按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The next morning there was still heavy surf and the rain came in gusts。 They could not see the Spanish coast and when it cleared between the driven squalls of rain and they could see across the angry sea in the bay there were heavy clouds that came down to the base of the mountains。 Catherine had gone out in a raincoat after breakfast and had left him to work in the room。 It had gone so simply and easily that he thought it was probably worthless。 Be careful； he said to himself； it is all very well for you to write simply and the simpler the better。 But do not start to think so damned simply。 Know how complicated it is and then state it simply。 Do you suppose the Grau du Roi time was all simple because you could write a little of it simply？
He went on writing in pencil in the cheap； lined； school notebook that was called a cahier and already numbered one in roman numeral。 He stopped finally and put the notebook in a suitcase with a cardboard box of pencils and the cone…shaped sharpener； leaving the five pencils he had dulled to point up for the next day； and took his raincoat from the hanger in the closet and walked down the stairs to the lobby of the hotel。 He looked into the hotel bar which was gloomy and pleasant in the rain and already had some customers and left his key at the desk。 The assistant concierge reached into the mailbox as he hung up the key and said； 〃Madame left this for Monsieur。〃
He opened the note which said； David； didn't want to disturb you am at the cafe love Catherine。 He put on the old trench coat； found a boina in the pocket and walked out of the hotel into the rain。
She was at a corner table in the small cafe and before her was a clouded yellow…tinged drink and a plate with one small dark red freshwater crayfish and the debris of others。 She was very far ahead of him。 〃Where have you been； stranger？〃
〃Just down the road a piece。〃 He noticed that her face was rain…washed and he concentrated on what rain did to heavily tanned skin。 She looked very nice too in spite of it and he was happy to see her this way。
'Did you get going？〃 the girl asked。
〃Good enough。〃
〃You worked then。 That's fine。〃
The waiter had been serving three Spaniards who were sitting at a table next to the door。 He came over now holding a glass and an ordinary Pernod bottle and a small narrow…lipped pitcher of water。 There were lumps of ice in the water。 〃Pour Monsieur aussi？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 the young man said。 〃Please。〃
The waiter poured their high glasses half full of the off…yellow liquid and started to pour the water slowly into the girl's glass。 But the young man said； 〃I'll do it；〃 and the waiter took the bottle away。 He seemed relieved to be taking it away and the young man poured the water in a very thin stream and the girl watched the absinthe cloud opalescently。 It felt warm as her fingers held the glass and then as it lost the yellow cast and
began to look milky it cooled sharply and the young man let the water fall in a drop at a time。
〃'Why does it have to go in so slowly？〃 the girl asked。
〃It breaks up and goes to pieces if the water pours in too fast；〃 he explained。 〃Then it's flat and worthless。 There ought to be a glass on top with ice and just a little hole for the water to drip。 But everybody would know what it was then。〃
〃I had to drink up fast before because two G。N。 's were in； the girl said。
〃Whatyoumacallits nationals。 In khaki with bicycles and black leather pistol holsters。 I had to engulp the evidence。〃
〃Engulp？〃
〃Sorry。 Once I engulped it I can't say it。〃
〃You want to be careful about absinthe。〃
〃It only makes me feel easier about things。〃
〃And nothing else does？〃
He finished making the absinthe for her； holding it well short of mildness。 〃Go ahead；〃 he told her。 〃Don't wait for me。〃 She took a long sip and then he took her glass from her and drank and said； 〃Thank you； Ma'am。 That puts heart in a man。
〃So make your own； you clipping reader；〃 she said。
〃What was that？〃 the young man said to her。
〃I didn't say it。〃
But she had said it and he said to her； 〃Why don't you just shut up about the clippings。〃
〃Why？〃 she said； leaning toward him and speaking too loudly。 〃Why should I shut up？ Just because you wrote this morning？ Do you think I married you because you re a writer？ You and your clippings。〃
〃All right；〃 the young man said。 〃Can you tell me the rest of it when we're by ourselves？〃
〃Don't ever think for a moment I won't；〃 she said。
〃I guess not；〃 he said。
〃Don't guess；〃 she said。 〃You can be certain。
David Bourne stood up and went over to the hanger and lifted his raincoat and went out the door without looking back。
At the table Catherine raised her glass and tasted the absinthe very carefully and went on tasting it in little sips。
The door opened and David came back in and walked up to the table。 He was wearing his trench coat and had his boina pulled low on his forehead。 〃Do you have the keys to the car？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said。
〃May I have them？〃
She gave them to him but said； 〃Don't be stupid； David。 It was the rain and you being the only one who had worked。 Sit down。〃
〃Do you want me to？〃
〃Please；〃 she said。
He sat down。 That didn't make much sense； he thought。 You got up to go out and take the damned car and stay out and the hell with her and then you come back in and have to ask for the key and then sit down like a slob。 He picked up his glass and took a drink。 The drink was good anyway。
〃What are you going to do about lunch？〃 he asked。
〃You say where and I'll eat it with you。 You do still love me； don't you？〃
〃Don't be silly。〃
〃That was a sordid quarrel；〃 Catherine said。
〃The first one
〃It was my fault about the clippings。〃
〃Let's not mention the god damned clippings。〃
〃That's what it was all about。〃
〃It was you thinking about them when you were drinking。 Bringing them up because you were drinking。〃
〃It sounds like regurgitating；〃 she said。 〃Awful。 Actually my tongue just slipped making a joke。〃
〃You had to have them in your head to bnng them out that way。
〃All right；〃 she said。 〃I thought maybe it was all over。
〃It is。〃
〃Well why do you keep on insisting and insisting about it for then？〃
〃We shouldn't have taken this drink。〃
〃No。 Of course not。 Especially me。 But you certainly needed it。 Do you think it will do you any good？〃
〃Do we have to do this now？〃 he asked。
〃I'm certainly going to stop it。 It bores me。〃 〃That's the one damned word in the language I can't stand。〃 〃Lucky you with only one word like that in the language。〃 〃Oh shit；〃 he said。 〃Eat lunch by yourself。〃 〃No。 I won't。 We'll eat lunch together and behave like human beings。〃
〃All right。〃
〃I'm sorry。 It really was a joke and it just misfired。 Truly David that was all。〃
Chapter Five
THE TIDE WAS FAR OUT when David Bourne woke and the sun was bright on the beach and the sea was a dark blue。 The hills showed green and new washed and the clouds had gone from the mountains。 Catherine was still sleeping and he looked at her and watched her regular breathing and the sun on her face and thought； how strange that the sun on her eyes should not wake her。
After he had taken a shower and brushed hi