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第39部分（第1页）

When　he　was　well　and　in　charge　of　himself；　not　distracted　by　worry　or　grief；　Hal　Moores　had　a　cutting　and　sarcastic　facet　to　his　personality；　his　subordinates　feared　that　side　of　him　even　more　than　his　anger　or　his　contempt；　I　think。　His　sarcasm；　usually　impatient　and　often　harsh；　could　sting　like　acid。　A　little　of　that　now　splashed　on　me。　It　was　unexpected；　but　on　the　whole　I　was　glad　to　hear　it。　All　the　fight　hadnt　gone　out　of　him　after　all；　it　seemed。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃Im　taking　Melinda　out　squaredancing。　Were　going　to　do…si…do；　allemand　left；　and　then　tell　the　fiddler　hes　a　rooster…dick　motherfucker。〃

I　clapped　my　hand　over　my　mouth　to　keep　from　laughing。　Mercifully；　it　was　an　urge　that　passed　in　a　hurry。

〃Im　sorry；〃　he　said。　〃I　havent　been　getting　much　sleep　lately。　Its　made　me　grouchy。　Of　course　were　going　to　be　home。　Why　do　you　ask？〃

〃It　doesnt　matter；　I　guess；〃　I　said。

〃You　werent　thinking　of　ing　by；　were　you？

Because　if　you　were　on　last　night；　youll　be　on　tonight。　Unless　youve　switched　with　somebody？〃

〃No；　I　havent　switched；〃　I　said。　〃Im　on　tonight。〃

〃It　wouldnt　be　a　good　idea；　anyway。　Not　the　way　she　is　right　now。〃

〃Maybe　not。　Thanks　for　your　news。〃

〃Youre　wele。　Pray　for　my　Melinda；　Paul。〃

I　said　I　would；　thinking　that　I　might　do　quite　a　bit　more　than　pray。　God　helps　those　who　help　themselves；　as　they　say　in　The　Church　of　Praise　Jesus；　The　Lord　Is　Mighty。　I　hung　up　and　looked　at　Janice。

〃Hows　Melly？〃　she　asked。

〃Not　good。〃　I　told　her　what　Hal　had　told　me；　including　the　part　about　the　swearing；　although　I　left　out　cocksucker　and　rooster…dick　motherfucker。　I　finished　with　Hals　word；　sinking；　and　Jan　nodded　sadly。　Then　she　took　a　closer　look　at　me。

〃What　are　you　thinking　about？　Youre　thinking　about　something；　probably　no　good。　Its　in　your　face。〃

Lying　was　out　of　the　question；　it　wasnt　the　way　we　were　with　each　other。　I　just　told　her　it　was　best　she　not　know；　at　least　for　the　time　being。

〃Is　it　。。。　could　it　get　you　in　trouble？〃　She　didnt　sound　particularly　alarmed　at　the　idea　…　more　interested　than　anything　…　which　is　one　of　the　things　I　have　always　loved　about　her。

〃Maybe；〃　I　said。

〃Is　it　a　good　thing？〃

〃Maybe；〃　I　repeated。　I　was　standing　there；　still　turning　the　phones　crank　idly　with　one　finger；　while　I　held　down　the　connecting　points　with　a　finger　of　my　other　hand。

〃Would　you　like　me　to　leave　you　alone　while　you　use　the　telephone？〃　she　asked。　〃Be　a　good　little　woman　and　butt　out？　Do　some　dishes？　Knit　some　booties？〃

I　nodded。　〃Thats　not　the　way　Id　put　it；　but…〃

〃Are　we　having　extras　for　lunch；　Paul？〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　I　said。

9。

I　got　Brutal　and　Dean　right　away；　because　both　of　them　were　on　the　exchange。　Harry　wasnt；　not　then；　at　least；　but　I　had　the　number　of　his　closest　neighbor　who　was。　Harry　called　me　back　about　twenty　minutes　later；　highly　embarrassed　at　having　to　reverse　the　charges　and　sputtering　promises　to　〃pay　his　share〃　when　our　next　bill　came。　I　told　him　wed　count　those　chickens　when　they　hatched；　in　the　meantime；　could　he　e　over　to　my　place　for　lunch？　Brutal　and　Dean　would　be　here；　and　Janice　had　promised　to　put　out　some　of　her　famous　slaw　。。。　not　to　mention　her　even　more　famous　apple　pie。

〃Lunch　just　for　the　hell　of　it？〃　Harry　sounded　skeptical。

I　admitted　I　had　something　I　wanted　to　talk　to　them　about；　but　it　was　best　not　gone　into；　even　lightly；　over　the　phone。　Harry　agreed　to　e。　I　dropped　the　receiver　onto　the　prongs；　went　to　the　window；　and　looked　out　thoughtfully。　Although　wed　had　the　late　shift；　I　hadnt　wakened　either　Brutal　or　Dean；　and　Harry　hadnt　sounded　like　a　fellow　freshly　turned　out　of　dreamland；　either。　It　seemed　that　I　wasnt　the　only　one　having　problems　with　what　had　happened　last　night；　and　considering　the　craziness　I　had　in　mind；　that　was　probably　good。

Brutal；　who　lived　closest　to　me；　arrived　at　quarter　past　eleven。　Dean　showed　up　fifteen　minutes　later；　and　Harry　…　already　dressed　for　work　…　about　fifteen　minutes　after　Dean。　Janice　served　us　cold　beef　sandwiches；　slaw；　and　iced　tea　in　the　kitchen。　Only　a　day　before；　we　would　have　had　it　out　on　the　side　porch　and　been　glad　of　a　breeze；　but　the　temperature　had　dropped　a　good　fifteen　degrees　since　the　thunderstorm；　and　a　keen…edged　wind　was　snuffling　down　from　the　ridges。

〃Youre　wele　to　sit　down　with　us；〃　I　told　my　wife。

She　shook　her　head。　〃I　dont　think　I　want　to　know　what　youre　up　to　…　Ill　worry　less　if　Im　in　the　dark。　Ill　have　a　bite　in　the　parlor。　Im　visiting　with　Miss　Jane　Austen　this　week；　and　shes　very　good　pany。〃

〃Whos　Jane　Austen？〃　Harry　asked　when　she　had　left。　〃Your　side　or　Janicess；　Paul？　A　cousin？　Is　she　pretty？〃