第34部分(第6/7 頁)

rowned。〃

〃What　does　he　say？〃　Catherine　asked。

〃He　says　good　luck。〃

〃Good　luck；〃　Catherine　said。

〃Thank　you　very　much。〃

〃Are　you　ready？〃

〃Yes。〃

He　bent　down　and　shoved　us　off。　I　dug　at　the　water　with　the　oars；　then　waved　one　hand。　The　barman　waved　back　deprecatingly。　I　saw　the　lights　of　the　hotel　and　rowed　out；　rowing　straight　out　until　they　were　out　of　sight。　There　was　quite　a　sea　running　but　we　were　going　with　the　wind。

37

I　rowed　in　the　dark　keeping　the　wind　in　my　face。　The　rain　had　stopped　and　only　came　occasionally　in　gusts。　It　was　very　dark；　and　the　wind　was　cold。　I　could　see　Catherine　in　the　stern　but　I　could　not　see　the　water　where　the　blades　of　the　oars　dipped。　The　oars　were　long　and　there　were　no　leathers　to　keep　them　from　slipping　out。　I　pulled；　raised；　leaned　forward；　found　the　water；　dipped　and　pulled；　rowing　as　easily　as　I　could。　I　did　not　feather　the　oars　because　the　wind　was　with　us。　I　knew　my　hands　would　blister　and　I　wanted　to　delay　it　as　long　as　I　could。　The　boat　was　light　and　rowed　easily。　I　pulled　it　along　in　the　dark　water。　I　could　not　see；　and　hoped　we　would　soon　e　opposite　Pallanza。

We　never　saw　Pallanza。　The　wind　was　blowing　up　the　lake　and　we　passed　the　point　that　hides　Pallanza　in　the　dark　and　never　saw　the　lights。　When　we　finally　saw　some　lights　much　further　up　the　lake　and　close　to　the　shore　it　was　Intra。　But　for　a　long　time　we　did　not　see　any　lights；　nor　did　we　see　the　shore　but　rowed　steadily　in　the　dark　riding　with　the　waves。　Sometimes　I　missed　the　water　with　the　oars　in　the　dark　as　a　wave　lifted　the　boat。　It　was　quite　rough；　but　I　kept　on　rowing；　until　suddenly　we　were　close　ashore　against　a　point　of　rock　that　rose　beside　us；　the　waves　striking　against　it；　rushing　high