第8部分(第1/7 頁)

〃No　。。。　Yes　。。。　I　don't　know；〃　she　finally　ended　in　a　whisper；　tugging

at　the　towel　draped　about　her　neck。　〃I　can't　give　you　a　simple　yes　or

no。　I've　never　regretted　the　act　itself　It　was　beautiful。〃

〃Then　what　is　it　about　me　that　makes　you　so　unfortable？〃

The　ensuing　silence　was　rich　with　the　sounds　of　the　shore…the　lapping　of

the　waves；　the　cry　of　the　gulls；　the　rustle　of　the　breeze　in　the　drying

leaves　of　the　wild　honeysuckle。　Each　had　the　potential　to　soothe；　yet

Chloe　remained　tense。

〃Seeing　you；〃　she　finally　confessed；　〃brings　back　memories　of　a　holiday

weekend　that　was　tragic　for　me。〃

〃Your　sister's　death。〃

Her　eyes　shot　to　his。　〃You　knew？〃　And　hadn't　tried　to　contact　her？

The　dark　sheen　of　his　hair　captured　the　golden　rays　of　the　slow…setting

sun。　〃Yes；　I　knew；　but　not　until　long　after　I'd　returned　to　Africa。　I

didn't　feel　then　that　it　was　my　place　to　contact　you。〃

〃Why　not？〃　She　didn't　understand　that　detachment。　He　was　certainly

persistent　enough　now。

〃In　the　first　place；〃　he　began；　〃it　was　pitiful；　how　long　after　the　fact

I　learned　of　it。　Sammy　wrote　me　the　news　in　a　letter　the　following

spring。〃

He　seemed　to　hesitate。　More　quietly；　he　said；　〃It　was　only　then　that　I'd

had　the　guts　to　ask　him　about　you。〃

〃But　why？〃　she　cried。

〃Because　you　weren't　the　only　one　to　have　afterthoughts　of　that　night！

From　what　I　could　see　I　had　seduced　the　virgin　daughter　of　my　host's

best　friend。　I　was　twenty…seven。　You　were　eighteen。　I　should　have　known

better。　But　the　worst　of　it　was　that　I　was　glad　I　hadn't。〃　His　voice

gentled。　〃The　memory　of　that　night　helped　me　through　many　a　lonely　nig