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〃That's enough；〃 Catherine said。
〃How are you？〃 David said to the girl。 She was shy and happy again。
〃I'm happy the way you said to be；〃 the girl told him。
〃Everybody is happy now；〃 Catherine said。 〃We've shared all the guilt。〃
They had a very good lunch and drank cold Tavel through the hors d'oeuvres； the poulet and the ratatouille； the salad and the fruit and cheese。 They were all hungry and they made jokes and no one was solemn。
〃There's a terrific surprise for dinner or before；〃 Catherine said。 〃She spends money like a drunken oil…lease Indian； David。〃
〃Are they nice？〃 the girl asked。 〃Or are they like Maharajas？〃
〃David will tell you about them。 He comes from Oklahoma。〃
〃I thought he came from East Africa。〃
〃No。 Some of his ancestors escaped from Oklahoma and took him to East Africa when he was very young。
〃It must have been very exciting。〃
〃He wrote a novel about being in East Africa when he was a boy。〃
〃I know。〃
〃You read it？〃 David asked her。
〃I did；〃 she said。 〃Do you want to ask me about it？〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃I'm familiar with it。〃
〃It made me cry；〃 the girl said。 〃Was that your father in it？〃
〃Some ways。
〃You must have loved him very much。〃
〃I did。〃
〃You never talked to me about him；〃 Catherine said。
〃You never asked me。〃 〃Would you have？〃 〃No；〃 he said。
〃I loved the book；〃 the girl said。 〃Don't overreach；〃 Catherine said。
〃I wasn't。〃
〃When you kissed him&mdash；〃
〃You asked me to。〃
〃What I wanted to say when you interrupted；〃 Catherine said； 〃was did you think of him as a writer when you kissed him and liked it so much？〃
David poured a glass of Tavel and drank some of it。
〃I don't know；〃 the girl said。 〃I didn't think。〃
〃I'm glad；〃 Catherine said。 〃I was afraid it was going to be like the clippings。〃
The girl looked really mystified and Catherine explained； 〃The press cuttings about the second book。 He's written two you
know。〃
〃I only read The Rift。〃
〃The second one is about flying。 In the war。 It's the only good thing anyone ever wrote about flying。〃
〃Balls；〃 David said。
〃Wait until you read it；〃 Catherine said。 〃It's a book you had to die to write and you had to be completely destroyed。 Don't ever think I don't know about his books just because I don't think he's a vvriter when I kiss him。〃
〃I think we ought to take a siesta；〃 David said。 〃You ought to take a nap； Devil。 You're tired。〃
〃I talked too much；〃 Catherine said。 〃It was a nice lunch and I'm sorry if I talked too much and boasted。〃
〃I loved you when you talked about the books；〃 the girl said。 〃You were admirable。〃
〃I don't feel admirable。 I am tired；〃 Catherine said。 〃Have you plenty to read； Marita？〃
〃I have two books still；〃 the girl said。 〃Later I'll borrow some if I may。
〃May I come in to see you later？〃
〃If you want；〃 the girl said。
David did not look at the girl and she did not look at him。
〃I won't disturb you？〃 Catherine said。
〃Nothing that I do is important；〃 the girl said。
Catherine and David lay side by side on the bed in their room with the wind blowing its last day outside and it was not like siesta in the old days。
〃Can I tell you now？〃
〃I'd rather skip it。〃
〃No； let me tell。 This morning when I started the car I was frightened and I tried to drive very well and I felt hollow inside。 Then I could see Cannes up ahead on the hill and the road was clear all up ahead by the sea and I looked behind and it was clear and I pulled out from the road into the brush。 Where it's like the sagebrush。 I kissed her and she kissed me and we sat in the car and I felt very strange and then we drove into Nice and I don't know whether people could tell it or not。 I didn't care by then and we went everywhere and bought everything。 She loves to buy things。 Someone made a rude remark but it was nothing really。 Then we stopped on the way home and she said it was better if I was her girl and I said I didn't care either way and really I was glad because I am a girl now anyway and I didn't know what to do。 I never felt so not knowing ever。 But she's nice and she wanted to help me I think。 I don't know。 Anyway she was nice and I was driving and she was so pretty and happy and she was just gentle the way we are sometimes or me to you or either of us and I said I couldn't drive if she did that so we stopped。 I only kissed her but I know it happened with me。 So we were there for a while and then I drove straight home。 I kissed her before we came in and we were happy and I liked it and I still like it。〃
〃So now you've done it；〃 David said carefully； 〃and you're through with it。〃
〃But I'm not。 I liked it and I'm going to really do it。〃
〃No。 You don't have
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〃I do and I'm going to do it until I'm through with it and I'm over it。〃
〃Who says you'll be over it？〃
〃I do。 But I really have to； David。 I didn't know I'd ever be like this。〃
He did not say anything。
〃I'll be back；〃 she said。 〃I know I'll get over it as well as I know anything。 Please trust me。
He did not say anything。
〃She's waiting for me。 Didn't you hear me ask her？ It's like stopping in the middle of anything。〃
〃I'm going up to Paris；〃 David said。 〃You can reach me through the bank。〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃No。 You have to help me。〃
〃I can't help you。
〃You can。 You can't go away。 I couldn't stand it if you went away。 I don't want to be with her。 It's only something that I have to do。 Can't you understand？ Please understand。 You always understand。〃
〃Not this part。〃
〃Please try。 You always understood before。 You know you did。 Everything。 Didn't you？〃
〃Yes。 Before。〃
〃It started with us and there'll only be us when I get this finished。 I'm not in love with anyone else。〃
〃Don't do it。〃
〃I have to。 Ever since I went to school all I ever had was chances to do it and people wanting to do it with me。 And I never would and never did。 But now I have to。〃
He said nothing。
〃Please know how it is。〃
He did not say anything。
〃Anyway she's in love with you and you can have her and wash everything away that way。
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〃You're talking crazy； Devil。〃
〃I know it；〃 she said。 〃I'll stop。〃
〃Take a nap；〃 he said。 〃Just lie close and quiet and we'll both go to sleep。〃
〃I love you so；〃 she said。 〃And you're my true partner the way I told her。 I've told her too much about you but that's all she likes to talk about。 I'm quiet now so I'm going to go。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃You wait for me。 I won't be very long。〃
When she came back to the room David was not there and she stood a long time and looked at the bed and then went to the bathroom door and opened it and stood and looked in the long mirror。 Her face had no expression and she looked at herself from her head down to her feet with no expression on her face at all。 The light was nearly gone when she went into the bathroom and shut the door behind her。
Chapter Thirteen
DAVID DROVE up from Cannes in the dusk。 The wind had fallen and he left the car in the usual place and walked up the path to where the light came out onto the patio and the garden。 Marita came out of the doorway and walked toward him。
〃Catherine feels terribly；〃 she said。 〃Please be kind to her。〃
〃The hell with both of you；〃 David said。 〃With me； yes。 But not with her。 You mustn't； Da