第40部分(第5/7 頁)

　I　can。　I　push　down　but　it　goes　away。　There　it　es。　Give　it　to　me。〃

At　two　o'clock　I　went　out　and　had　lunch。　There　were　a　few　men　in　the　caf？sitting　with　coffee　and　glasses　of　kirsch　or　marc　on　the　tables。　I　sat　down　at　a　table。　〃Can　I　eat？〃　I　asked　the　waiter。

〃It　is　past　time　for　lunch。〃

〃Isn't　there　anything　for　all　hours？〃

〃You　can　have　choucroute。〃

〃Give　me　choucroute　and　beer。〃

〃A　demi　or　a　bock？〃

〃A　light　demi。〃

The　waiter　brought　a　dish　of　sauerkraut　with　a　slice　of　ham　over　the　top　and　a　sausage　buried　in　the　hot　wine…soaked　cabbage。　I　ate　it　and　drank　the　beer。　I　was　very　hungry。　I　watched　the　people　at　the　tables　in　the　caf？　At　one　table　they　were　playing　cards。　Two　men　at　the　table　next　me　were　talking　and　smoking。　The　caf？was　full　of　smoke。　The　zinc　bar；　where　I　had　breakfasted；　had　three　people　behind　it　now；　the　old　man；　a　plump　woman　in　a　black　dress　who　sat　behind　a　counter　and　kept　track　of　everything　served　to　the　tables；　and　a　boy　in　an　apron。　I　wondered　how　many　children　the　woman　had　and　what　it　had　been　like。

When　I　was　through　with　the　choucroute　I　went　back　to　the　hospital。　The　street　was　all　clean　now。　There　were　no　refuse　cans　out。　The　day　was　cloudy　but　the　sun　was　trying　to　e　through。

I　rode　upstairs　in　the　elevator；　stepped　out　and　went　down　the　hail　to　Catherine's　room；　where　I　had　left　my　white　gown。　I　put　it　on　and　pinned　it　in　back　at　the　neck。　I　looked　in　the　glass　and　saw　myself　looking　like　a　fake　doctor　with　a　beard。　I　went　down　the　hail　to　the　delivery　room。　The　door　was　closed　and　I　knocked。　No　one　answered　so　I　turned　the　handle　and　went　in。　The　doctor　sat　by　Catherine。　The　nurse　was　doing　something　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。

〃Here　is　your　husband；〃　th