hr.thecarpetbaggers-第104部分

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　SHE　AWOKE　TO　THE　SIGHT　OF　WHITE　LINEN　FLOATING　IN　THE　WIND　ON　THE　CLOTHESLINE　OUTSIDE　THE　WINDOW。　The　rich　aroma　of　corned　beef　and　cabbage；　wafting　into　her　room　on　the　heavy　summer　breeze　from　the　kitchen　next　door；　told　her　it　was　Sunday。　It　was　always　like　that　on　Sundays；　only　when　you　were　a　little　girl　it　had　been　more　fun。
　On　Sundays；　when　she'd　returned　from　church　with　her　mother；　her　father　would　be　awake　and　smiling；　his　mustache　neatly　trimmed　and　waxed；　his　face　smooth　and　smelling　of　bay　rum。　He　tossed　her　into　the　air　and　caught　her　as　she　came　down；　hugging　her　close　to　him　and　growling；　〃How　is　my　little　Jennie　Bear　this　morning？　Is　she　sweet　and　filled　with　God's　holiness　fresh　from　the　fount　in　the　back　of　the　church？〃
　He　laughed　and　she　laughed　and　sometimes　even　her　mother　laughed；　saying；　〃Now；　Thomas　Denton；　is　that　the　proper　way　for　a　father　to　talk　to　his　own　daughter；　sowing　in　her　the　seeds　of　his　own　disobedience　to　God's　will？〃
　Her　father　and　mother　were　both　young　and　filled　with　laughter　and　happiness　and　God's　own　good　sunshine　that　shone　down　on　San　Francisco　Bay。　And　after　the　big　dinner；　he　dressed　himself　carefully　in　his　good　blue　suit　and　took　her　by　the　hand　and　they　went　out　of　the　house　to　seek　adventure。
　They　first　met　adventure　on　the　cable　car　that　ran　past　their　door。　Holding　her　in　his　arms；　her　father　leaped　aboard　the　moving　car；　and　waving　his　blue…and…white　conductor's　pass；　which　entitled　him　to　ride　free　on　any　of　the　pany's　cars；　pushed　forward　to　the　front　of　the　car；　next　to　the　motorman。　There　he　held　her　face　up　to　the　rushing　wind　until　the　breath　caught　in　her　throat　and　she　thought　she'd　burst　with　the　joy　of　the　fresh；　sweet　wind　in　her　lungs。
　〃This　is　my　daughter；　my　Jennie　Bear；〃　he　shouted　to　all　who　would　listen；　holding　her　proudly　so　that　all　who　cared　to　look　could　see。
　And　the　passengers；　who　up　to　now　had　been　engrossed　in　their　own　private　thoughts；　smiled　at　her；　sharing　somehow　in　the　joy　that　glowed　like　a　beacon　in　her　round　and　shining　face。
　Then　they　went　to　the　park；　or　sometimes　to　the　wharf；　where　they　ate　hot　shrimp　or　crabs；　swimming　in　garlic；　and　her　father　drank　beer；　great　foaming　glasses　of　it；　bought　from　the　bootlegger　who　operated　quite　openly　near　the　stands。　But　only　to　wash　away　the　smell　of　the　garlic；　of　course。　Or　sometimes；　they　went　out　to　the　zoo　and　he　bought　her　a　bag　of　peanuts　to　feed　the　elephant　or　the　monkeys　in　their　cages。　And　they　returned　in　the　evening；　and　she　was　tired　and　sometimes　asleep　in　her　father's　arms。　And　the　next　day　was　Monday　and　she　couldn't　wait　until　it　would　be　Sunday　again。
　No；　nothing　passed　as　quickly　as　the　Sundays　of　your　childhood。　And　then　she　went　to　school；　frightened　at　first　of　the　sisters；　who　were　stern　and　forbidding　in　their　black　habits。　Her　small　round　face　was　serious　above　her　white　middy　blouse　and　navy…blue　guimpe。　But　they　taught　you　the　catechism　and　you　made　your　confirmation　and　lost　your　fear　as　bit　by　bit　you　accepted　them　as　your　teachers；　leading　you　into　a　richer　Christian　life；　and　the　happy　Sundays　of　your　childhood　fled　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　dim　recesses　of　your　mind；　until　you　hardly　remembered　them　any　more。
　Jennie　lay　quietly　on　her　sixteen…year…old　bed；　her　ears　sharpening　to　the　sounds　of　the　Sunday　morning。　For　a　moment；　there　was　only　silence；　then　she　heard　her　mother's　shrill　voice。　〃Mr。　Denton；　for　the　last　time；　it's　time　to　get　up　and　go　to　Mass。〃
　Her　father's　voice　was　husky；　the　words　indistinguishable。　She　could　see　him　in　her　mind's　eyes；　lying　unshaven　and　bloated　with　Saturday…night　beer　in　his　long　woolen　underwear；　on　the　soft；　wide　bed；　burying　his　face　in　the　big　pillow。　She　heard　her　mother　again。　〃But　I　promised　Father　Hadley　ye'd　e　this　Sunday　for　sure。　If　ye　have　no　concern　for　your　own　soul；　at　least　have　some　for　your　wife's　and　daughter's。〃
　She　heard　no　reply；　then　the　door　slammed　as　her　mother　retreated　to　the　kitchen。　Jennie　swung　her　bare　feet　onto　the　floor；　searching　for　her　slippers。　She　found　them　and　stood　up；　the　long　white　cotton　nightgown　trailing　down　to　her　ankles　as　she　crossed　the　room。
　She　came　out　into　the　kitchen　on　her　way　to　the　bathroom　and　her　mother　turned　from　the　stove。　〃Ye　can　wear　the　new　blue　bonnet　I　made　for　ye　to　Mass；　Jennie　darlin'。〃
　〃Yes；　Mother；〃　she　said。
　She　brushed　her　teeth　carefully；　remembering　what　Sister　Philomena　had　told　the　class　in　Hygiene。　Circular　strokes　with　the　brush；　reaching　up　onto　the　gums；　then　down；　would　remove　all　the　food　particles　that　might　cause　decay。　She　examined　her　teeth　carefully　in　the　mirror。　She　had　nice　teeth。　Clean　and　white　and　even。
　She　liked　being　clean。　Not　like　many　of　the　girls　at　Mercy　High　School；　who　came　from　the　same　poor　neighborhood　and　bathed　only　once　a　week；　on　Saturdays。　She　took　a　bath　every　night　…　even　if　she　had　to　heat　the　water　in　the　kitchen　of　the　old　tenement　in　which　they　lived。
　She　looked　at　her　face　out　of　her　clear　gray　eyes　and　tried　to　imagine　herself　in　the　white　cap　and　uniform　of　a　nurse。　She'd　have　to　make　up　her　mind　soon。　Graduation　was　next　month　and　it　wasn't　every　student　who　could　get　a　scholarship　to　St。　Mary's　College　of　Nursing。
　The　sisters　liked　her　and　she'd　always　received　high　marks　throughout　her　attendance　at　Mercy。　Besides；　Father　Hadley　had　written　Mother　M。　Ernest；　mending　her　for　her　devout　attendance　and　service　to　the　church；　not　like　so　many　of　the　young　ladies　today；　who　spent　more　time　in　front　of　a　mirror　over　their　make…up　than　on　their　knees　in　church　in　front　of　their　God。　Father　Hadley　had　expressed　the　hope　that　the　Good　Mother　would　find　a　way　to　reward　this　poor　deserving　child　for　her　devotion。
　The　scholarship　to　St。　Mary's　was　given　each　year　to　the　one　student　whose　record　for　religious　and　scholastic　achievements　was　deemed　the　most　worthy　by　a　mittee　headed　by　the　Archbishop。　This　year；　it　was　to　be　hers；　if　she　decided　to　bee　a　nurse。　This　morning；　after　church；　she'd　have　to　present　herself　to　Mother　M。　Ernest；　at　the　Sister　House；　to　give　her　answer。
　〃It　is　God's　mercy　you'll　be　dispensing；〃　Sister　Cyril　had　said；　after　informing　her　of　the　mittee's　choice。　〃But　you　will　have　to　make　the　decision。　It　may　be　that　attending　the　sick　and　helpless　is　not　your　true　vocation。〃
　Sister　Cyril　had　looked　up　at　the　girl　standing　quietly　in　front　of　her　desk。　Already；　Jennie　was　tall　and　slim；　with　the　full　body　of　a　woman；　and　yet　there　was　a　quiet　innocence　in　the　calm　gray　eyes　that　looked　back　at　her。　Jennie　did　not　speak。　Sister　Cyril　smiled　at　her。　〃You　have　a　week　to　make　up　your　mind；〃　she　said　gently。　〃Go　to　the　Sister　House　next　Sunday　after　Mass。　Mother　Mary　Ernest　will　be　there　to　receive　your　answer。〃
　Her　father　had　cursed　angrily　when　he　heard　of　the　scholarship。　〃What　kind　of　life　is　that　for　a　child？　Cleaning　out　the　bedpans　of　dirty　old　men？　The　next　thing　you　know；　they'll　talk　her　into　being　a　nun。〃
　He　turned　violently　to　her　mother。　〃It's　all　your　doing；〃　he　shouted。　〃You　and　those　priests　you　listen　to。　What's　so　holy　about　taking　a　child　with　the　juices　of　life　just　beginning　to　bubble　inside　of　her　and　locking　her　away　behind　the　walls　of　a　convent？〃
　Her　mother's　face　was　white。　〃It's　blasphemy　you're　speaking；　Thomas　Denton；〃　she　said　coldly。　〃If　only　once　you'd　e　and　speak　to　the　good　Father　Hadley；　ye'd　learn　how　wrong　ye　are。　And　if　our　daughter　should　bee　a　religious；　it's　the　proudest　mother　in　Christendom　I'd　be。　What　is　wrong　in　giving　your　only　child　as　a　bride　to　Christ？〃
　〃Aye；〃　her　father　said　heavily。　〃But　who'll　be　to　blame　when　the　child　grows　up　and　finds　you've　stolen　from　her　the　pleasures　of　being　a　woman？〃
　He　turned　to　Jennie　and　looked　down　at　her。　〃Jennie　Bear；〃　he　said　softly；　〃it's　not　that　I　object　to　your　being　a　nurse　if　you　want　to。　It's　that　I　want　you　to　do　and　be　whatever　you　want　to　be。　Your　mother　and　I；　we　don't　matter。　Even　what　the　church　wants　doesn't　matter。　It's　what　you　want　that　does。〃　He　sighed。　〃Do　you　understand；　child？〃
　Jennie　nodded。　〃I　understand；　Papa。〃
　〃Ye'll　not　be　satisfied　till　ye　see　your　daughter　a　whore；〃　her　mother　suddenly　screamed　at　him。
　He　turned　swiftly。　〃I'd　rather　see　her　a　whore　of　her　own　free　choice；〃　he　snapped；　〃than　driven　to　sainthood。〃
　He　looked　down　at　Jennie；　his　voice　soft　again。　〃Do　you　want　to　bee　a　nurse；　Jennie　Bear？〃
　She　looked　up　at　him　with　her　clear　gray　eyes。　〃I　think　so；　Papa。〃
　〃If　it's　what　you　want；　Jennie　Bear；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃then　I'll　be　content　with　it。〃
　Her　mother　looked　at　him；　a　quiet　triumph　in　her　eyes。　〃When　will　ye　learn　ye　cannot　fight　the　Lord；　Thomas　Denton？〃
　He　started　to　answer；　then　shut　his　lips　tightly　and　strode　from　the　apartment。
　
　Sister　Cyril　knocked　at　the　heavy　oaken　door　of　the　study。　〃e　in；〃　called　a　strong；　clear　voice。　She　opened　the　door　and　gestured　to　Jennie。
　Jennie　walked　into　the　room　hesitantly；　Sister　Cyril　behind　her。　〃This　is　Jennie　Denton；　Reverend　Mother。〃
　The　middle…aged　woman　in　the　black　garb　of　the　Sisterhood　looked　up　from　her　desk。　There　was　a　half…finished　cup　of　tea　by　her　hand。　She　studied　the　girl　with　curiously　bright；　questioning　eyes。　After　a　moment；　she　smiled；　revealing　white；　even　teeth。　〃So　you're　Jennie　Denton；〃　she　said；　holding　out　her　hand。
　Jennie　curtsied　quickly　and　kissed　the　ring　on　the　finger　of　the　Reverend　Mother。　〃Yes；　Reverend　Mother。〃　She　straightened　up　and　stood　in　front　of　the　desk　stiffly。
　Mother　M。　Ernest　smiled　again；　a　hint　of　merriment　ing　into　her　eyes。　〃You　can　relax；　child；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　not　going　to　eat　you。〃
　Jennie　smiled　awkwardly。
　The　Reverend　Mother　raised　a　questioning　eyebrow。　〃Perhaps　you'd　like　a　cup　of　tea？〃　she　asked。　〃A　cup　of　tea　always　makes　me　feel　better。〃
　〃That　would　be　very　nice；〃　Jennie　said　stiffly。
　The　Reverend　Mother　looked　up　and　nodded　at　Sister　Cyril。　〃I'll　get　it；　Reverend　Mother；〃　the　nun　said　quickly。
　〃And　another　cup　for　me；　please？〃　Mother　M。　Ernest　turned　back　to　Jennie。　〃I　do　love　a　good　cup　of　tea。〃　She　smiled。　〃And　they　do　have　that　here。　None　of　those　weak　tea　balls　they　use　in　the　hospitals；　real　tea；　brewed　in