dclegg.purity-第5部分

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　No；　it　was　Mrs。　M。　Her　auburn　hair　was　swept　back　from　her　face；　damp　from　the　swimming　pool；　her　robe　fastened　none　too　tight。　She　possessed　the　air　of　having　enjoyed　life　too　much　that　day。　〃Owen？　It's　good　to　see　you。〃
　〃Yeah；　Mrs。　M；　me　too。　I　didn't　think　you　had　got　here　just　yet。〃
　〃Oh；　my　husband　still　hasn't　left　his　desk　yet。　I've　been　here　since　Wednesday。
　Good　to　be　back。　I　despise　the　city。〃
　〃Survive　winter　okay？〃
　〃Superbly；〃　she　said；　but　in　a　way　that　meant　its　opposite。　Mrs。　M　was　a　woman　full　of　irony；　he　had　known　it　for　years。　Mrs。　M　embodied　the　house：
　beautiful；　classic；　and　rich。　〃Do　you　want　coffee？〃　she　asked。
　5
　〃I　saw　you　waiting　for　her；〃　Mrs。　M　said。　They　were　in　the　sunroom　off　the　kitchen；　and　Owen　had　just　finished　his　first　cup　of　cinnamon　coffee。　He　got　up　to　pour　himself　another；　but　Mrs。　M　interceded；　she　had　a　fresh　cup；　with　cream；　all　ready　for　him。　He　sat　down　at　the　table　again。　She　took　the　chair　across　from　him。　He　saw　her　knee　emerge　from　her　robe。　The　hint　of　her　champagne　glass　breasts；　small　but　perfect。　Mrs。　M　was　in　many　ways　more　beautiful　than　her　daughter；　but　still；　his　heart　belonged　to　Jenna。
　He　did　what　he　could　to　look　at　her　face；　but　something　in　her　eyes　bothered　him。　He　looked；　instead；　at　her　silken　arms。
　〃You're　in　love　with　my　daughter。　No；　that's　fine。　I've　known　it　since　you　were　both　young。　Do　you　think　it　will　lead　anywhere？〃
　〃Lead？〃　He　said　the　word　innocently；　but　she　must've　seen　through　this。
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do。　You're　smart。　I've　watched　you　grow　up。　You're　smart　and　handsome　and　wise。　But；　do　you　think　that　she　will　have　you？〃
　〃I　haven't。。。I　haven't　considered。。。〃　he　stammered。
　〃You're　a　remarkable　young　man；〃　Mrs。　M　said。　〃She　doesn't　deserve　you。〃　Then；　she　put　down　her　own　untouched　coffee；　and　stood　up　from　the　table。　〃She　gets　in　tonight。　After　midnight。〃
　〃How？　The　ferry　…〃
　〃She　has　her　ways；〃　Mrs。　M　said。　She　brushed　something　from　the　edge　of　her　eye；　and　bed　her　hands　through　her　hair　like　a　mermaid　would。
　〃Fancy　a　swim？〃
　〃Not　today；〃　he　said。
　〃e　on；　just　a　nice　long　swim。　Have　you　been　practicing　all　winter？〃
　He　nodded。
　〃I　thought　so。　You　ripple　now。　You　don't　move；　you　ripple。　You're　in　better　shape　than　he　is；〃　Mrs。　M　said；　and　then　went　to　get　her　bathing　suit。
　6
　e　midnight；　he　saw　the　shroud　of　some　sailboat　press　beneath　the　lights　of　the　harbor。　He　sat　up　on　the　bluffs　and　watched　as　she　docked；　as　the　sail　came　down。　No　one　stepped　off　the　boat　at　the　jetty。　Was　it　her？　Was　this　what　Mrs。　M　had　meant？
　He　fell　asleep　in　the　cool　wet　grass　and　awoke　at　dawn。
　And　he　knew。
　Jenna　Montgomery　had　found　another。
　7
　〃Jimmy；〃　the　guy　said；　his　face　gleaming；　tanned；　teeth　so　much　thoroughbred　he　could've　been　in　Pimlico；　his　eyes　squinty；　his　nose　small；　his　hair　honey…blond　from　too　much　sun；　and　his　handshake　strong　and　sure　and　arrogant。　He　looked　rich　without　ever　having　to　say　it。　He　smelled　rich。　He　probably　tasted　rich。　〃Good　to　meet　you；　Crites。〃
　〃Owen。〃
　〃You're　not　an　Owen　or　a　Crites；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃You're　a　Mooncalf。〃
　〃Mooncalf？〃　Jenna　laughed；　looking　at　Owen　and　then　back　at　Jimmy。
　〃That　sounds　ghastly。〃　She　wore　a　bikini；　but　had　a　long　towel　draped　about　her　waist　that　ran　all　the　way　to　her　ankles。　Her　hair　was　wet　and　shining　from　a　morning　swim。　For　a　moment；　Owen　imagined　how　it　would　feel　to　untie　the　bikini　top　and　press　his　face　against　her　breasts。　For　a　moment；　the　image　was　in　his　mind；　then；　gone。
　All　Owen　could　think　was：　they'd　slept　together　on　the　boat。　Jenna　and　this　Jimmy　character。　Jimmy　had　done　it　with　Jenna。
　Done　it。
　A　sacred　act　if　it　was　love。
　A　debased　ritual；　if　it　was　lust　and　emptiness。
　Which　it　had　to　be。
　He　tried　not　to　imagine　Jimmy　drawing　her　legs　apart；　or　the　scent　of　passion　that　clung　to　them；　the　sweat　and　fever；　as　they　joined　together。
　Tried　not　to　imagine　the　thrusts。
　〃Mooncalf　reminds　me　of　upstate　New　York；　or　Pennsylvania；〃　Jenna　said　with　no　little　disgust。　〃Cows　and　chickens。　Amish　in　carriages。　Birthings　and　midwives。　Owen　can't　be　a　Mooncalf。〃
　Jim　snorted。　〃No；　it's　a　beautiful　name。　Mooncalf。〃
　Owen　remained　silent；　still　numb　from　meeting　the　interloper。
　〃Well；　if　he's　a　Mooncalf　then　what　am　I？〃
　〃Kitten；〃　Jimmy　laughed。
　〃If　I'm　Kitten；　then　you're　Cat。〃
　〃All　right；　then　I'm　Cat。　Now；　what　shall　we　call　this　island？〃
　〃Outerbridge；〃　Owen　said。　〃Call　it　Outerbridge。〃
　〃That's　not　the　game；〃　Jimmy　grinned；　and　damn　if　his　smile　wasn't　dazzling。
　Anyone　would　fall　in　love　with　this　guy；　anyone；　man；　woman；　or　dog；　he　was　so　damn　attractive　and　warm；　it　made　Owen　want　to　walk　away　and　forget　about　Jenna　pletely。　〃The　game　is　everything；　Mooncalf。　It　doesn't　matter　what　things　are。　You　shape　them　into　the　way　you　want　them。　That's　how　you　gain　mastery。〃
　〃Mastery's　the　thing；〃　Owen　said；　faking　a　sort　of　blissful　…　and　very　nearly　nonchalant　…　take　on　all　of　it。
　I'll　beat　you；　he　thought　as　he　watched　his　rival；　this　apollonian　boy　with　his　golden　hair　and　squinty　green　eyes　and　the　way　he　had　arrogance　that　was　absolutely　seductive。
　I　will　beat　you；　Owen　made　the　oath　then　and　there。　He　glanced　briefly　up　at　the　unfettered　sun　and　prayed　that　if　nothing　else　went　his　way　in　this　life；　he　would　beat　down　this　Jimmy。
　Then；　Owen　reached　out　and　gave　Jimmy's　shoulder　a　friendly　squeeze。
　〃Just　not　big　on　games　I　guess。〃
　Jenna　laughed；　〃Owen；　the　game　is　called　Paradise。　You　rename　everything　to　your　liking。　Jimmy　invented　it。　Isn't　it。。。marvelous？〃　She　pecked　the　bastard　on　his　ear。　Owen　noted：　the　kiss　went　to　his　earlobe；　and　Jimmy　barely　had　an　earlobe。　His　ear　was　smooth　and　rounded　and　touched　down　right　behind　one　of　his　several　dimples。
　Jimmy　laughed；　shrugging；　grabbing　her　around　the　waist　and　pulling　her　close　to　him。　〃Let's　call　the　island　Sea　Biscuit。〃
　〃No；〃　Jenna　groaned。　〃That's　terrible。　Terrible。　Owen；　you　name　it。〃
　〃Outerbridge；〃　Owen　said。
　It　was　noon；　and　they　were　at　the　jetty。　The　sailboat　bobbed　gently　with　the　current；　and　Owen　finally　took　his　baseball　cap　off。
　〃There　now；〃　Jimmy　said；　approvingly。　〃You　look　less　like　a　little　boy　than　like　a　man。　The　Mooncalf　has　such　pretty　hair　for　a　moody　guy。〃　He　reached　over　and　scruffed　his　hand　through　Owen's　hair。　His　fingers　felt　electric。　〃I　know　the　name　for　this　island。　I　know。　It's　called　Bermuda。　We're　in　Bermuda；〃　he　laughed；　leaning　into　Jenna；　kissing　her　just　behind　her　ear。
　No；　Owen　thought。　You're　in　the　realm　of　Dagon。
　8
　A　restless　night　came　to　him；　and　then　another　and　another。　He　lay　on　his　single　bed；　sheets　pulled　back；　and　a　fever　such　as　he　had　never　before　felt　washed　over　him。
　Whosoever　has　loved　the　way　I　love　Jenna　Montgomery；　he　whispered　to　the　stars　through　his　bedroom　window；　has　known　sacrifice　and　torture　and　days　and　nights　of　endless　wanting；　thirst　without　satisfaction；　hunger　without　morsel。　Whosoever　has　wept　within　themselves　for　what　they　could　not　reach；　could　not　touch；　has　felt　what　I　feel。
　Whosoever　has　spent　his　life　working　his　body；　mind；　and　soul　to　its　absolute　limit　to　be　the　extreme　candidate　for　the　love　of　a　beautiful　and　angelic　girl　as　I　have　for　her；　as　I　have　given　myself　to　the　shape　that　she　would　long　for。。。
　That　man　would　not　rest　were　a　rival　to　steal　the　prize　from　him。
　Dagon；　he　whispered　soundlessly。　Dagon。　My　god。　Bring　her　to　me。
　Eventually；　Owen　Crites　slept　better　imagining　the　world　under　the　sea　where　the　people　who　were　part　of　Dagon　had　dwelt；　with　their　vast　and　imperious　citadels；　their　large　cold　eyes　and　their　wet　shapeless　forms；　and　he　imagined　the　great　sacrifice　he　would　throw　to　them　for　their　entertainment。
　9
　〃How　are　you　going　to　waste　your　last　summer？〃　Owen's　mother　asked　as　she　switched　off　the　faucet；　plunging　her　hands　back　into　the　soapy　water。
　〃Now；　don't　blot；　Owen；　dry。　There's　a　difference。〃　She　passed　him　the　first　dish；　which　he　sprayed　down　and　then　wiped　with　the　green…and…white　hand　towel。　The　kitchen　in　the　caretaker's　house　was　as　narrow　as　one　of　the　closets　in　the　big　house；　but　the　window　looked　out　on　a　small　sunken　garden；　behind　which；　the　pine　trees　stuck　out　like　crooked　teeth。　〃Don't　blot；〃　his　mother　repeated。
　Owen　began　stacking　the　dry　plates　carefully。　〃I　need　a　job。〃
　〃You　work　for　your　father。〃
　〃Not　this　summer；〃　he　replied。　〃Hank'll　do　without　me。〃
　〃Hank？〃　his　mother　said；　nearly　laughing。　〃Hank？　Next　you'll　be　calling　me　Trudy。〃　Then；　her　mood　darkened。　〃Show　some　respect。〃　His　mother　reached　down　to　pull　the　plug　on　the　drain。　She　reached　back　to　her　hairpins；　pulling　them　out　so　that　her　gray…streaked　hair　fell　along　her　shoulders。　She　smoothed　it　back；　and　turned　to　watch　him　dry　the　rest　of　the　plates　and　bowls　from　supper。　〃I　know　what　you're　thinking。〃
　He　glanced　at　her　for　the　barest　moment。
　〃You're　thinking　that　you'll　work　down　where　she　goes　at　night。　The　restaurant。　The　dock。　You'll　be　there　for　the　dances。　I've　seen　the　boys　working　at　those　places。　They　live　here　all　year　'round。　But　in　the　summer；　sometimes　they　get　the　rich　girls。　But　those　girls　don't　care　about　them。　The　boys　are　j