第27部分(第5/8 頁)

l　said　yes；　that　would　be　fine；　Melinda　was　having　a　pretty　good　day　and　would　enjoy　seeing　us。

〃I　hate　calls　like　this；〃　I　said　to　Janice　as　we　drove　to　the　little　house　where　the　Mooreses　had　spent　most　of　their　marriage。

〃So　does　everyone；　honey；〃　she　said；　and　patted　my　hand。　〃We'll　bear　up　under　it；　and　so　will　she。〃

〃I　hope　so。〃

We　found　Melinda　in　the　sitting　room；　planted　in　a　bright　slant　of　unseasonably　warm　October　sun；　and　my　first　shocked　thought　was　that　she　had　lost　niy　pounds。　She　hadn't；　of　course　…　if　she'd　lost　that　much　weight；　she　hardly　would　have　been　there　at　all　…　but　that　was　my　brain's　initial　reaction　to　what　my　eyes　were　reporting。　Her　face　had　fallen　away　to　show　the　shape　of　the　underlying　skull；　and　her　skin　was　as　white　as　parchment。　There　were　dark　circles　under　her　eyes。　And　it　was　the　first　time　I　ever　saw　her　in　her　rocker　when　she　didn't　have　a　lapful　of　sewing　or　afghan　squares　or　rags　for　braiding　into　a　rug。　She　was　just　sitting　there。　Like　a　person　in　a　train…station。

〃Melinda；〃　my　wife　said　warmly。　I　think　she　was　as　shocked　as　I　was　…　more；　perhaps　…　but　she　hid　it　splendidly；　as　some　women　seem　able　to　do。　She　went　to　Melinda；　dropped　on　one　knee　beside　the　rocking　chair　in　which　the　warden's　wife　sat；　and　took　one　of　her　hands。　As　she　did；　my　eye　happened　on　the　blue　hearthrug　by　the　fireplace。　It　occurred　to　me　that　it　should　have　been　the　shade　of　tired　old　limes；　because　now　this　room　was　just