Will You Tell Me?
Will You Tell Me? (第2/3页)
asIwasatthattime,sixteen,anditwasbeautiful,andIwasbeautifulIthink,andwebothweretherethetreeandme,andIcouldntstandit,Hildasaid.Youarestillbeautiful,now,atneen,Howardsaid.Butdonttouchme,Hildasaid.
Hubertwasshortinarisingmarket.Helosttenthousand.Canyoupaytherentonthishouseforawhile?heaskedIrene.Ofcoursedarling,Irenesaid.Howmuchisit?Ny-threedollarsamonth,Hubertsaid,everymonth.Thatsnotmuchreally,Irenesaid.HubertreachedouthishandtocaressIrenebutdecidednotto.
Ingesmiledinthecandlelightfromthevictorycandle.
EdwardwastiredofposingforCharlesspoem.Hestretched,growled,andbithimself.
InthecellarPaulmixedtheplasticforanotherbatchofbombs.Abranchfromtheblackpeartreelayonhiswork-table.Seedsfellintohistoolbox.Fromthebank?hewondered.Whatwasmeantby"fromthebank"?HerememberedthekindnessofMontreal.Hildasblacksweaterlayacrossachair.Godissubtle,butheisnotmalicious,Einsteinsaid.Paulheldhistoolsinhishands.Theyincludedanawl.NowIshallhavetofindmoreSchlitzcans,hethought.Quickly.
IrenewonderedifHubertreallylovedher,orifhewasmerelysayingsotobepleasant.Shewonderedhowshecouldfindout.Hubertwashandsome.ButsowasCharleshandsomeforthatmatter.AndI,Iamstillquitebeautiful,sheremindedherself.NotinthesamewayasyounggirlslikeHildaandRosemarie,butinadifferentway.Ihaveamaturebeauty.Oh!
Fromthebank?Ingewondered.
Ericcamehomefortheholidays.
AnnaTeresaTymienieckawroteabooktowhichI.M.Bochénskicontributedaforeword.
Rosemariemadealistofallthepeoplewhohadnotwrittenheraletterthatmorning:
GeorgeLewis
PeterElkin
JoanElkin
HowardToff
EdgarRich
MarcyPowers
SueBrownly
andmanyothers
Paulsaidtothemanatthehardwarestore:Ineedanewawl.Whatsizeawldoyouhaveinmind?themanasked.Oneaboutthissize,Paulsaid,showingthemanwithhishands.OhHilda!
Whatishislittlename?CharlesandIreneaskedHubert.Hisname,Hubertsaid,isPaul.Asmallone,isnthe?Charlesremarked.Butwellmade,Hubertnoted.
CanIbuyyouadrink?HowardaskedHilda.Haveyouhadanygrappayet?Itsoneofthefavoritedrinksofthiscountry.YourtimeisupHoward,Hildasaidruthlessly.Getoutofthiscafé.Nowwaitaminute,Howardsaid.Thisisafreecountryisntit?No,Hildasaid.Nobuddy,afreecountryispreciselywhatthisisnotinsofarasyoursittingatthistableisconcerned.Besides,IvedecidedtogotoDenmarkonthenextplane.
Themailman(Rosemariesmailman)persistedinhisirritatinghabitofdoingtheothersideofthestreetbeforehedidhersideofthestreet.RosemarieateabowlofThree-MinuteOats.
Ericcuthisnailswithoneofthose25￠nailcutters.
ThebombHenryJacksonthrewathisfatherfailedtodetonate.WhydidyouthrowthisSchlitzcanatmeHenry?Henrysfatherasked,andwhyisittickinglikeabomb?
HildaappearedinPaulscellar.Paul,sheasked,canIborrowanaxe?orasaw?
HuberttouchedIrenesbreast.Youhavebeautifulbreasts,hesaidtoIrene.Ilikethem.Doyouthinktheyretoomature?Ireneaskedanxiously.
Mature?
3
AnntheHyacinthGirlwantedPaulbutcouldnothavehim.HewassleepingwithIngeinDenmark.
FromhiswindowCharleswatchedHilda.Shesatplayingundertheblackpeartree.Shebitdeeplyintoablackpear.IttastedbadandHildalookedatthetreeinquiringly.Charlesstartedtocry.HehadbeenreadingBergson.Hewassurprisedbyhisownweeping,andinastateofsurprise,decidedtogetsomethingtoeat.Irenewasnothome.Therewasnothingintherefrigerator.Whatwashegoingtodoforlunch?Gotothedrugstore?
RosemarielookedatPaul.Butofcoursehesfartooyoungforme,shethought.
EdwardandEricmetonthestreet.
IngewrotethefollowinglettertoAnntoexplainwhyAnncouldnothavePaul:
DearAnn——
Ideeplyappreciatethesentimentsexpressedbyyouinourrecentship-to-shoretelephoneconversation.IstheBlackSeapleasant?Ihopesoandhopetoothatyouarehavinganicevoyage.TheMatsonLineisoneofmyfavoritelines.HoweverImusttellyouthatPaulisatpresentdeeplyembeddedinaloveaffairwithme,IngeGrote,averynicegirlhereinCopenhagen,andthereforecannotrespondtoyourproposals,charmingandwellstatedastheywere.Youhaveaveryniceprosestyleonthetelephone.Also,ImightpointoutthatifPaullovesanygirlotherthanmeinthenearfutureitwillsurelybeHilda,thatgirlofgirls.Hilda!whataremarkablegirl!Ofcoursethereisalsothepossibilitythathewilllovesomegirlhehasnotmetyet——thisisremote,Ithink.Butthankyoufortheadditionalhyacinthsanyway,andwepromisetothinkofyoufromtimetotime.
Yourfriend,
Inge
Charleslayinbedwithhiswife,Irene.Hetouchedabreast,oneofIrenes.YouhavebeautifulbreastsIrene,Charlessaid.Thankyou,Irenesaid,Charles.
HowardswiretoEricwasneverdelivered.
HubertthoughtseriouslyabouthisChristmaspresenttoCharlesandIrene.WhatcanIgetforthesedearfriendsth
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