第39部分(第2/7 頁)

〃What　are　you　thinking　about？　You're　thinking　about　something；　probably　no　good。　It's　in　your　face。〃

Lying　was　out　of　the　question；　it　wasn't　the　way　we　were　with　each　other。　I　just　told　her　it　was　best　she　not　know；　at　least　for　the　time　being。

〃Is　it　。。。　could　it　get　you　in　trouble？〃　She　didn't　sound　particularly　alarmed　at　the　idea　…　more　interested　than　anything　…　which　is　one　of　the　things　I　have　always　loved　about　her。

〃Maybe；〃　I　said。

〃Is　it　a　good　thing？〃

〃Maybe；〃　I　repeated。　I　was　standing　there；　still　turning　the　phone's　crank　idly　with　one　finger；　while　I　held　down　the　connecting　points　with　a　finger　of　my　other　hand。

〃Would　you　like　me　to　leave　you　alone　while　you　use　the　telephone？〃　she　asked。　〃Be　a　good　little　woman　and　butt　out？　Do　some　dishes？　Knit　some　booties？〃

I　nodded。　〃That's　not　the　way　I'd　put　it；　but…〃

〃Are　we　having　extras　for　lunch；　Paul？〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　I　said。

9。

I　got　Brutal　and　Dean　right　away；　because　both　of　them　were　on　the　exchange。　Harry　wasn't；　not　then；　at　least；　but　I　had　the　number　of　his　closest　neighbor　who　was。　Harry　called　me　back　about　twenty　minutes　later；　highly　embarrassed　at　having　to　reverse　the　charges　and　sputtering　promises　to　〃pay　his　share〃　when　our　next　bill　came。　I　told　him　we'd　count　those　chickens　when　they　hatched；　in　the　meantime；　could　he　e　over　to　my　place　for　lunch？　Brutal　and　Dean　would　be　here；　and　Janice　had　promised　to　put　out　some　of　her　famous　slaw　。。。　not　to　mention　her　even　more　famous　apple　pie。

〃Lunch　just　for　the　hell　of　it？〃　Harry　sounded　skeptical。

I　admitted　I　had　something　I　wanted　to　talk　to　them　about；　but　it　was　best　not　gone　into；　even　lightly；　over　the　phone。　Harry　agreed　to　e。　I　dropped　the　receive