第28部分(第2/7 頁)

ked　a

kiss。　It　was　a　whimsical　thought。　Not　so　whimsically；　his　lank　image

shrank　steadily　in　the　rearview　mirror。　When　the　car　took　a　curve　and　he

disappeared；　she　narrowed　her　sights　on　reality　and　New　York。

How　different　the　road　looked　this　time　around。　Parched　brown　leaves

blanketed　the　ground；　forests　of　bare　branches　joined　evergreens　in　a

blur　of　gray…green　on　distant　hills。　Mountains　stood　stark；　more　harsh

without　greenery　on　their　slopes。　Leaf　peepers　had　long　since　gone　home

to　city　beat　and　thoughts　of　Thanksgiving；　barely　two　weeks　away。

Those　thoughts　had　precipitated　Anne's　trip；　or　so　she　told　herself　as

she　drove　steadily　north。　On　one　hand；　things　had　improved　in　New　York。

Her　return　trip　had　been　uneventful；　her　apprehension　at　facing　life　and

its　memories　eased　by　the　onset　of　autumn　and　a　renewed　strength。

〃You　look　marvelous！〃　her　mother　had　said　the　first　night　of　her　return。

〃I　like　that　pink　on　your　cheeks。　It　bees　you。〃

Even　after　the　long　drive；　Anne　was　full　of　energy；　which　was　why　she

had　stopped　at　her　parents　in　the　first　place。　〃It　was　perfect；〃　she

said。　〃Just　what　I　needed。〃

〃Sit　down　and　tell　me　all　about　it；〃　the　older　woman　ordered；　and　Anne

had。　Almost。　She　didn't　mention　Mitch。　He　played　no　role　in　her　real

life。　She　didn't　even　know　his　last　name。

At　first　she　gave　little　thought　to　the　idea　of　returning　to　Vermont　in

November。　The　new　semester　had　begun；　and　she　was　up　to　her　ears　in

translation　work。　Friends　still　hovered；　but　she　had　more　patience　for

it　now。　In　turn；　they　sensed　her　calmer　state　and　began　to　ease　up。

She　still　refused　to　date。　But　she　w