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！
〃Then I had better put it into my grip right now。〃
〃If you wish； sir。 I think it's bedtime； dears。〃 …
〃Yes； Mama；〃 agreed Carol。 〃But Uncle Ted was telling us how you knocked down all the milk bottles。〃
〃He says you should pitch for the Blues； Mama！〃 added George。
〃All right；… fifteen minutes。〃
〃Mrs。 Smith；〃 said Lazarus； 〃you ought not to start your stopwatch on us until I get back。〃
〃You're as bad as the rest of my children； Sergeant。 Very well。〃
Lazarus put the package into his grip； locked it from long habit； and returned。 Nancy and her young man arrived； Lazarus was introduced while looking over Jonathan Weath~…sral with real interest。 Pleasant young fellow； a bit on the
gawky side…。… Tamara and Ira will be interested； so let's photograph him by eye； be able to sketch him； and… remember any word he says。
Mrs。 Smith urged her prospective son…in…law into the parlor while cutting Nancy out of the herd； Lazarus resumed describing what they had done at the amusement park while Jonathan looked politely bored。 Mrs。 Smith。 returned； carrying a laden tray and said； 〃That fifteen minutes is up； dears。 Jonathan； Nancy wants you to help her with something； will you see what it is？ She's in the kitchen。〃
第80节
Brian Junior asked if he could put the car into the barn。
… 〃Sergeant Uncle Ted； I haven't let your car sit out… at the curb at night； not once。 But I'll get it out for you； first thing in the morning； it's kind o' tricky； sort of a 'Z' turn； you have to back and fill。〃
Lazarus thanked him； kissed Carol good…night； as she was clearly expecting it。 George couldn't seem to make up his mind whether he had outgrown kissing or not； so Lazarus settled it by shaking hands and telling him he had quite a grip on him。 At that point Mi~。 Johnson got home； and the good…nights started over。
Five … minutes later Mrs。 Smith； her father； and Lazarus were seated in the parlor over coffee and cake； and Lazarus was suddenly reminded of the first night he had been invited in。 Save that the men were now in uniform the tableau was the same； each was seated in the spot he had been in that night； Mrs。 Smith presided over the 〃pany〃 coffee service with the same serene dignity； even the refreshments were the same。 He looked for changes； could find only three： His elephant was not back of Mrs。 Smith's chair； the prizes they
…had won at the amusement park were on a table near the door； and sheet music for 〃Hello； Central； Give Me No Man's Land〃 was ~open on the piano。 … 〃You were late tonight； Father。〃
〃Seven recruits； and I had just the …usual sizes for them； too large and too small。 Ted； we get what the Army doesn't want。 Proper； of course。 We now … have Lewis guns for the machine…gun panies and enough Springflelds to go around； we are beginning to look less like Villa's bandits； I'm not plaining。 Daughter； what are those things on that table？ They look out of place。〃 …
〃The Kewpie doll I wOn myself； so I'm thinking of giving it a place of honor on top of the piano。 The Teddy Roosevelt bear was won by Sergeant Theodore； perhaps he's taking
it to France with him。 Electric Park； Father； and I don't think it costS Sergeant Theodore more …than twice what the prizes are worth for us to win them； we had a lucky night… and a very gay one。〃 …
Lazarus could see the old man starting to cloud up…in public with a bachelor？ With her husband away？ So he spoke up：
〃I can't take it to France； Mrs。 Smith； I made a deal with Woodie…don't you remember？ My Teddy bear for his elephant。 I assume it's a firm deal； he carried it from then on。〃
Mr。 Johnson said； 〃If you didn't get it in writing； Ted； he'll hornswoggle you。 Do I understand that Woodie went to Electric Park with you two？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Between ourselves I expect to leave the elephant in Woodie's custody for the duration。 But I'm going to dicker with him first。〃
〃He'll still hornswoggle you。 Maureen； the idea was to give you relief from the children。 Especially Woodie。 What in Ned possessed you to take him along？〃
〃We didn't exactly take him along； Father； he was a stowaway。〃 She gave her father an accurate account； save that she left out certain things and did not include a timetable。
Mr。 Johnson shook his head and looked pleased。 〃That boy will go far…if they don't hang him first。 Maureen； you should have …spanked him and fetched him home。 Then you and Ted should have gone on with your ride。〃
〃Oh； fuss； Father； I did have my ride and a very nice one； I made Woodrow sit in the back seat and keep quiet。 Then I had a gay time at the park； a bonus I would not have had if Woodrow had not invited himself along。〃
〃Woodie had some justice on his side；〃 Lazarus admitted。 〃I did promise him an outing at Electric Park； then
… never kept my promise。〃
〃Should have whacked him。〃
〃It's too late for that； Father。 And we did have fun。 We ran into some people from church； too…Lauretta and Clyde Simpson。〃 …
〃That old witch！ She'll gossip about you； Maureen。〃
〃I think not。 We chatted while Woodie rode the miniature train。 But you might remember that Sergeant Bronson is your eldest sister's son。〃
Ira Johnson raised his eyebrows； then Chuckled。 〃Samantha would be surprised…if she were still with us。 Ted； my eldest sister was thrown by a horse she was trying to break
？… at eighty…five。 She lingered awhile； then tu？ned her face to the wall and refused to eat。 Very well； I'll remember。 Ted； this is better than blaming my gay…dog brother and still harder to check on；/Samantha lived in illinois； wore out three husbands； and one of them could have been named Bronson for all anyone here would know。 Do you mind？ Gives you a family of sorts。〃
〃I don't mind。 Although I like to think of this family as my family。〃
〃And we like to have you think of us that way； Son。 Maureen； is our young lady home？〃
〃Just before you got home； Father。 They are in the kitchen； on the excuse that she wanted to make a sandwich for Jonathan。 Since I'm sure it's an excuse to stay out there and spoon； I suggest that； if you want something from the kitchen； you allow me to fetch it； I'll be noisy enough to let Nancy jump off his lap。 Theodore； Nancy is engaged； we just haven't made a formal announcement。 I think it's best to let them marry now； since he'll be joining the Army almost at once。
… What do you think？〃
〃I'm hardly entitled to an opinion； Mrs。 Smith。 I hope they will be happy。〃
〃They will be；〃 said Mr。 Johnson。 〃He's a fine lad。 I tried to sign him into the Seventh； but he insisted on waiting for his birthday so he could go straight into the Army。 Even though he couldn't be drafted for another three years。 Spirit。 I like him。 Ted； if you need to go to your room； you can go around this other way and avoid the kitchen。〃
A few minutes later the young people came out of the kitchen； thade polite sounds without sitting down； then Nancy stepped out onto the porch to say good…night to her swain；。 came back in； and sat down。
Mr。 Johnson smothered a yawn。 〃Time I hit the hay。 You will too； Ted； if you're smart。 Too noisy around here to sleep late； especially where your room is。〃
Nancy said quickly； 〃I'll keep the young ones quiet； Grandpa； so Uncle Ted can sleep。〃
Lazarus stood up。 〃Thank you； Nancy； but I didn't get much rest on the train last night； I think I'll go right to bed。 Don't orning； I'll wake up at reveille time anyhow。 Habit。〃
Mrs。 Smith stood up。 〃We'll all go to bed。〃
Mr。 Johnson shook hands as he sai。d good…night~ Mrs。
Smith gave Lazarus a symbolic peck on the cheek such as she had gi'sen him on arrival； thanked him for a lovely evening； and urged him to turn over and go back to sleep if the reveille habit wakened him； Nancy hung back and kissed him good…night as her elders started up the stairs。
Lazarus went to his room and on into his bath。 Maureen had told him not to hesitate to draw a tub； it would not wake the children。 He started one； went back and opened his grip； got out the little package； took it into the bath and threw the bolt； there being no key in the bedroom door。 It was a small flat 'box such as garters might e in； he opened it carefully； intending to rewrap it exactly as it had been。
Ah； the garters！ Faded； as she … had said； …and clearly not new 。 。 and…Yes！…redolent with her own evocative fragrance。 Would it last long enough for him to get it borne； have the lovely； delicate aroma analyzed； amplified； and fixed？ Probably…and with puter help a skilled scentologist could separate out the odors of satin and rubber； and amplify hers selectively。 He would have to go to Secundus for such expert help。 Worth the trip and then some！
Now let's see those 〃naughty〃 mottoes… One read： 〃Open All Hours…Ring Bell for Service！〃…the other： 〃Wele！ e in and Stir the Fire。〃 Sweet darling； those aren't 〃naughty。〃 …
A plain envelope under the garters… He laid them aside and opened it。
A plain white card： 〃Best I could do； Beloved。 M。〃 …
A photograph； amateur work but excellent quality for …this
… here…&…now： Maureen herself； outdoors in bright sunlight against a background of thick bushes。 She was standing ~racefully； smiling and looking at the camera…dressed only in her 〃French postcard〃 style。 Lazarus felt a burst of passion。 Why； you generous； trusting darling！ Not your only copy？ No； Brian would have made more than one print… undoubtedly had one with him。 This pri？t would have been locked somewhere in your bedroom。 Yes； your waist is slender without a corset … 。 and those are not broken down； they jsre lovely…and I'm certain what caused your happy smile。 Thank you；… thank you！
With the photograph was a little flat package in tissue paper。 He opened it gently。 A thick lock of red hair； tied with a green ribbon。 The lock curled in a tight circle。
Lazarus stared at it。 Maureen my beloved； this is the most
precious gilt of all…but I do hope you cut it so carefully that Brian won't notice it's missing。
He looked at each of her gifts again； restored them just as they had been； put the box into the bottom of his grip； locked it； turned off the tub； undressed； and got into the water。 …
Rut a lukewarm tub did not make him sleep。 For a long time he lay in darkness and relived the past few hours。
He now felt that he understood Maureen。 She was relaxed with what she was…〃liked herself〃 as Lazarus thought of it… and liking yourself was the necessary first step toward loving other people。 She had no guilt feelings because she never did anything that could make her feel guilty。 She was unblinkingly honest with herself； was her own self…judge instead of looking to others； did not lie to herself…but lied to others without hesitation when needed for kindness or to get along with rules ~he had not made and did not respect。
Lazarus understood that； he lived the same way…and now knew where he got the trait。 From Maureen 。 。 and through her； from Oramp。 And from Pop； too…reinforced。 He felt very happy； despite an unsatisfied ache in Jiis loins。 Or in part because of it； he corrected； he found that he cherished that ache。
When the doorknob turned； he was instantly alert； out of bed
…and waiting before the door opened。
She was in his arms； warm and fragrant。
She pulled back to shrug off her wrap； let it fall； came back into his arms； body to body； and gave her mouth fully。
When they broke the kiss； she stayed in his arms； clinging。 He Whispeftd huskily； 〃Why did you risk it？〃
She answered softly； 〃I found that I must。 Once I knew that； I realjzed that it was even less risk than our walnut tree。 The children never e downstairs at night when we have a guest。 Father may suspect me 。 。 but that makes it certain tha~t he won't check on me。 Don't worry； darling。 Take me to bed。