第16部分(第6/8 頁)

“Myself！”

“Oh；　that's　a　tough　one。　Did　you　do　poorly　on　a　test？”

“No！　I　…”　I　turned　to　him　and　said；　“How　did　you　fall　in　love　with　your　wife？”

He　poured　some　Navajo　White　into　his　can　and　smiled。　“Ah；”　he　said。　“Boy　problems。”

“I　do　not　have　boy　problems！”

He　hesitated　but　didn't　argue。　Instead；　he　said；　“I　fell　in　love　with　her　by　mistake。”

“By　mistake？　What　do　you　mean？”

“I　didn't　intend　to。　At　the　time　I　was　engaged　to　somebody　else；　and　in　no　position　to　fall　in

love。　Fortunately　for　me　I　saw　how　blind　I'd　been　before

it　was　too　late。”

“Blind？”

“Yes。　My　fiancée　was　very　beautiful。　She　had　the　most　magnificent　brown　eyes；　and　skin　like

an　angel。　And　for　a　time　all　I　could　see　was　her

beauty。　But　then　…　well；　let's　just　say　I　discovered　she　wasn't　a　fraction　of　the　person　Renée

was。”　He　dipped　his　brush　in　the　coffee　can　and

stroked　a　picket　with　paint。　“It's　easy　to　look　back　and　see　it；　and　it's　easy　to　give　the　advice；

but　the　sad　fact　is；　most　people　don't　look　beneath　the

surface　until　it's　too　late。”

inute；　but　I　could　see　Chet　thinking。　And　from　the　furrow　in　his　brow；　I

knew　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　my　problems。　“I'm　…　I'm

sorry　I　brought　up　your　wife；”　I　said。

“Oh；　don't　be；　that's　all　right。”　He　shook　his　head　and　tried　on　a　smile。　“Besides；　I　wasn't

thinking　of　Renée。　I　was　thinking　of　someone　else。