The Dol
The Dol (第1/3页)
EDGARWASPREPARINGTOTAKEtheNationalWrit?ersExamination,afive-hourfifty-minuteexamina?tion,forhiscertificate.Hewasinhisroom,fright?ened.Theprospectoftakingtheexamagainputhiminworldsofhurt.Hehadtakenittwicebefore,withevilresults.Nowhewasstudyingabookwhichcontainednottheactualquestionsfromtheexaminationbutsimilarquestions."Barbara,ifIdontknockitforaloopthistimeIdontknowwhatwelldo."Barbaracontinuedtoaddressher?selftotheironingboard.Edgarthoughtaboutsay?ingsomethingtohisyoungerchild,histwo-year-olddaughter,Rose,whowaswearingawhiteterry-clothbeltedbathrobeandlookedlikeatinyfighterabouttoclimbintothering.Theywereallintheroomwhilehewasstudyingfortheexamination.
"ThewrittenpartiswhereIfalldown,"Edgarsaidmorosely,toeveryoneintheroom."TheoralpartiswhereIdobest."Helookedatthebackofhiswifewhichwaspointedathim."IfIdontkickitintheheadthistimeIdontknowwhatweregoingtodo,"herepeated."Barb?"Butshefailedtorespondtothisimpliedquestion.Shefeltitwasafalsehope,takingthisexaminationwhichhehadalreadyfailedmiserablytwiceandwhichalwaysgothimveryworkedup,blackwithfear,beforehetookit.Nowshedidntwishtowitnessthespec?tacleanymoresoshegavehimherback.
"Theoralpart,"Edgarcontinuedencouragingly,"isA-okay.Icanforinstancegiveyoualistofanswers,Iknowitsowell.Listen,hereisanan?swer,canyoutellmethequestion?"Barbara,whowasverysexuallyattractive(thatwaswhatmadeEdgartaponherforadate,manyyearsbefore)butalsodeeplymean,saidnothing.Sheputhermindontheirsilentchild,Rose.
"Hereistheanswer,"Edgarsaid."TheanswerisJuliaWardHowe.Whatisthequestion?"
ThisanswerwastooprovocativeforBarbaratoresistlong,becausesheknewthequestion."WhowrotetheBattleHymnoftheRepublic?"shesaid."ThereisnotagrownpersonintheUnitedStateswhodoesntknowthat."
"Youreright,"Edgarsaidunhappily,forhewouldhavepreferredthattheanswerhadbeenalittlemorerecherche,hatshewouldnothaveknownthequestionto.Butshehadbeenahookerforaperiodbeforetheirmarriageandhecouldresorttothisareaifhertriumphgrewtoogreat."Doyouwanttotryanotherone?"
"EdgarIdontbelieveinthatexaminationanymore,"shetoldhimcoldly.
"IdontbelieveinyouBarbara,"hecountered.
Thisremarkfilledherwithremorseandanger.Sheconsideredmomentarilylettinghimhaveoneupsidetheheadbutfearpreventedherfromdoingitsosheturnedherbackagainandthoughtaboutthevauntedcertificate.Withacertificatehecouldwriteforalltheimportantandgreatperiodicals,andtherewouldbesomemoneyinthehouseforachangeinsteadofwhattheygotfromhisbrotherandtheUnemployment.
"ItisntyouwhohastopassthisNationalWrit?ersExamination,"heshotpasther.Then,tomol?lify,hegaveheranotheranswer."Brand,tuck,glave,claymore."
"Isthatananswer?"sheaskedfrombehindherback.
"Itisindeed.Whatsthequestion?"
"Idontknow,"sheadmitted,slightlypleasedtobeputbackinafemininepositionofnotknowing.
"Thosearefournamesforasword.Theyrearchaic."
"ThatswhyIdidntknowthem,then."
"Obviously,"saidEdgarwithsomemalice,forBarbarawassometimesgiventosayingthingsthatwereobvious,justtofilltheair."Youputawordlikethatinnowandthentofreshenyourline,"heexplained."Eventhoughitsanoldword,itssoolditsnew.Butyouhavetobecareful,thecontexthastoletpeopleknowwhatthethingis.Youdontwanttobesimplyobscure."Helikedexplain?ingthetricksofthetradetoBarb,whomadesomeshowofinterestinthem.
"DoyouwantmetoreadyouwhatIvewrittenforthewrittenpart?"
Barbsaidyes,withalookofpain,forshestillfeltacutelywhathewastryingtodo.
"Thisisthebeginning,"Edgarsaid,preparinghisyellowmanuscriptpaper.
"Whatisthetitle?"
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