第21部分(第6/7 頁)

your　old　tooth…brushing　glass。　I　kept　it　all　the　time　to　remind　me　of　you。〃

〃To　remind　you　to　brush　your　teeth。〃

〃No。　I　have　my　own　too。　I　kept　this　to　remind　me　of　you　trying　to　brush　away　the　Villa　Rossa　from　your　teeth　in　the　morning；　swearing　and　eating　aspirin　and　cursing　harlots。　Every　time　I　see　that　glass　I　think　of　you　trying　to　clean　your　conscience　with　a　toothbrush。〃　He　came　over　to　the　bed。　〃Kiss　me　once　and　tell　me　you're　not　serious。〃

〃I　never　kiss　you。　You're　an　ape。〃

〃I　know；　you　are　the　fine　good　Anglo…Saxon　boy。　I　know。　You　are　the　remorse　boy；　I　know。　I　will　wait　till　I　see　the　Anglo…Saxon　brushing　away　harlotry　with　a　toothbrush。〃

〃Put　some　cognac　in　the　glass。〃

We　touched　glasses　and　drank。　Rinaldi　laughed　at　me。

〃I　will　get　you　drunk　and　take　out　your　liver　and　put　you　in　a　good　Italian　liver　and　make　you　a　man　again。〃

I　held　the　glass　for　some　more　cognac。　It　was　dark　outside　now。　Holding　the　glass　of　cognac；　I　went　over　and　opened　the　window。　The　rain　had　stopped　falling。　It　was　colder　outside　and　there　was　a　mist　in　the　trees。

〃Don't　throw　the　cognac　out　the　window；〃　Rinaldi　said。　〃If　you　can't　drink　it　give　it　to　me。〃

〃Go　something　yourself；〃　I　said。　I　was　glad　to　see　Rinaldi　again。　He　had　spent　two　years　teasing　me　and　I　had　always　liked　it。　We　understood　each　other　very　well。

〃Are　you　married？〃　he　asked　from　the　bed。　I　was　standing　against　the　wall　by　the　window。

〃Not　yet。〃

〃Are　you　in　love？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃With　that　English　girl？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Poor　baby。　Is　she　good　to　you？〃

〃Of　course。〃

〃I　mean　is　she　good　to　you　practically　speaking？〃

〃Shut　up。〃

〃I　will。　You　will　see　I　am　a　man　of　extreme　delicacy。　Does　sh