第5部分(第3/7 頁)

o　do；　now　that　I　will　not　be　there　to　do　them　for　them。

Prim　is　not　to　take　any　tesserae。　They　can　get　by；　if　theyˇre　careful；　on　selling　Primˇs　goat　milk　and　cheese　and　the　small　apothecary　business　my　mother　now　runs　for　the　people　in　the　Seam。　Gale　will　get　her　the　herbs　she　doesnˇt　grow　herself；　but　she　must　be　very　careful　to　describe　them　because　heˇs　not　as　familiar　with　them　as　I　am。　Heˇll　also　bring　them　game　�　he　and　I　made　a　pact　about　this　a　year　or　so　ago　�　and　will　probably　not　ask　for　pensation；　but　they　should　thank　him　with　some　kind　of　trade；　like　milk　or　medicine。

I　donˇt　bother　suggesting　Prim　learn　to　hunt。　I　tried　to　teach　her　a　couple　of　times　and　it　was　disastrous。　The　woods　terrified　her；　and　whenever　I　shot　something；　sheˇd　get　teary　and　talk　about　how　we　might　be　able　to　heal　it　if　we　got　it　home　soon　enough。　But　she　makes　out　well　with　her　goat；　so　I　concentrate　on　that。

When　I　am　done　with　instructions　about　fuel；　and　trading；　and　staying　in　school；　I　turn　to　my　mother　and　grip　her　arm；　hard。　¨Listen　to　me。　Are　you　listening　to　me？〃　She　nods；　alarmed　by　my　intensity。　She　must　know　whatˇs　ing。　¨You　canˇt　leave　again；〃　I　say。

My　motherˇs　eyes　find　the　floor。　¨I　know。　I　wonˇt。　I　couldnˇt　help　what�〃

¨Well；　you　have　to　help　it　this　time。　You　canˇt　clock　out　and　leave　Prim　on　her　own。　Thereˇs　no　me　now　to　keep　you　both　alive。　It　doesnˇt　matter　what　happens。　Whatever　you　see　on　the　screen。　You　have　to　promise　me　youˇll　fight　through　it！〃　My　voice　has　risen　to　a　shout。　In　it　is　all　the　anger；　all　the　fear　I　felt　at　her　abandonment。

She　pulls　her　arm　from　my　grasp；　moved　to　anger　herself　now。　¨I　was　ill。　I　could　have　treated　myself　if　Iˇd　had　the　medicine　I　have　now。〃

That　part　about　her　being　ill　mig