第26部分(第2/7 頁)

out　the　beds？　Every　move　you　make　rattles　on　the　ceiling。　I

wanted　to　sleep。〃

〃Yeah；　I　wanted　that；　too；　but　the　bed　up　there　is　too　damned　small　and

unfortable。　Why　don't　you　try　sleeping　there？〃

〃Because　you're　there。〃

〃Then　why　don't　I　sleep　downstairs？〃

〃Because　I'm　there。〃

〃Damn　it；〃　he　sighed；　〃I　don't　want　to　share　your　bed。　Why　don't　we　just

switch？〃

She　wasn't　a　fool。　〃After　you've　told　me　how　small　and　unfortable　the

attic　one　is？　No　way！〃

〃Then　don't　plain　about　the　noise。〃　In　one　swift　move　he　was　up；

stacking　the　dishes；　dumping　them　in　the　sink。　When　he　turned　back　to

her；　a　silver　wave　had　fallen　across　his　brow。　〃You　clean　up。　I　cooked。〃

He　left　the　room　so　quickly　that　Anne's　protest　met　thin　air。

〃But…it　was…my　food…〃　Slowly　she　faced　the　dishes。　If　this　was　a　preview

of　the　week；　things　looked　grim。

But　Anne　was　tired　of　grim；　so　she　took　a　positive　approach。　Starting

with　a　long　walk　through　the　woods；　she　followed　the　line　of　a　low　stone

wall　across　the　hilltop　and　down　a　gently　graded　slope　until　the　road

intersected　her　path。　The　view　was　spectacular　from　several　points　where

the　forest　door　opened　to　the　village　below；　its　tall　white　church

steeple　catching　the　afternoon　sun。

As　she　followed　the　dirt　road　back　to　the　house；　the　climb　steepened。

She　stopped　to　rest　a　time　or　two。　All　was　peaceful。　The　murmur　of　the

breeze　was　a　wele　switch　from　the　grating　sounds　of　the　city；　the

lush　ferns　on　the　forest　floor　were　a　far　cry　from　stone　sidewalks；　the

chipmunk　skuttling　through　the　brush　was　far　better　than　a　guard　dog　on

a　leash　by　the　curb。

Accust