第40部分(第1/7 頁)

The　days　that　followed　were　pure　hell　for　Anne。　After　tears；　came

selfrecrimination。　She　had　been　naive；　she　had　been　irresponsible；　she

had　been　wanton。　She　should　never　have　returned　to　the　cabin　after　the

first　week。　She　shouldn't　even　have　stayed　there　then。

Self…recrimination　gave　way　to　anger；　and　she　railed　on　at　Mitch　for　a

while。　She　didn't　understand　how　a　person　could　do　what　he　did。　And　he

kept　calling　her！　She　cringed　each　time　the　phone　rang　and　answered　only

to　avoid　visits　from　her　family。　When　it　was　Mitch；　she　hung　up。

Her　seclusion　was　more　total　than　it　had　been　after　Jeff's　death；

because　no　one；　but　no　one；　knew　about　Mitch　and　her。　If　her　parents

sensed　that　her　reaction　to　the　deposition　was　extreme；　they　attributed

it　to　the　final　pain　of　losing　Jeff。　She　let　them　believe　that；　rather

than　having　to　tell　them　what　a　fool　she'd　been。

She　couldn't　begin　to　think　of　the　future。　Once　again；　it　was　a

frightening　void。　Each　day　was　a　challenge。　Her　only　hope　was　in　wiping

Mitch　from　her　mind；　and　it　was　easier　here　in　New　York。　They　hadn't

spent　time　together　here。　There　were　no　memories　of　him　here；　other　than

of　the　deposition；　but；　there；　he　hadn't　been　the　man　she　loved。

On　occasion　she　thought　of　Vermont。　Spring　would　be　ing　there。　She

would　have　liked　to　see　the　lilacs　bloom　and　smell　their　fragrance。　So

there　was　a　loss　in　this；　too。

He　stopped　calling　after　the　first　few　days；　but；　try　as　she　might；　she

was　never　able　to　push　him　far　from　mind。　Her　father　actually　mentioned

him　one　afternoon。

〃I　received　a　call　from　Mitchell　Anderson　the　other　night。　You　know；　the

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