“可能就在我们眼皮子底下。你说是吧,杰克?”
这时候,在另一个房间里,玛丽·马勒尼笑了起来。
Theroomwaswarmahesdrawablelampsalight-hersaheemptychairopposite。Onthesideboardbehiallglasses,sodawater,whiskey。FreshicetheThermosbucket。
MaryMaloneywaswaitingforherhusbandtowork。
Nowandagainsheattheclock,butwithoutaopleaseherselfwiththethoughtthateautegoimewhenhewoulde。Therewasaslowsmilingairabouther,ahihedropofaheadasshebentwascuriouslytranquil。Herskin-forthiswashersixthmonthwithchild-hadacquiredaworay,themouthwassoft,aheirnewplaedlarger,darkerthaheclocksaidteofive,shebegantolisten,aslater,punctuallyasalways,sheheardthetiresonthegraveloutside,andtheiepspassingthewiurninginthelock。Shelaidasidehersewing,stoodup,aforwardtokisshimashe。
"Hell,"shesaid。
"Hell,"heanswered。
&ookhisdhungiti。Thenshewalkedoverahedrinks,astrongishoneforhim,aweakoneforherself;andsoonshewasbainherchairwiththesewiheother,opposite,holdiallglasswithbothhands,rogitsotheicekledagainsttheside。
Forher,thiswasalwaysablissfultimeofday。Sheknewhedidn'teakmutilthefirstdrinkwasfinished,andshe,onherside,wasttositquietly,enjoyinghispahelonghoursalohehouse。Shelovedtoluxuriateinthepresehisman,aasasuhesun-thatwarmmaleglowthattoherwhentheywerealoher。Shelovedhimforthewayhesatlooselyinachair,forthewayheadoor,ormovedslowlyacrosstheroomwithlongstrides。Shelovedi,farlookiheyrestedihefuhemouth,ahewayheremaihistiredingstillwithhimselfuntilthewhiskeyhadtakea>
"Tired,darling?"
"Yes,"hesaid。"I'mtired。"Andashespoke,hedidanunusualthiedhisglassainoneswallowalthoughtherewasstillhalfofit,atleasthalfofitleft。Shewasn'treallywatghim,butshekhehaddonebecausesheheardtheicecubesfallingbastthebottomoftheemptyglasswhenheloweredhisarm。Hepausedamoment,leaningforwardiheupaslowlyovertofetchhimselfanother。
"I'llgetit!"shecried,jumpingup。
"Sitdown,"hesaid。
Whenhecamebaoticedthatthenewdrinkwasdarkamberwiththequantityofwhiskeyinit。
&qu,shallIgetyourslippers?"
"No。"
&chedhimashebegantosipthedarkyellowdrink,andshecouldseelittleoilyswirlsintheliquidbecauseitwass。
"Ithinkit'sashame,"shesaid,"thatoligetstobeasseniorasyou,theykeephimwalkingaboutoalldaylong。"
Hedidn'tanswer,soshebentherheadagaihhersewiimeheliftedthedrinktohislips,sheheardtheicekingagainstthesideoftheglass。
&qu,"shesaid。"Wouldyoulikemetogetyousomecheese?Ihaven'tmadeanysupperbecauseit'sThursday。"
"No,"hesaid。
"Ifyou'retootiredtoeatout,"shewenton,"it'sstillnottoolate。There'spleuffinthefreezer,andyouhaveitrighthereandnotevehechair。"
&edonhimforananswer,asmile,alittlenod,buthemadenosign。
"Anyway,"shewenton,"I'llgetyousomedcrackersfirst。"
"Idon'twantit,"hesaid。
Shemoveduneasilyinherchair,thelargeeyesstillwatghisface。"Butyoumusteat!I'llfixitanyway,andthenyouhaveitornot,asyoulike。"
&oodupandplacedhersewiablebythelamp。
"Sitdown,"hesaid。"Justforamidown。"
Itwasn'ttillthehtened。
"Goon,"hesaid。"Sitdown。"
Sheloweredherselfbackslowlyintothechair,watghimallthetimewiththe,bewilderedeyes。Hehadfihesekandwasstaringdownintotheglass,frowning。
"Listen,"hesaid。"I'vegotsomethingtotellyou。"
"Whatisit,darling?What'sthematter?"
Hehadelymotionless,ahisheaddownsothatthelightfromthelampbesidehimfellacrosstheupperpartofhisfagthedmouthinshadow。Sheherewasalittlemusgheerofhislefteye。
"Thisisgoiofashocktoyou,I'mafraid,"hesaid。"ButI'vethoughtaboutitagooddealandI'vedecidedtheonlythingtodoistellyhtaeyouwon'tblamemetoomuch。"
Aoldher。Itdidn'ttakelong,fourorfivemi,averystillthroughitall,watghimwithakindofdazedhorrorashewentfurtherandfurtherawayfromherwitheachword。
"Sothereitis,"headded。"AndIknowit'skindofabadtimetobetellingyou,buttheresimplywasn'tanyotherway。OfcourseI'llgiveyoumoneyandseeyou'relookedafter。Buttherereallybeanyfuss。Ihopenotanyway。Itwouldn'tbeverygoodformyjob。"