第36部分(第4/7 頁)

n　her　for　breakfast。

〃It's　a　perfect　morning　to　set　in　the　spouts；〃　he　said；　wiping　the

dishes　as　she　washed。

〃Spouts？〃

〃We've　had　cold　nights　and　warm　days。　The　sap　should　be　flowing　like

water。〃

Anne　laughed　in　delight。　〃Maple…sugaring？　We　can　do　it　ourselves？　I'd

planned　on　visiting　a　local　farm　to　watch。〃

He　gave　a　satisfied　grin。　〃Why　go　elsewhere　when　we　have　everything　we

need　right　here？〃

〃Do　you　know　what　to　do？〃

〃Do　I　know　what　to　do？　Since　when　have　you　had　cause　to　question　my

expertise？〃

She　grunted。　He　was　all　too　appealing　when　he　was　in　good　humor。

〃Modesty　seems　to　have　escaped　you　entirely。〃

He　gave　a　short　laugh。　〃No　one's　perfect。〃

In　Anne's　biased　judgment；　Mitch　was　as　close　to　it　as　anyone　could　be

on　that　day　and　the　ones　that　followed。　Though　they　hiked；　read；　and

rested；　the　bulk　of　their　attention　focused　on　the　maple…sugaring；　about

which　he　did　indeed　know　almost　everything。

〃The　best　trees　have　to　be　big；　forty　years　old　or　more；〃　he　explained；

when　they　left　the　house　carting　the　tools　he　had　produced　from　a　shed。

〃We're　using　metal　spouts。　This　is　the　old…fashioned　method　of　tapping

trees；　but　it　works　for　me。〃

〃You've　done　this　before？〃

〃Many　times。〃

At　the　first　maple　that　fit　that　bill；　he　drilled　a　small　hole　and

inserted　a　metal　spout　that　extended　several　inches　beyond　the　bark。　He

did　the　same　at　each　large　tree。

〃The　sap　generally　flows　between　mid…March　and　mid…April。　I　do　this

whenever　I'm　here　then。〃　With　a　shove；　he　pushed　a　spout　into　place；

then　inserted　one　on　the　back　side　of　the　same　tree。

〃More　than　o