第34部分(第6/7 頁)

t　of　such　potent　medicine。　If　Haymitch　pooled　every　donation　from　every　sponsor；　would　he　have　enough？　I　doubt　it。　Gifts　go　up　in　price　the　longer　the　Games　continue。　What　buys　a　full　meal　on　day　one　buys　a　cracker　on　day　twelve。　And　the　kind　of　medicine　Peeta　needs　would　have　been　at　a　premium　from　the　beginning。

¨Well；　thereˇs　more　swelling；　but　the　pus　is　gone；〃　I　say　in　an　unsteady　voice。

¨I　know　what　blood　poisoning　is；　Katniss；〃　says　Peeta。　¨Even　if　my　mother　isnˇt　a　healer。〃

¨Youˇre　just　going　to　have　to　outlast　the　others；　Peeta。　Theyˇll　cure　it　back　at　the　Capitol　when　we　win；〃　I　say。

¨Yes；　thatˇs　a　good　plan；〃　he　says。　But　I　feel　this　is　mostly　for　my　benefit。

¨You　have　to　eat。　Keep　your　strength　up。　Iˇm　going　to　make　you　soup；〃　I　say。

¨Donˇt　light　a　fire；〃　he　says。　¨Itˇs　not　worth　it。〃

¨Weˇll　see；〃　I　say。　As　I　take　the　pot　down　to　the　stream；　Iˇm　struck　by　how　brutally　hot　it　is。　I　swear　the　Gamemakers　are　progressively　ratcheting　up　the　temperature　in　the　daytime　and　sending　it　plummeting　at　night。　The　heat　of　the　sun…baked　stones　by　the　stream　gives　me　an　idea　though。　Maybe　I　wonˇt　need　to　light　a　fire。

I　settle　down　on　a　big　flat　rock　halfway　between　the　stream　and　the　cave。　After　purifying　half　a　pot　of　water；　I　place　it　in　direct　sunlight　and　add　several　egg…size　hot　stones　to　the　water。　Iˇm　the　first　to　admit　Iˇm　not　much　of　a　cook。　But　since　soup　mainly　involves　tossing　everything　in　a　pot　and　waiting；　itˇs　one　of　my　better　dishes。　I　mince　groosling　until　itˇs　practically　mush　and　mash　some　of　Rueˇs　roots。　Fortunately；　theyˇve　both　been　roasted　already　so　they　mostly　need　to　be　heated　up。　Already；　between　the　sunlight　and　the　rocks；　the　waterˇs　warm。　I　put　in　the　meat　and　roots；　swap　in　fresh　rock