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！
〃How dark are you going to get？〃
〃As dark as I can。 We'll have to see。 I wish I had some Indian blood。 I'm going to be so dark you won't be able to stand it。 I can't wait to go up on the beach tomorrow。〃
She went to sleep that way with her head back and her chin up as though she were in the sun on the beach； breathing softly； and then she curled toward him on her side and the young man lay awake and thought about the day。 It is very possible that I couldn't get started； he thought； and it probably is sound to not think about it at all and just enjoy what we have。 When I have to work I will。 Nothing can stop that。 The last book is good and I must make a better one now。 This nonsense that we do is fun although I don't know how much of it is nonsense and how much is serious。 Drinking brandy at noon is no damn good and already the simple aperitifs mean nothing。 That is not a good sign。 She changes from a girl into a boy and ba｛ck to a girl care lessly and happily。 She sleeps easily and beautifully and you will sleep too because all you truly know is that you feel good。 You did not sell anything for the money； he thought。 Everything she said about the money was true。 Actually it all was true。 Everything was free for a time。
What was it that she had said about destruction？ He could not remember that。 She'd said it but he could not remember it。
Then he was tired of trying to remember and he looked at the girl and kissed her cheek very lightly and she did not wake。 He loved her very much and everything about her and he went to sleep thinking about her cheek against his lips and how the next day they would both be darker from the sun and how dark can she become； he thought； and how dark will she ever really be？
Chapter Four
IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON and the small low car came down from the black road across the hills and headlands with the dark blue ocean always on the right onto a deserted boulevard that bordered a flat beach of two miles of yellow sand at Hendaye。 Well ahead on the ocean side was the bulk of a big hotel and a casino and on the left there were newly planted trees and Basque villas white washed and brown timbered set in their own trees and plantings。 The two young people in the car rode down the boulevard slowly looking out at the magnificent beach and at the mountains of Spain that showed blue in this light as the car passed the casino and the big hotel and went on toward the end of the boulevard。 Ahead was the mouth of the river that flowed into the ocean。 The tide was out and across the bright sand they saw the ancient Spanish town and the green hills across the bay and； at the far point； the lighthouse。 They stopped the car。
〃It's a lovely place；〃 the girl said。
〃There's a cafe with tables under the trees；〃 the young man said。 〃Old trees。〃
〃The trees are strange；〃 the girl said。 〃It's all new planting。 I wonder why they planted mimosas。
〃To compete with where we 'ye come from。〃
〃I suppose so。 It all looks awfully new。 But it's a wonderful beach。 I never saw such a big beach in France nor with such smooth and fine sand。 Biarritz is a horror。 Let's drive up by the cafe。〃
They drove back up the right side of the road。 The young man pulled the car to the curb and killed the iguition。 They crossed to the outdoor cafe and it was pleasant to eat by them selves and be conscious of the people that they did not know eating at the other tables。
That night the wind rose and in their corner room high up in the big hotel they heard the heavy fall of the surf on the beach。 In the dark the young man pulled a light blanket up over the sheet and the girl said； 〃Aren't you glad we decided to stay？〃
〃I like to hear the surf pound。〃
〃So do I。〃
They lay close together and listened to the sea。 Her head was on his chest and she moved it against his chin and then moved up in the bed and put her cheek against his and pressed it there。 She kissed him and he could feel her hand touching him。
〃That's good；〃 she said in the darkness。 〃That's lovely。 You're sure you don't want me to change？〃
〃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 shou
