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〃I'm not making fun of you。〃
〃I don't know how I could be so stupid；〃 the girl said。 She means mistaken David thought and Catherine thought it too。
That night in bed Catherine said； 〃I never should have let you in for any of it。 Not for any part of it。〃
〃I wish we'd never seen her。〃
〃It might have been something worse。 Maybe to go through with it and get rid of it that way is best。〃
〃You could send her away。
〃I don't think that's the way to clear it now。 Doesn't she do anything to you？〃
〃Oh sure。〃
〃I knew she did。 But I love you and all this is nothing。 You know it is too。〃
〃I don't know about it； Devil。〃
'Well we won't be solemn。 I can already tell it's death if you're solemn。〃
Chapter Twelve
IT WAS THE THIRD DAY of the wind but it was not as heavy now and he sat at the table and read the story over from the start to where he had left off； correcting as he read。 He went on with the story； living in it and nowhere else； and when he heard the voices of the two girls outside he did not listen。 When they went by the window he lifted his hand and waved。 They waved and the dark girl smiled and Catherine put her fingers to her lips。 The girl looked very pretty in the morning； her face shining and her color high。 Catherine was beautiful as always。 He heard the car start and noted it was the Bugatti。 He went back into the story。 It was a good story and he finished it shortly before noon。
It was too late to have breakfast and he was tired after working and did not want to drive the old Isotta into town with its bad brakes and huge malfunctioning motor although the key was with a note Catherine had left saying they had gone to Nice and would look in at the cafe for him on their way home。
What I would like； he thought； is a tall cold liter of beer in a thick heavy glass and a pomme l'huile with coarse ground
peppercorns on it。 But the beer on this coast was worthless and he thought happily of Paris and other places he had been and was pleased he had written something he knew was good and that he had finished it。 This was the first writing he had finished since they were married。 Finishing is what you have to do； he thought。 If you don't finish； nothing is worth a damn。 Tomorrow I'll pick up the narrative where I left it and keep right on until I finish it。 And how are you going to finish it？ How are you going to finish it now？
As soon as he started to think beyond his work； everything that he had locked out by the work came back to him。 He thought of the night before and of Catherine and the girl today on the road that he and Catherine had driven two days before and he felt sick。 They should be on the way back now。 It's after noon。 Maybe they're at the cafe。 Don't be solemn； she had said。 But she meant something else too。 Maybe she knows what she's doing。 Maybe she knows how it can turn out。 Maybe she does know。 You don't。
So you worked and now you worry。 You'd better write another story。 Write the hardest one there is to write that you know。 Go ahead and do that。 You have to last yourself if you're to be any good to her。 What good have you been to her？ Plenty； he said。 No； not plenty。 Plenty means enough。 Go ahead and start the new one tomorrow。 The hell with tomorrow。 What a way to be。 Tomorrow。 Go in and start it now。
He put the note and the key in his pocket and went back into the work room and sat down and wrote the first paragraph of the new story that he had always put off writing since he had known what a story was。 He wrote it in simple declarative sentences with all of the problems ahead to be lived through and made to come alive。 The very beginning was written and all he had to do was go on。 That's all； he said。 You see how simple what you cannot do is？ Then he came out onto the terrace and sat down and ordered a whiskey and Perrier。
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The proprietor's young nephew brought the bottles and ice and a glass from the bar and said； 〃Monsieur had no breakfast。〃
〃I worked too long。〃
〃C'est dommage；〃 the boy said。 〃Can I bring anything？ A sandwich？〃
〃In our storeroom you will find a tin of Maquereau Vin Blanc Capitaine Cook。 Open it up and bring me two on a plate。〃
〃They won't be cold。〃
〃It makes no difference。 Bring them。〃
He sat and ate the maquereau yin blanc and drank the whiskey and mineral water。 It did make a difference that they were not cold。 He read the morning paper while he ate。
We always ate fresh fish at le Grau du Roi； he thought； but that was a long time ago。 He started to remember Grau du Roi and then he heard the car coming up the hill。
〃Take this away；〃 he said to the boy and he stood up and walked into the bar and poured himself a whiskey； put ice in it and filled the glass with Perrier。 The taste of the wine…spiced fish was in his mouth and he picked up the bottle of mineral water and drank from it。
He heard their voices and then they came in the door as happy and gay as yesterday。 He saw Catherine's birch bright head and her dark face loving and excited and the other girl dark； the wind still in her hair； her eyes very bright and then suddenly shy again as she came closer。
〃VVe didn't stop when we saw you weren't at the cafe；〃 Catherine said。
〃I worked late。 How are you； Devil？〃
〃I'm very well。 Don't ask me how this one is。
〃Did you work well； David？〃 the girl asked。
'That's being a good wife；〃 Catherine said。 〃I forgot to ask。〃
'What did you do in Nice？〃
〃Can we have a drink and then tell？〃
They were close to him on each side and he felt them both。
〃Did you work well； David？〃 she asked again。
〃Of course he did；〃 Catherine said。 〃That's the only way he ever works； stupid。〃
〃Did you； David？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said and rumpled her head。 〃Thanks。〃
〃Don't we get a drink？〃 Catherine asked。 〃We didn't work at all。 We just bought things and ordered things and made scandal。〃
〃We didn't make any real scandal。〃
〃I don't know；〃 Catherine said。 〃I don't care either。〃
〃What was the scandal？〃 David asked。
〃It wasn't anything；〃 the girl said。
〃I didn't mind it；〃 Catherine said。 〃I liked it。〃
〃Someone said something about her slacks in Nice。〃
〃That's not a scandal；〃 David said。 〃It's a big town。 You had to expect that if you went there。〃
〃Do I look any different？〃 Catherine asked。 〃I wish they'd brought the mirror。 Do I look any different to you？〃
〃No。〃 David looked at her。 She looked very blond and disheveled and darker than ever and very excited and defiant。
〃That's good；〃 she said。 〃Because I tried it。〃
〃You didn't do anything；〃 the girl said。
〃I did and I liked it and I want another drink。〃
〃She didn't do anything； David；〃 the girl said。
〃This morning I stopped the car on the long clear stretch and kissed her and she kissed me and on the way back from Nice too and when we got out of the car just now。〃 Catherine looked at him lovingly but rebelliously and then said； 〃It was fun and I liked it。 You kiss her too。 The boy's not here。〃
David turned to the girl and she clung to him suddenly and they kissed。 He had not meant to kiss her and he had not known it would be like this when he did it。
〃That's enough；〃 Catherine said。
〃How are you？〃 David said to the girl。 Sh