第16部分(第1/7 頁)

“Oh；”　I　said。　“Well；　yes。　That　is　what　I　was　thinking。　Although　now　I　don't　know。　Do　you　think

it　would　look　better　to　just　take　them　out？”

He　shook　his　head　and　said；　“They're　Australian　tea　shrubs。　They'll　prune　up　nicely。”　And

with　that；　he　put　on　his　gloves　and　started　clipping。

At　first　I　didn't　know　what　to　say　to　this　man。　It　was　very　strange　to　be　getting　his　help；　but

from　the　way　he　was　acting；　it　was　as　though　I　shouldn't

have　thought　a　thing　of　it。　Clip…clip…clip；　he　went；　like　this　was　something　he　really　enjoyed

doing。

Then　I　remembered　what　Bryce　had　said　about　our　yard；　and　suddenly　I　knew　why　he　was

there。

“What's　the　matter？”　he　asked；　throwing　his　clippings　into　my　pile。　“Did　I　cut　it　down　too　far？”

“N…no。”

“Then　why　the　look？”　he　asked。　“I　don't　mean　to　make　you　unfortable。　I　just　thought　you

might　like　a　little　help。”

“Well；　I　don't。　I　can　do　this　by　myself。”

He　laughed　and　said；　“Oh；　I　have　no　doubt　about　that；”　then　got　back　to　clipping。　“You　see；

Julianna；　I　read　about　you　in　the　paper；　and　I've　lived

across　the　street　from　you　for　over　a　year　now。　It's　easy　to　see　that　you're　a　very　petent

person。”

inute；　but　I　found　myself　throwing　the　clippings　into　the　pile

harder　and　harder。　And　before　long　I　couldn't　stand　it。　I

just　couldn't　stand　it！　I　spun　on　him　and　said；　“You're　here　because　you　feel　bad　about　the

eggs；　aren't　you？　Well；　our　eggs　are　perfectly　fine！　We've

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been　eating　them　for　nearly　three　years　and　none　of　us　have　gotten　poisoned。　Mrs。　Stueby

and　Mrs。　Helms　seem　in　good　health　to　me；　too；　and　the

fact　of　the　matter　is；　if　you　didn't　want