cw.imarriedadeadman-第14部分

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bled　back　around　the　foot　of　the　stairs　and　passed　by　in　the　hail　just　outside。
　The　three　of　them　were　in　there；　and　there　was　a　man　with　them　whom　she　didn't　know；　although　she　realized　she　must　have　seen　him　at　least　one　or　more　times　before；　as　she　had　everyone　who　came　to　this　house。　He　was　at　the　table；　the　reading…lamp　lit；　droning　aloud　in　a　monotonous；　singsong　voice。　It　wasn't　a　book；　it　seemed　more　like　a　typed　report。　Every　few　moments　a　brittly　crackling　sheet　would　sweep　back　in　reverse　and　go　under　the　others。
　No　one　else　was　saying　a　word。　They　were　sitting　at　varying　distances　and　at　varying　degrees　of　attention。　Father　Hazzard　was　drawn　up　to　the　table　with　the　monologist；　following　every　word　closely；　and　nodding　in　benign　accord　from　time　to　time。　Mother　Hazzard　was　in　an　easy　chair；　a　basket　on　her　lap；　darning　something　and　only　occasionally　looking　up　in　sketchy　aural　participation。　And　Bill；　strangely　present；　was　off　on　the　very　outskirts　of　the　conclave；　a　leg　dangling　over　the　arm　of　his　chair；　head　tilted　all　the　way　back　with　a　protruding　pipe　thrust　ceiingward；　and　giving　very　little　indication　of　listening　at　all。　His　eyes　had　a　look　of　vacancy；　as　though　his　mind　were　elsewhere　while　his　body　was　dutifully　and　filially　in　the　room　with　them。
　She　tried　to　get　by　without　being　seen；　but　Mother　Hazzard　looked　up　at　just　the　wrong　time　and　caught　the　ificker　of　her　figure　past　the　door…gap。　〃There　she　is　now；〃　she　said。　A　moment　later　her　retarding　call　had　overtaken　and　halted　her。　〃Patrice；　e　in　here　a　moment；　dear。　We　want　you。〃
　She　turned　and　went　back；　with　a　sudden　constriction　in　her　throat。
　The　droning　voice　had　interrupted　itself　to　wait。　A　private　investigator？　No；　no；　he　couldn't　be。　She'd　met　him　here　in　the　house　on　a　friendly　basis；　she　was　sure　of　it。　But　those　voluminous　briefs　littered　in　front　of　him…
　〃Patrice；　you　know　Ty　Winthrop。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know　we've　met　before。〃　She　went　over　and　shook　hands　with　him。　She　kept　her　eyes　carefully　off　the　table。　And　it　wasn't　easy。
　〃Ty　is　Father's　lawyer；〃　Mother　Hazzard　said　indulgently。　As　though　that　were　really　no　way　to　describe　an　old　friend；　but　it　was　the　shortest　one　for　present　purposes。
　〃And　golf　rival；〃　supplied　the　man　at　the　table。
　〃Rival？〃　Father　Hazzard　snorted　disgustedly。　〃I　don't　call　that　rivalry；　what　you　put　up。　A　rival　has　to　e　up　somewhere　near　you。　Charity…tournament　is　more　what　I'd　call　it。〃
　Bill's　head　and　pipe　had　e　down　to　the　horizontal　again。　〃Lick　him　with　one　hand　tied　behind　your　back；　eh　Dad？〃　he　egged　him　on。
　〃Yeah；　my　hand；〃　snapped　the　lawyer；　with　a　private　wink　for　the　son。　〃Especially　last　Sunday。〃
　〃Now；　you　three；〃　reproved　Mother　Hazzard　beamingly。　〃I　have　things　to　do。　And　so　has　Patrice。　I　can't　sit　in　here　all　night〃
　They　became　serious　again。　Bill　had　risen　and　drawn　up　a　chair　beside　the　table　for　her。　〃Sit　down；　Patrice；　and　join　the　party；〃　he　invited。
　〃Yes；　we　want　you　to　hear　this；　Patrice；〃　Father　Hazzard　urged；　as　she　hesitated。　〃It　concerns　you。〃
　Her　hand　tried　to　stray　betrayingly　toward　her　throat。　She　kept　it　down　by　sheer　will…power。　She　seated　herself；　a　little　uneasily。
　The　lawyer　cleared　his　throat　〃Well；　I　think　that　about　takes　care　of　it；　Donald。　The　rest　of　it　remains　as　it　was　before。〃
　Father　Hazzard　hitched　his　chair　nearer。　〃All　right　Ready　for　me　to　sign　now？〃
　Mother　Hazzard　bit　off　a　thread　with　her　teeth；　having　e　to　the　end　of　something　or　other。　She　began　to　put　things　away　in　her　basket；　preparatory　to　departure。　〃You'd　better　tell　Patrice　what　it　is　first；　dear。　Don't　you　want　her　to　know？〃
　〃I'll　tell　her　for　you；〃　Winthrop　offered。　〃I　can　put　it　in　fewer　words　than　you。〃　He　turned　toward　her　and　gazed　friendlily　over　the　tops　of　his　reading…glasses。　〃Donald's　changing　the　provisions　of　his　will；　by　adding　a　codicil。　You　see；　in　the　original；　after　Grace　here　was　provided　for；　there　was　an　equal　division　of　the　residue　made　between　Bill　and　Hugh。　Well　now　we're　altering　that　to　make　it　one…quarter　of　the　residue　to　Bill　and　the　remainder　to　you。〃
　She　could　feel　her　face　beginning　to　flame；　as　though　a　burning　crimson　light　were　focussed　on　it；　and　it　alone；　that　they　could　all　see。　An　agonizing　sensation　of　wanting　to　push　away　from　the　table　and　make　her　escape；　and　of　being　held　trapped　there　in　her　chair；　came　over　her。
　She　tried　to　speak　quietly；　quelling　her　voice　by　moistening　her　lips　twice　over。　〃I　don't　want　you　to　do　that。　I　don't　want　to　be　included。〃
　〃Don't　look　that　way　about　it；〃　Bill　said　with　a　genial　laugh。　〃You're　not　doing　anybody　out　of　anything。　I　have　Dad's　business…〃
　〃It　was　Bill's　own　suggestion；〃　Mother　Hazzard　let　her　know。
　〃I　gave　both　the　boys　a　lump　sum　in　cash；　to　start　them　off；　on　the　day　they　each　reached　their　twenty…first…〃
　She　was　on　her　feet　now；　facing　all　of　them　in　turn；　almost　panicstricken。　〃No；　please！　Don't　put　my　name　down　on　it　at　all！　I　don't　want　my　name　to　go　down　on　it！〃　She　all　but　wrung　her　clasped　hands　toward　Father　Hazzard。　〃Dad！　Won't　you　listen　to　me？〃
　〃It's　on　account　of　Hugh；　dear；〃　Mother　Hazzard　let　him　know　in　a　tactful　aside。　〃Can't　you　understand？〃
　〃Well；　I　know；　we　all　feel　bad　about　Hugh。　But　she　has　to　go　on　living　just　the　same。　She　has　a　child　to　think　of。　And　these　things　shouldn't　be　postponed　on　account　of　sentiment；　they　have　to　be　taken　care　of　at　the　right　time。〃
　She　turned　and　fled　from　the　room。　They　made　no　attempt　to　follow　her。
　She　closed　the　door　after　her。　She　stormed　back　and　forth；　two；　three　times；　holding　her　head　locked　in　her　upended　arms。　〃Swindler！〃　burst　from　her　muffledly。　〃Thiefl　It's　just　like　someone　climbing　in　through　a　window　and…〃
　There　was　a　low　knock　at　the　door　about　half　an　hour　later。　She　went　over　and　opened　it；　and　Bill　was　standing　there。
　〃Hello；〃　he　said　diffidently。
　〃Hello；〃　she　said　with　equal　diffidence。
　It　was　as　though　they　hadn't　seen　one　another　for　two　or　three　days　past；　instead　of　just　half　an　hour　before。
　〃He　signed　it；〃　he　said。　〃After　you　went　up。　Winthrop　took　it　back　with　him。　Withessed　and　all。　It's　done　now；　whether　you　wanted　it　or　not。〃
　She　didn't　answer。　The　battle　had　been　lost；　downstairs；　before；　and　this　was　just　the　final　muniqué。
　He　was　looking　at　her　in　a　way　she　couldn't　identify。　It　seemed　to　have　equal　parts　of　shrewd　appraisal　and　blank　inprehension　in　it；　and　there　was　just　a　dash　of　admiration　added。
　〃You　know；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know　why　you　acted　like　that　about　it。　And　I　don't　agree　with　you；　I　think　you　were　wrong　in　acting　like　that　about　it〃　He　lowered　his　voice　a　little　in　confidence。　〃But　somehow　or　other　I'm　glad　you　acted　like　that　about　it。　I　like　you　better　for　acting　like　that　about　it。〃　He　shoved　his　hand　out　to　her　suddenly。　〃Want　to　shake　goodnight？〃
　
　
　23
　
　She　was　alone　in　the　house。　That　is；　alone　just　with　Hughie；　in　his　crib　upstairs；　and　Aunt　Josie；　in　her　room　all　the　way　at　the　back。　They'd　gone　out　to　visit　the　Michaelsons；　old　friends。
　It　was　nice　to　be　alone　in　the　house　once　in　awhile。　Not　too　often；　not　all　the　time；　that　would　have　run　over　into　loneliness。　And　she'd　known　what　that　was　once；　only　too　well；　and　didn't　want　to　ever　again。
　But　it　was　nice　to　be　alone　like　this；　alone　without　loneliness；　just　for　an　hour　or　two；　just　from　nine　until　eleven；　with　the　sure　knowledge　that　they　were　ing　back　soon。　With　the　whole　house　her　own　to　roam　about　in；　upstairs；　down；　into　this　room；　into　that。　Not　that　she　couldn't　at　other　times…but　this　had　a　special　feeling　to　it；　doing　it　when　no　one　else　was　about。　It　did　something　to　her。　It　nourished　her　feeling　of　belonging；　replenished　it。
　They'd　asked　her　if　she　didn't　want　to　e　with　them；　but　she'd　begged　off。　Perhaps　because　she　knew　that　if　she　stayed　home　alone　she'd　get　this　very　feeling　from　it。
　They　didn't　importune　her。　They　never　importuned；　never　repeated　any　invitation　to　the　point　of　weariness。　They　respected　you　as　an　individual；　she　reflected；　that　was　one　of　the　nice　things　about　them。　Only　one　of　the　nice；　there　were　so　many　others。
　〃Then　next　time；　maybe；〃　Mother　had　smiled　in　parting；　from　the　door。
　〃Next　time　without　fail；〃　she　promised。　〃They're　very　nice　people。〃
　She　roamed　about　for　awhile　first；　getting　her　〃feel〃　of　the　place；　saturating　herself　in　that　blessed　sensation　of　〃belonging。〃　Touching　a　chair…back　here；　fingering　the　texture　of　a　window…drape　there。
　Mine。　My　house。　My　parents'　house　and　mine。　Mine。　Mine。　My　home。　My　chair。　My　window…drape。　No；　hang　back　like　that；　that's　the　way　I　want　you　to。
　Silly？　Childish？　Fanciful？　No　doubt　But　who　is　without　childishness；　fancies？　What　is　life　without　them？　Or；　is　there　life　without　them？
　She　went　into　Aunt　Josie's　pantry；　took　the　lid　off　the　cookie…jar；　took　one　out；　took　a　big　bite　out　of　it。
　She　wasn't　hungry。　They'd　all　finished　a　big　dinner　only　a　couple　of　hours　ago。　But…
　My　house。　I　can　do　this。　I'm　entitled　to　them。　They're　waiting　there　for　me；　to　help　myself　whenever　I　feel　like　it。
　She　put　the　lid　on　the　jar；　started　to　put　the　light　out。
　She　changed　her　mind　suddenly；　went　back；　took　out　a　second　one。
　My　house。　I　can　even　take　two　if　I　want　to。　Well；　I　will　take　two。
　And　one　in　each　hand；　each　with　a　big　defiant　bite　taken　out　of　it；　she　came　out　of　there。　They　weren't　food　for　the　mouth；　actually；　they　were　food　for　the　soul。
　The　last　crumbs　brushed　off　her　fingers；　she　decided　to　read　a　book　finally。　Utter　repose　had　e　to　her　now；　a　sense　of　peace　and　wellbeing　that　was　almost　therapeutic　in　its　depth。　It　was　a　sensation　of　healing；　of　being　one；　being　whole　again。　As　though　the　last　vestiges　of　an　old　ache；　from　an　old　split　in　her　personality　（as　indeed　there　was　one　in　the　fullest　sense）；　had　been　effaced。　A　psychiatrist　could　have　written　a　learned　paper　on　this；　that　just　roaming　about　a　house；　in　utter　security；　in　utter　relaxation；　for　half　an　hour　or　so；　could　achieve　such　a　result　for　her；　beyond　all　capacity　of　coldblooded　science；　in　the　clinic；　to　have　done　likewise。　But；　human　beings　are　human　beings；　and　science　isn't　what　they　need；　it's　a　home；　a　house　of　their　own；　that　no　one　can　take　away　from