Will You Tell Me?
Will You Tell Me? (第1/3页)
HubertgaveCharlesandIreneanicebabyforChristmas.ThebabywasaboyanditsnamewasPaul.CharlesandIrenewhohadnothadababyformanyyearsweredelighted.TheystoodaroundthecribandlookedatPaul;theycouldnotgetenoughofhim.Hewasahandsomechildwithdarkhair,darkeyes.WheredidyougethimHubert?CharlesandIreneasked.Fromthebank,Hubertsaid.Itwasapuzzlinganswer,CharlesandIrenepuzzledoverit.Everyonedrankmulledwine.Paulregardedthemfromthecrib.HubertwaspleasedtohavebeenabletopleaseCharlesandIrene.Theydrankmorewine.
Ericwasborn.
HubertandIrenehadaclandestineaffair.ItwasimportanttheyfeltthatCharlesnotknow.Tothisendtheyboughtabedwhichtheyinstalledinanotherhouse,ahousesomedistancefromthehouseinwhichCharles,IreneandPaullived.Thenewbedwassmallbutcomfortableenough.PaulregardedHubertandIrhoughtfully.Theaffairlastedfortwelveyearsandwasconsideredverysuccessful.
Hilda.
CharleswatchedHildagrowingfromhiswindow.Tobeginwith,shewasjustababy,thenafour-year-old,thentwelveyearspassedandshewasPaulsage,sixteen.Whataprettyyounggirl!Charlesthoughttohimself.PaulagreedwithCharles;hehadalreadybittenthetipsofHildasprettybreastswithhisteeth.HildathoughtshewastoooldformostboysPaulsage,butnotforPaul.
HubertssonEricwantedHildabutcouldnothaveher.
InthecellarPaulcontinuedmakinghisbombs,bycellar-light.ThebombsweremadefromtallSchlitzcansandaplasticsubstancewhichPaulrefusedtoidentify.ThebombsweresoldtootherboysPaulsagetothrowattheirfathers.Thebombsweretofrightenthemratherthantoharmthem.HildasoldthebombsforPaul,hidingthemunderherblacksweaterwhenshewentoutonthestreet.
Hildacutdownablackpeartreeinthebackyard.Why?
DoyouknowthatHubertandIrenearehavinganaffair?HildaaskedPaul.Henodded.
Thenhesaid:ButIdontcare.
InMontrealtheywalkedinthegreensnow,leavingmarkslikemapleleaves.PaulandHildathought:Whatiswonderful?ItseemedtoPaulandHildathatthiswasthequestion.ThepeopleofMontrealwerekindtothem,andtheythoughtaboutthequestioninanambianceofkindness.
CharlesofcoursehadbeenawareoftheaffairbetweenHubertandIrenefromthebeginning.ButHubertgaveusPaul,hethoughttohimself.HewonderedwhyHildahadcutdowntheblackpeartree.
Ericsatbyhimself.
PaulputhishandsonHildasshoulders.Sheclosedhereyes.Theyheldeachotherwiththeirhandsandthoughtaboutthequestion.France!
IreneboughtEasterpresentsforeveryone.HowdoIknowwhichpartofthebeachRosemariewillbelyingupon?sheaskedherself.InHildasbackyardtheskeletonoftheblackpeartreewhitened.
DialoguebetweenPaulandAnn:——
YousayanythingthatcrawlsintoyourheadPaul,Annobjected——
Gopeddleyourhyacinths,HyacinthGirl.
Itisaportrait,Hubertsaid,composedofallthevicesofourgenerationinthefullnessoftheirdevelopment.
EricsbombexplodedwithagreatsplashnearHubert.Hubertwasfrightened.Whathasbeendecided?heaskedEric.Ericcouldnotanswer.
IreneandCharlestalkedaboutPaul.IwonderhowheisgettingalonginFrance?Charleswondered.IwonderifFrancelikeshim.IrenewonderedagainaboutRosemarie.CharleswonderedifthebombthatErichadthrownatHuberthadbeenmanufacturedbyhisfosterson,Paul.Hewonderedtooaboutthestrangeword"foster,"aboutwhichhehadnotwonderedpreviously.Fromthebank?hewondered.WhatcouldHuberthavemeantbythat?WhatcouldHuberthavemeantby"fromthebank"?heaskedIrene.Icantimagine,Irenesaid.Thefiresparkled.Itwasevening.
InSilkeborg,Denmark,PaulregardedHildathoughtfully.YouloveInge,shesaid.Hetouchedherhand.
Rosemariereturned.
Paulgrewolder.Ohthatpoor**erErichesaid.
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ThequalityofthelovebetweenHubertandIrene:
ThisisaprettygoodbedHubert,Irenesaid.Exceptthatitsnotreallyquitewideenough.
YouknowthatPaulismanufacturingbombsinyourcellardontyou?Hubertasked.
Ingebrushedherlonggoldhairinherredsweater.
Whowasthatman,Rosemarieasked,whowroteallthosebooksaboutdogs?
HildasatinacaféwaitingforPaultoreturnfromDenmark.InthecaféshemetHoward.GoawayHoward,HildasaidtoHoward,IamwaitingforPaul.OhcomeonHilda,Howardsaidinadejectedvoice,letmesitdownforjustaminute.Justaminute.Iwontbotheryou.Ijustwanttosithereatyourtableandbenearyou.Iwasinthewaryouknow.Hildasaid:Ohallright.Butdonttouchme.
CharleswroteapoemaboutRosemariesdog,Edward.Itwasasestina.
Daddy,whyareyouwritingthispoemaboutEdward?Rosemarieaskedexcitedly.BecauseyouvebeenawayRosemarie,Charlessaid.
AtYaleEricwalkedaround.
Irenesaid:HubertIloveyou.Hubertsaidthathewasglad.Theylayuponthebedinthehouse,thinkingaboutthesamethings,aboutMontrealsgreensnowandtheblacknessoftheBlackSea.
ThereasonIcutdowntheblackpeartreeHoward,whichIvenevertoldanyone,wasthatitwasjustasold
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