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〃Who is the third drink for？〃
〃Marita。〃
〃Your paramour？〃
〃My what？〃
〃Your paramour。
〃You really said it；〃 David told her。 〃I'd never heard that word pronounced and I had absolutely no hope of ever hearing it in this life。 You're really wonderful。〃
〃It's a perfectly common word。〃
〃It is at that；〃 David said。 〃But to have the sheer； naked courage to use it in conversation。 Devil； be good now。 Couldn't you say 'your dusky paramour'？〃
Catherine looked away as she raised her glass。
〃And I used to find this type of banter amusing；〃 she said。 〃Do you want to try to be decent？〃 David asked。 〃Both of us decent？〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃Here comes your whatever you call her looking sweet and innocent as ever。 I must say I'm glad I had her before you did。 Dear Marita&mdash；tell me； did David work before he started drinking today？〃
〃Did you David？〃 Marita asked。
〃I finished a story；〃 David said。
〃And I suppose Marita's already read it？〃
〃Yes； I did。〃
。
〃You know； I've never read a story of David's。 I never interfere。 I've only tried to make it economically possible for him to do the best work of which he is capable。〃
David took a sip of his drink and looked at her。 She was the same wonderful dark and beautiful girl as ever and the ivory white hair was like a scar across her forehead。 Only her eyes had changed and her lips that were saying things they were incapable of saying。
〃I thought it was a very good story；〃 Marita said。 〃It was strange and how do you say pastorale。 Then it became terrible in a way I could not explain。 I thought it was magnifique。〃
〃Well&mdash；；〃 Catherine said。 〃We all speak French you know。 You might have made the whole emotional outburst in French。〃
〃I was deeply moved by the story；〃 Marita said。
〃Because David wrote it or because it really is first rate？〃
〃Both；〃 the girl said。
〃Well；〃 Catherine said； 〃is there any reason then why I can't read this extraordinary story？ I did put up the money for it。〃
〃You did what？〃 David asked。
〃Perhaps not exactly。 You did have fifteen hundred dollars when you married me and that book about all the mad fliers has sold； hasn't it？ You never tell me how much。 But I did put up a substantial sum and you must admit you've lived more com fortably than you did before you married me。〃
The girl did not say anything and David watched the waiter setting the table on the terrace。 He looked at his watch。 It was about twenty minutes before the time they usually had lunch。 〃I'd like to go in and clean up if I may；〃 he said。
〃Don't be so bloody false polite；〃 Catherine said。 〃Why can't I read the story？〃
〃It's just written in pencil。 It hasn't even been copied。 You wouldn't want to read it that way。〃
〃Marita read it that way。
〃Read it after lunch then。〃
〃I want to read it now； David。〃
〃I really wouldn't read it before lunch。〃
〃Is it disgusting？〃
〃It's a story about Africa back before the 1914 War。 In the time of the Maji…Maji War。 The native rebellion of 1905 in Tanganyika。〃
〃I didn't know you wrote historical novels。〃
〃I wish you'd leave it alone；〃 David said。 〃It's a story that happens in Africa when I was about eight years old。〃
〃I want to read it。〃
David had gone to the far end of the bar and was shaking dice out of a leather cup。 The girl sat on a stool next to Catherine。 He watched her watching Catherine as she read。
〃It starts very well；〃 she said。 〃Though your handwriting is atrocious。 The country is superb。 The passage。 What Marita miscalled the pastorale part。〃
She put down the first notebook and the girl picked it up and held it on her lap； her eyes still watching Catherine。
Catherine read on and said nothing now。 She was halfway through the second part。 Then she tore the cahier in two and threw it on the floor。
〃It's horrible；〃 she said。 〃It's bestial。 So that was what your father was like。〃
〃No；〃 said David。 〃But that was one way he was。 You didn't finish it。〃
〃Nothing would make me finish it。
〃I didn't want you to read it at all。〃
〃No。 You both conspired to make me read it。〃
〃May I have the key； David； to lock it up？〃 the girl asked。 She had retrieved the torn halves of the notebook from the floor。 It
was just ripped apart。 It was not torn across。 David gave her his key。
〃It's even more horrible written in that child's notebook；〃 Catherine said。 〃You're a monster。〃
〃It was a very odd rebellion；〃 David said。
〃You're a very odd person to write about it；〃 she said。
〃I asked you not to read the story。〃
She was crying now。 〃I hate you；〃 she said。
They were in their room in bed and it was late。
〃She'll go away and you'll have me shut up or put away； Catherine said。
〃No。 That isn't true。〃
〃But you suggested we go to Switzerland。〃
〃If you were worried we could see a good doctor。 The same way we'd go to the dentist。〃
〃No。 They'd shut me up。 I know。 Everything that's innocent to us is crazy to them。 I know about those places。〃
〃It's an easy drive and beautiful。 We'd go by Aix and St。 Remy and up the Rh6ne from Lyon to Geneva。 We'd see him and get some good advice and make a fun trip out of it。〃
〃I won't go。〃
〃A very good intelligent doctor that&mdash；〃
〃I won't go。 Didn't you hear me？ I won't go。 I won't go。 Do you want me to scream？〃
〃All right。 Don't think about it now。 Just try to sleep。〃
〃If I don't have to go。〃
〃We don't have to。〃
〃I'll sleep then。 Are you going to work in the morning？〃
〃Yes。 I might as well。〃
〃You'll work well；〃 she said。 〃I know you will。 Good night David。 You sleep well too。〃
He did not sleep for a long time。 When he did he had dreams of Africa。 They were good dreams until the one that woke him。 He got up then and went direct from that dream to work。 He was well into the new story before the sun came up out of the sea and he did not look up from where he was to see how red the sun was。 In the story he was waiting for the moon to rise and he felt his dog's hair rise under his hand as he stroked him to be quiet and they both watched and listened as the moon came up and gave them shadows。 His arm was around the dog's neck now and he could feel him shivering。 All of the night sounds had stopped。 They did not hear the elephant and David did not see him until the dog turned his head and seemed to settle into David。 Then the elephant's shadow covered them and he moved past making no noise at all and they smelled him in the light wind that came down from the mountain。 He smelled strong but old and sour and when he was past David saw that the left tusk was so long it seemed to reach the ground。 They waited but no other elephants came by and then David and the dog started off running in the moonlight。 The dog kept close behind him and when David stopped the dog pressed his muzzle into the back of his knee。 David had to see the bull again and they came up on him at the edge of the forest。 He was travelling toward the mountain and slowly now moving into the steady night breeze。 David came close enough to see him cut off the moon again and to smell the sour oldness but he could not see the right tusk。 He was afraid to work closer with the dog and he took him back with the wind and pushed him down against the base of a tree and tried to make him understand。 He thought the