第41部分(第3/8 頁)

e　if　it　will　only　stop。　Oh；　please；　darling；　please　make　it　stop。　There　it　es。　Oh　Oh　Oh！〃　She　breathed　sobbingly　in　the　mask。

〃It　doesn't　work。　It　doesn't　work。　It　doesn't　work。　Don't　mind　me；　darling。　Please　don't　cry。　Don't　mind　me。　I'm　just　gone　all　to　pieces。　You　poor　sweet。　I　love　you　so　and　I'll　be　good　again。　I'll　be　good　this　time。　Can't　they　give　me　something？　If　they　could　only　give　me　something。〃

〃I'll　make　it　work。　I'll　turn　it　all　the　way。〃

〃Give　it　to　me　now。〃

I　turned　the　dial　all　the　way　and　as　she　breathed　hard　and　deep　her　hand　relaxed　on　the　mask。　I　shut　off　the　gas　and　lifted　the　mask。　She　came　back　from　a　long　way　away。

〃That　was　lovely；　darling。　Oh；　you're　so　good　to　me。〃

〃You　be　brave；　because　I　can't　do　that　all　the　time。　It　might　kill　you。〃

〃I'm　not　brave　any　more；　darling。　I'm　all　broken。　They've　broken　me。　I　know　it　now。〃

〃Everybody　is　that　way。〃

〃But　it's　awful。　They　just　keep　it　up　till　they　break　you。〃

〃In　an　hour　it　will　be　over。〃

〃Isn't　that　lovely？　Darling；　I　won't　die；　will　I？〃

〃No。　I　promise　you　won't。〃

〃Because　I　don't　want　to　die　and　leave　you；　but　I　get　so　tired　of　it　and　I　feel　I'm　going　to　die。〃

〃Nonsense。　Everybody　feels　that。〃

〃Sometimes　I　know　I'm　going　to　die。〃

〃You　won't。　You　can't。〃

〃But　what　if　I　should？〃

〃I　won't　let　you。〃

〃Give　it　to　me　quick。　Give　it　to　me！〃

Then　afterward；　〃I　won't　die。　I