第4部分(第2/7 頁)

d　put　my　arm　around　her　as　I　had　before　and　kissed　her。　I　kissed　her　hard　and　held　her　tight　and　tried　to　open　her　lips；　they　were　closed　tight。　I　was　still　angry　and　as　I　held　her　suddenly　she　shivered。　I　held　her　close　against　me　and　could　feel　her　heart　beating　and　her　lips　opened　and　her　head　went　back　against　my　hand　and　then　she　was　crying　on　my　shoulder。

〃Oh；　darling；〃　she　said。　〃You　will　be　good　to　me；　won't　you？〃

What　the　hell；　I　thought。　I　stroked　her　hair　and　patted　her　shoulder。　She　was　crying。

〃You　will；　won't　you？〃　She　looked　up　at　me。　〃Because　we're　going　to　have　a　strange　life。〃

After　a　while　I　walked　with　her　to　the　door　of　the　villa　and　she　went　in　and　I　walked　home。　Back　at　the　villa　I　went　upstairs　to　the　room。　Rinaldi　was　lying　on　his　bed。　He　looked　at　me。

〃So　you　make　progress　with　Miss　Barkley？〃

〃We　are　friends。〃

〃You　have　that　pleasant　air　of　a　dog　in　heat。〃

I　did　not　understand　the　word。

〃Of　a　what？〃

He　explained。

〃You；〃　I　said；　〃have　that　pleasant　air　of　a　dog　who……〃

〃Stop　it；〃　he　said。　〃In　a　little　while　we　would　say　insulting　things。〃　He　laughed。

〃Good…night；〃　I　said。

〃Good…night；　little　puppy。〃

I　knocked　over　his　candle　with　the　pillow　and　got　into　bed　in　the　dark。

Rinaldi　picked　up　the　candle；　lit　it　and　went　on　reading。

6

I　was　away　for　two　days　at　the　posts。　When　I　got　home　it　was　too　late　and　I　did　not　see　Miss　Barkley　until　the　next　evening。　She　was　not　in　the　garden　and　I　had　to　wait　in　the　office　of　the　hospital　until　she　came　down。　There　were　many　marble　busts　on　painted　wooden　pillars　along　the　walls　of　the　room　they　used　for　an　office。　The　hall　too；　that　the　office　opened　on；　was　lined　with　them。　They　had　th