke。〃
〃You　had　to　have　them　in　your　head　to　bnng　them　out　that　way。
〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃I　thought　maybe　it　was　all　over。
〃It　is。〃
〃Well　why　do　you　keep　on　insisting　and　insisting　about　it　for　then？〃
〃We　shouldn't　have　taken　this　drink。〃
〃No。　Of　course　not。　Especially　me。　But　you　certainly　needed　it。　Do　you　think　it　will　do　you　any　good？〃
〃Do　we　have　to　do　this　now？〃　he　asked。
〃I'm　certainly　going　to　stop　it。　It　bores　me。〃　〃That's　the　one　damned　word　in　the　language　I　can't　stand。〃　〃Lucky　you　with　only　one　word　like　that　in　the　language。〃　〃Oh　shit；〃　he　said。　〃Eat　lunch　by　yourself。〃　〃No。　I　won't。　We'll　eat　lunch　together　and　behave　like　human　beings。〃
〃All　right。〃
〃I'm　sorry。　It　really　was　a　joke　and　it　just　misfired。　Truly　David　that　was　all。〃





Chapter　Five








THE　TIDE　WAS　FAR　OUT　when　David　Bourne　woke　and　the　sun　was　bright　on　the　beach　and　the　sea　was　a　dark　blue。　The　hills　showed　green　and　new　washed　and　the　clouds　had　gone　from　the　mountains。　Catherine　was　still　sleeping　and　he　looked　at　her　and　watched　her　regular　breathing　and　the　sun　on　her　face　and　thought；　how　strange　that　the　sun　on　her　eyes　should　not　wake　her。

After　he　had　taken　a　shower　and　brushed　his　teeth　and　shaved；　he　was　hungry　for