第38部分(第3/9 頁)

u　want　me　to　go　away？〃

〃No。　I　want　you　to　stay。〃

〃That's　what　I'm　going　to　do。〃

〃e　over　here；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　to　feel　the　bump　on　your　head。　It's　a　big　bump。〃　She　ran　her　finger　over　it。　〃Darling；　would　you　like　to　grow　a　beard？〃

〃Would　you　like　me　to？〃

〃It　might　be　fun。　I'd　like　to　see　you　with　a　beard。〃

〃All　right。　I'll　grow　one。　I'll　start　now　this　minute。　It's　a　good　idea。　It　will　give　me　something　to　do。〃

〃Are　you　worried　because　you　haven't　anything　to　do？〃

〃No。　I　like　it。　I　have　a　fine　life。　Don't　you？〃

〃I　have　a　lovely　life。　But　I　was　afraid　because　I'm　big　now　that　maybe　I　was　a　bore　to　you。〃

〃Oh；　Cat。　You　don't　know　how　crazy　I　am　about　you。〃

〃This　way？〃

〃Just　the　way　you　are。　I　have　a　fine　time。　Don't　we　have　a　good　life？〃

〃I　do；　but　I　thought　maybe　you　were　restless。〃

〃No。　Sometimes　I　wonder　about　the　front　and　about　people　I　know　but　I　don't　worry。　I　don't　think　about　anything　much。〃

〃Who　do　you　wonder　about？〃

〃About　Rinaldi　and　the　priest　and　lots　of　people　I　know。　But　I　don't　think　about　them　much。　I　don't　want　to　think　about　the　war。　I'm　through　with　it。〃

〃What　are　you　thinking　about　now？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃Yes　you　were。　Tell　me。〃

〃I　was　wondering　whether　Rinaldi　had　the　syphilis。〃

〃Was　that　all？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Has　he　the　syphilis？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃I'm　glad　you　haven't。　Did　you　ever　have　anything