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e could all just make siesta together。〃
〃Not siesta；〃 David heard himself say。
〃I suppose not；〃 Catherine said。 〃Well I'm sorry I said it all wrong and I couldn't help saying what I wished。〃
In the room he said to Catherine； 〃To hell with her。〃
〃No； David。 She wanted to do what I asked her。 Maybe she can tell you。〃
〃Fuck her。〃
'Well you have；〃 she said。 〃That's not the point。 Go and talk
with her David。 And if you want to fuck her then fuck her good for me。〃
〃Don't talk rough。〃
〃You used it。 I just knocked it back。 Like tennis。
〃All right；〃 David said。 〃What's she supposed to say to me？〃
〃My speech；〃 Catherine said。 〃The one I forgot。 Don't look so serious or I won't let you go。 You're awfully appealing when you're serious。 You'd better go before she forgets the speech。〃
〃The hell with you too。〃
〃That's good。 Now you're reacting better。 I like you when you are more careless。 Kiss me goodbye。 I mean good afternoon。 You really better go or she really will forget the speech。 Don't you see how reasonable and good I am？〃
〃You're not reasonable and good。〃
〃You like me though。〃
〃Sure。〃
〃Do you want me to tell you a secret？〃
〃A new one？〃
〃An old one。
〃All right。〃
〃You aren't very hard to corrupt and you're an awful lot of fun to corrupt。〃
〃You ought to know。〃
〃It was just a joke secret。 There isn't any corruption。 We just have fun。 Go on in and have her make my speech before she forgets it too。 Go on and be a good boy David。〃
In the room at the far end of the hotel David lay on the bed and said； 〃What's it all about really？〃
〃It's just what she said last night；〃 the girl said。 〃She really means it。 You don't know how much she means it。
〃Did you tell her we'd made love？〃
〃No。〃
〃She knew it。〃
〃Does it matter？〃
〃It didn't seem to。〃
〃Take a glass of wine； David； and be comfortable。 I'm not indifferent；〃 she said。 〃I hope you know that。〃
〃I'm not either；〃 he said。
Then their lips were together and he felt her body against his and her breasts against his chest and her lips tight against his and then open； her head moving from side to side and her breathing and the feel of his belt buckle against his belly and in his hands。
They lay on the beach and David watched the sky and the movement of the clouds and did not think at all。 Thinking did no good and when he lay down he had thought that if he did not think then everything that was wrong might go away。 The girls were talking but he did not listen to them。 He lay and watched the September sky and when the girls had fallen silent he started to think and without looking at the girl he asked； 〃What are you thinking？〃
〃Nothing；〃 she said。
〃Ask me；〃 Catherine said。
〃I can guess what you're thinking。〃
〃No you can't。 I was thinking about the Prado。〃
〃Have you been there？〃 David asked the girl。
〃Not yet；〃 she said。
〃We'll go；〃 Catherine said。 〃When can we go； David？〃
〃Anytime；〃 David said。 〃I want to finish this story first。〃
〃Will you work hard on the story？〃
〃That's what I'm doing。 I can't work any harder。〃
〃I didn't mean to hurry it。〃
〃I won't；〃 he said。 〃If you're getting bored here you two go on ahead and I'll find you there。〃
〃I don't want to do that；〃 Marita said。
〃Don't be silly；〃 Catherine said。 〃He's just being noble。〃
〃No。 You can go。
〃It wouldn't be any fun without you；〃 Catherine said。 〃You know that。 We two in Spain wouldn't be fun。〃
〃He's working； Catherine；〃 Marita said。
〃He could work in Spain；〃 Catherine said。 〃Plenty of Spanish writers must have worked in Spain。 I'll bet I could write well in Spain if I was a writer。〃
〃I can write in Spain；〃 David said。 〃When do you want to go？〃
〃Damn you； Catherine；〃 Marita said。 〃He's in the middle of a story。〃
〃He's been writing for over six weeks；〃 Catherine said。 〃Why can't we go to Madrid？〃
〃I said we could；〃 David said。
〃Don't you dare do that；〃 the girl said to Catherine。 〃Don't you dare to try to do that。 Haven't you any conscience at all？〃
〃You're a fine one to talk about conscience；〃 Catherine said。
〃I have a conscience about some things。〃
〃That's fine。 I'm happy to know it。 Now will you try to be polite and not interfere when someone is trying to work out what's best for everyone？〃
〃I'm going to swim；〃 David said。
The girl got up and followed him and outside the cove while they treaded water she said； 〃She's crazy。
〃So don't blame her。〃
〃But what are you going to do？〃
〃Finish the story and start another。〃
〃So what do you and I do？〃
〃What we can。
Chapter Eighteen
HE FINISHED THE STORY in four days。 He had in it all the pressure that had built while he was writing it and the modest part of him was afraid that it could not possibly be as good as he believed it to be。 The cold； hard part knew it was better。
〃How was it today？〃 the girl asked him。
〃I finished。〃 〃Can I read it？〃 〃If you want
〃You wouldn't mind truly？〃
〃It's in those two cahiers in the top of the suitcase。〃 He handed her the key and then sat at the bar and drank a whiskey and Perrier and read the morning paper。 She came back and sat on a stool a little way down from him and read the story。
When she finished it she started to read it over again and he made himself a second whiskey and soda and watched her read。 When she finished it the second time he said； 〃Do you like it？〃
〃It's not a thing you like or not like；〃 she said。 〃It's your father isn't it？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃Was this when you stopped loving him？〃
〃No。 I always loved him。 This was when I got to know him。〃
〃It's a terrible story and it's wonderful。〃
〃I'm glad you like it；〃 he said。
〃I'll put it back now；〃 she said。 〃I like going in the room when the door is locked。〃
〃We have that；〃 David said。
When they came back from the beach they found Catherine in the garden。
〃So you got back；〃 she said。
〃Yes；〃 David said。 〃We had a good swim。 I wish you'd been there。〃
〃Well； I wasn't；〃 she said。 〃If it's of any interest to you。
〃Where did you go？〃 David asked。
〃I was in Cannes on my own business；〃 she said。 〃You're both late for lunch。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 David said。 〃Do you want to have anything before lunch？〃
〃Please excuse me； Catherine；〃 Marita said。 〃I'll be back in a moment。〃
〃You're still drinking before lunch？〃 Catherine asked David。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃I don't think it matters if you're getting a lot of exercise。〃
〃There was an empty whiskey glass on the bar when I came
〃Yes；〃 said David。 〃I had two whiskeys actually。〃
〃Actually；〃 she mimicked him。 〃You're very British today。〃
〃Really？〃 he said。 〃I didn't feel very British。 I felt sort of half…assed Tahitian。〃
〃It's just your way of speaking that irritates me； she said。 〃Your choice of words。〃
〃I see；〃 he said。 〃Did you want a shot before they bring the chow？〃
〃You don't have to be a clown。〃
〃The best clowns don't talk；〃 he said。
〃Nobody accused you of being the best of clowns；〃 she said。 〃Yes。 I'd like a drink if it isn't too much work for you to make it。〃
He made three martinis； measuring them each out separately and pouring them into the pitcher where there was a big chunk of ice and then stirring。
〃Who is the third drink for？〃
〃Marita。〃
〃Your paramour？〃
〃My what？〃
〃Your paramour。
〃You really said it；〃 Da