hemingway, ernest - garden of eden-第27部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

Juma　would　not　even　waste　a　smile。　They　knew　everything　the　elephant　had　done；　pointed　out　the　signs　of　it　to　each　other　without　speaking；　and　when　the　tracking　became　difficult　his　father　always　yielded　to　Juma。　When　they　stopped　to　fill　the　water　bottles　at　a　stream　his　father　said；　〃Just　last　the　day　out；　Davey。〃　Then　when　they　were　finally　past　the　broken　country　and　climbing　again　toward



the　forest　the　tracks　of　the　elephant　turned　off　to　the　right　onto　an　old　elephant　trail。　He　saw　his　father　and　Juma　talking　and　when　he　got　up　to　them　Juma　was　looking　back　over　the　way　they　had　come　and　then　at　a　far　distant　stony　island　of　hills　in　the　dry　country　and　seemed　to　be　taking　a　bearing　of　this　against　the　peaks　of　three　far　blue　hills　on　the　horizon。

〃Juma　knows　where　he's　going　now；〃　his　father　explained。　〃He　thought　he　knew　before　but　then　he　dropped　down　into　this　stuff。〃　He　looked　back　at　the　country　they　had　come　through　all　day。　〃Where　he's　headed　now　is　pretty　good　going　but　we'll　have　to　climb。〃

They　had　climbed　until　it　was　dark　and　then　made　another　dry　camp。　David　had　killed　two　spur　fowl　with　his　slingshot　out　of　a　small　flock　that　had　walked　across　the　trail　just　before　the　sunset。　The　birds　had　come　into　the　old　elephant　trail　to　dust；　walking　neatly　and　plumply；　and　when　the　pebble　broke　the　back　of　one　and　the　bird　began　to　jerk　and　toss　with　its　wings　thumping；　another　bird　ran　forward　to　peck　at　it　and　David　pouched　another　pebble　and　pulled　it　back　and　sent　it　against　the　ribs　of　the　second　bird。　As　he　ran　forward　to　put　his　hand　on　it　the　other　birds　whirred　off。　Juma　had　looked　back　and　smiled　this　time　and　David　picked　up　the　two　birds；　warm　and　plump　and　smoothly　feathered　and　knocked　their　heads　against　the　handle　of　his　hunting　knife。

Now　where　they　were　camped　for　the　night　his　father　said；　〃I've　never　seen　that　type　of　Francolin　quite　so　high。　You　did　very　well　to　get　a　double　on　them。〃

Juma　cooked　the　birds　spitted　on　a　stick　over　the　coals　of　a　very　small　fire。　His　father　drank　a　whiskey　and　water　from　the　cup　top　of　his　flask　as　they　lay　and　watched　Juma　cook。。　Afterward　Juma　gave　them　each　a　breast　with　the　heart　in　it　and　ate　the　two　necks　and　backs　and　the　legs　himself。

〃It　makes　a　great　difference；　Davey；〃　his　father　said。　〃We're　very　well　off　on　rations　now。

〃How　far　are　we　behind　him？〃　David　asked。

〃We're　quite　close　actually；〃　his　father　said。　〃It　all　depends　on　whether　he　travels　when　the　moon　comes　up。　It's　an　hour　later　tonight　and　two　hours　later　than　when　you　found　him。〃

〃Why　does　Juma　think　he　knows　where　he's　going？〃

〃He　wounded　him　and　killed　his　askari　not　too　far　from　here。〃

〃When？〃

〃Five　years　ago；　he　says。　That　may　mean　anytime。　When　you　were　still　a　tow　he　says。〃

〃Has　he　been　alone　since　then？〃

〃He　says　so。　He　hasn't　seen　him。　Only　heard　of　him。〃

〃How　big　does　he　say　he　is？〃

〃Close　to　two　hundred。　Bigger　than　anything　I've　ever　seen。　He　says　there's　only　been　one　greater　elephant　and　he　came　from　near　here　too。〃

〃I'd　better　get　to　sleep；〃　David　said。　〃I　hope　I'll　be　better　tomorrow。

〃You　were　splendid　today；〃　his　father　said。　〃I　was　very　proud　of　you。　So　was　Juma。〃

In　the　night　when　he　woke　after　the　moon　was　up　he　was　sure　they　were　not　proud　of　him　except　perhaps　for　his　dexterity　in　killing　the　two　birds。　He　had　found　the　elephant　at　night　and　followed　him　to　see　that　he　had　both　of　his　tusks　and　then　returned　to　find　the　two　men　and　put　them　on　the　trail。　David　knew　they　were　proud　of　that。　But　once　the　deadly　following　started　he　was　useless　to　them　and　a　danger　to　their　success　just　as　Kibo　had　been　to　him　when　he　had　gone　up　close　to　the　elephant　in　the　night；　and　he　knew　they　must　each　have　hated　themselves　for　not　having　sent　him　back　when　there　was　time。　The　tusks　of　the　elephant　weighed　two　hundred　pounds　apiece。　Ever　since　these　tusks　had　grown　beyond　their　normal　size　the　elephant　had　been　hunted　for　them　and　now　the　three　of　them　would　kill　him。　David　was　sure　that　they　would　kill　him　now　because　he；　David；　had　lasted　through　the　day　and　kept　up　after



the　pace　had　destroyed　him　by　noon。　So　they　probably　were　proud　of　him　doing　that。　But　he　had　brought　nothing　useful　to　the　hunt　and　they　would　have　been　far　better　off　without　him。　Many　times　during　the　day　he　had　wished　that　he　had　never　betrayed　the　elephant　and　in　the　afternoon　he　remembered　wishing　that　he　had　never　seen　him。　Awake　in　the　moonlight　he　knew　that　was　not　true。

All　morning；　writing；　he　had　been　trying　to　remember　truly　how　he　felt　and　what　had　happened　on　that　day。　The　hardest　to　make　truly　was　how　he　had　felt　and　keep　it　untinctured　by　how　he　had　felt　later。　The　details　of　the　country　were　sharp　and　clear　as　the　morning　until　the　foreshortening　and　prolongation　of　exhaustion　and　he　had　written　that　well。　But　his　feeling　about　the　elephant　had　been　the　hardest　part　and　he　knew　he　would　have　to　get　away　from　it　and　then　come　back　to　it　to　be　certain　it　was　as　it　had　been；　not　later；　but　on　that　day。　He　knew　the　feeling　had　begun　to　form　but　he　had　been　too　exhausted　to　remember　it　exactly。

Still　involved　in　this　problem　and　living　in　the　story　he　locked　up　his　suitcase　and　came　out　of　the　room　onto　the　Hagstones　that　led　down　to　the　terrace　where　Marita　was　sitting　in　a　chair　under　one　of　the　pines　facing　out　toward　the　sea。　She　was　reading　and　as　he　was　walking　barefooted　she　did　not　hear　him。　David　looked　at　her　and　was　pleased　to　see　her。　Then　he　remembered　the　preposterous　situation　and　turned　into　the　hotel　and　walked　to　his　and　Catherine's　own　room。　She　wasn't　in　the　room　and；　still　feeling　Africa　to　be　completely　real　and　all　of　this　where　he　was　to　be　unreal　and　false；　he　went　out　on　the　terrace　to　speak　to　Marita。

〃Good　morning；〃　he　said。　〃Have　you　seen　Catherine？〃

〃She　went　off　somewhere；〃　the　girl　said。　〃She　said　to　tell　you　she'd　be　back。〃

Suddenly　it　was　not　unreal　at　all。


〃You　don't　know　where　she　went？〃
〃No；〃　the　girl　said。　〃She　went　off　on　her　bike。〃
〃My　God；〃　David　said。　〃She　hasn't　ridden　a　bike　since　we　bought　the　Bug。〃
〃That's　what　she　said。　She's　taking　it　up　again。　Did　you　have　a　good　morning？〃
〃I　don't　know。　I'll　know　tomorrow。〃
〃Are　you　eating　breakfast？〃
〃I　don't　know。　It's　late。〃
〃I　wish　you　would。〃
〃I'll　go　in　and　get　cleaned　up；〃　he　told　her。
He　had　taken　a　shower　and　was　shaving　when　Catherine　came　in。　She　was　wearing　an　old　Grau　du　Roi　shirt　and　short　linen　slacks　chopped　off　below　the　knees　and　she　was　hot　and　her　shirt　was　wet　through。
〃It's　wonderful；〃　she　said。　〃But　I'd　forgotten　what　it　does　to　your　upper　thighs　when　you　climb。〃
〃Did　you　ride　very　far；　Devil？〃
〃Six　kilometers；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　nothing　but　I'd　forgotten　about　the　c6tes。〃
〃It's　awfully　hot　to　ride　now　unless　you　go　in　the　very　early　mornings；〃　David　said。　〃I'm　glad　you　started　again　though。〃
She　was　under　the　shower　now　and　when　she　came　out　she　said；　〃Now　see　how　dark　we　are　together。　We're　just　the　way　we　planned。〃
〃You're　darker。〃
〃Not　much。　You're　terribly　dark　too。　Look　at　us　together。〃　They　looked　at　each　other　standing　touching　in　the　long　mirror　on　the　door。
〃Oh　you　like　us；〃　she　said。　〃That's　nice。　So　do　I。　Touch　here　and　see。〃
She　stood　very　straight　and　he　put　his　hand　on　her　breasts。
〃I'll　put　on　one　of　my　tight　shirts　so　you　can　tell　what　I　think


'74　'75
。　。


about　things；〃　she　said。　〃Isn't　it　funny　our　hair　hasn't　any　color　at　all　when　it's　wet？　It's　pale　as　seaweed。〃

She　took　a　comb　and　combed　her　hair　straight　back　so　it　looked　as　though　she　had　just　come　out　of　the　sea。

〃I'm　going　to　wear　mine　this　way　now　again；〃　she　said。　〃Like　Grau　du　Roi　and　here　in　the　spring。〃

〃I　like　it　across　your　forehead。〃

〃I'm　tired　of　that。　But　I　can　do　it　if　you　like。　Do　you　think　we　could　go　into　town　and　have　breakfast　at　the　cafe？〃

〃Haven't　you　had　breakfast？〃

〃I　wanted　to　wait　for　you。〃

〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　go　in　and　get　breakfast。　I'm　hungry　too。

They　had　a　very　good　breakfast　of　cafe　au　lait；　brioche　and　strawberry　jam　and　oeufs　au　plat　avec　jambon　and　when　they　were　finished　Catherine　asked；　〃Would　you　come　over　with　me　to　Jean's？　It's　the　day　I　go　to　get　my　hair　washed　and　I'm　going　to　have　it　cut。〃

〃I'll　wait　here　for　you。〃

〃Wouldn't　you　please　come？　You　did　it　before　and　it　wasn't　bad　for　anybody。〃

〃No；　Devil。　I　did　once　but　that　was　just　once。　Like　getting　tattooed　or　something。　Don't　ask　me　to。〃

〃It　doesn't　mean　anything　except　to　me。　I　want　us　to　be　just　the　same。

〃We　can't　be　the　same。〃

〃Yes　we　could　if　you'd　let　us。

〃I　really　don't　want　to　do　it。〃

〃Not　if　I　say　it's　all　I　want？〃

〃Why　can't　you　want　something　that　makes　sense？〃

〃I　do。　But　I　want　us　to　be　the　same　and　you　almost　are　and　it　wouldn't　be　any　trouble　to　do。　The　sea's　done　all　the　work。〃

〃Then　let　the　sea　do　it。〃

〃I　want　it　for　today。〃
〃Then　you'll　be　happy　I　suppose。
〃I'm　happy　now　because　you're　going　to　do　it　and　I'll　stay　happy。　You　love　how　I　look。　You　know　you　do。　Think　of　it　that　way。
〃It's　silly。〃
〃No　it　isn't。　Not　when　it's　you　and　you　do　it　to　please　me。〃
〃How　badly　will　you　feel　if　I　don't？〃
〃I　don't　know。　But　very。〃
〃All　right；〃　he　said