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¨Is he the one you sleep with？〃
¨Yes。 Is there any reason why I shouldnˇt？〃
¨None。 I like him better than the man I sleep with now and heˇs just about as sad。〃
¨Do we have to talk about him？〃
¨No。 And you donˇt have to pretend you havenˇt been at sea when your eyes are burned and there are white slit marks in the corners of them and your hair is as sun…streaked as though you used something on it〃
¨And I walk with a rolling gait and carry a parrot on my shoulder and hit people with my wooden leg。 Look； darling； I go to sea occasionally because I am a painter of marine life for the Museum of Natural History。 Not even war must interfere with our studies。〃
¨They are sacred；〃 she said。 ¨Iˇll remember that lie and stick with it。 Tom； you truly donˇt care for her at all？〃
¨Not at all。〃
¨You still love me？〃
¨Didnˇt I give any signs of it？〃
¨It could have been a role。 The one of the always faithful lover no matter what whores I find you with。 Thee hasnˇt been faithful to me； Cynara； in thy fashion。〃
¨I always told you that you were too literate for your own good。 I was through with that poem when I was nineteen。〃
¨Yes； and I always told you that if you would paint and work at it as you should； instead of making fantasies and falling in love with other people〃
¨Marrying them； you mean。〃
¨No。 Marrying them is bad enough。 But you fall in love with them and then I donˇt respect you。〃
¨Thatˇs that old lovely one I remember。 ˉAnd then I donˇt respect you。ˇ Iˇll buy that one at any price you put on it and take it out of circulation。〃
¨I respect you。 And you donˇt love her； do you？〃
¨I love you and respect you and I donˇt love her。〃
¨Thatˇs wonderful。 Iˇm so glad Iˇm so ill and that I missed the plane。〃
¨I really do respect you； you know； and I respect every damned fool thing you do or did。〃
¨And you treat me wonderfully and keep all your promises。〃
¨What was the last one？〃
¨I donˇt know。 If it was a promise you broke it。〃
¨Would you want to skip it； beauty？〃
¨Iˇd like to have skipped it。〃
¨Maybe we could。 We skipped most things。〃
¨No。 Thatˇs untrue。 Thereˇs visible evidence on that。 But you think making love to a woman is enough。 You never think about her wanting to be proud of you。 Nor about small tendernesses。〃
¨Nor about being a baby like the men you love and care for。〃
¨Couldnˇt you be more needing and make me necessary and not be so damned give it and take it and take it away Iˇm not hungry。〃
¨What did we come out here for？ Moral lectures？〃
¨We came out here because I love you and I want you to be worthy of yourself。〃
¨And of you and God and all other abstractions。 Iˇm not even an abstract painter。 Youˇd have asked Toulouse…Lautrec to keep away from brothels and Gauguin not to get the syphilis and Baudelaire to get home early。 Iˇm not as good as they were but the hell with you。〃
¨I never was like that。〃
¨Sure you were。 Along with your work。 Your goddam hours of work。〃
¨I would have given it up。〃
¨Sure； I know you would。 And sung in night clubs and I could be the bouncer。 Do you remember when we planned that？〃
¨What have you heard from Tom？〃
¨Heˇs fine；〃 the man said and felt the strange prickling go over his skin。
¨He hasnˇt written me in three weeks。 Youˇd think heˇd write his mother。 He always was so good about writing。〃
¨You know how it is with kids in a war。 Or maybe theyˇre holding up all mail。 Sometimes they do。〃
¨Do you remember when he couldnˇt speak any English？〃
¨And he had his gang at Gstaad？ And up in the Engadine and at Zug？〃
¨Do you have any new pictures of him？〃
¨Only that one you have。〃
¨Could we have a drink？ What do you drink here？〃
¨Anything you want。 Iˇll go and find the boy。 The wine is in the cellar。〃
¨Please donˇt be gone long。〃
¨Thatˇs a funny thing to say to each other。〃
¨Please donˇt be gone long；〃 she repeated。 ¨Did you hear it？ And I never asked you to get in early。 That wasnˇt the trouble and you know it。〃
¨I know it；〃 he said。 ¨And I wonˇt be gone long。〃
¨Maybe the boy could make something to eat； too。〃
¨Maybe he could；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 Then to the cat； ¨You stay with her； Boise。〃
Now； he thought。 Why did I say that？ Why did I lie？ Why did I do that breaking it gently thing？ Did I want to keep my grief for myself； as Willie said？ Am I that sort of guy？
Well； you did it； he thought。 How did you tell a mother that her boy is dead when youˇve just made love to her again？ How do you tell yourself your boy is dead？ You used to know all the answers。 Answer me that。
There arenˇt any answers。 You should know that by now。 There arenˇt any answers at all。
¨Tom；〃 her voice called。 ¨Iˇm lonely and the cat isnˇt you； even though he thinks he is。〃
¨Put him on the floor。 The boyˇs gone to the village and Iˇm getting ice。〃
¨I donˇt care about the drink。〃
¨Neither do I；〃 he said and came back into the room walking on the tiled floor until he felt the matting。 He looked at her and she was still there。
¨You donˇt want to talk about him；〃 she said。
¨No。〃
¨Why？ I think itˇs better。〃
¨He looks too much like you。〃
¨That isnˇt it；〃 she said。 ¨Tell me。 Is he dead？〃
¨Sure。〃
¨Please hold me tight。 I am ill now。〃 He felt her shaking and he knelt by the chair and held her and felt her tremble。 Then she said； ¨And poor you。 Poor； poor you。〃
After a time she said； ¨Iˇm sorry for everything I ever did or said。〃
¨Me； too。〃
¨Poor you and poor me。〃
¨Poor everybody；〃 he said and did not add； ¨Poor Tom。〃
¨What can you tell me？〃
¨Nothing。 Just that。〃
¨I suppose weˇll learn how to take it。〃
¨Maybe。〃
¨I wish I could break down but Iˇm just hollow sick。〃
¨I know。〃
¨Does it happen to everybody？〃
¨I suppose so。 Anyway it can only happen to us once。〃
¨And now itˇs like in a house of the dead。〃
¨Iˇm sorry I didnˇt tell you when I saw you。〃
¨Thatˇs all right；〃 she said。 ¨You always put things off。 Iˇm not sorry。〃
¨I wanted you so damned much and I was selfish and stupid。〃
¨You werenˇt selfish。 We always loved each other。 We only made mistakes。〃
¨I made the worst ones。〃
¨No。 We both made them。 Letˇs not fight any more ever； though。〃 Something was happening to her and then finally she cried and said； ¨Oh； Tommy； all of a sudden I just canˇt stand it。〃
¨I know；〃 he said。 ¨My sweet good lovely beauty。 I canˇt stand it either。〃
¨We were so young and stupid and we were both beautiful and Tommy was so damned beautiful〃
¨Like his mother。〃
¨And now thereˇll never be any visible evidence。〃
¨My poor dearest love。〃
¨And what will we do？〃
¨You do what youˇre doing and Iˇll do what Iˇm doing。〃
¨Couldnˇt we be together for a while？〃
¨Only if this wind keeps up。〃
¨Then let it blow。 Do you think making love is wicked？〃
¨I donˇt think Tom would disapprove。〃
¨No。 Surely no。〃
¨Do you remember skiing with him on