第12部分(第4/7 頁)

en。　She　heard　murmurs　in　the　parlor；　and　then　the　slamming　of　thedoor。　She　remembered；　too　late；　that　he　had　all　his　money　with　him。　When　he　came　back；　longafter　nightfall；　and　she　put　him　to　bed　and　went　through　his　pockets；　she　found　nothing；　or　almostnothing；　and　she　sank　helplessly　to　the　parlor　floor　and　cried。

When　he　came　back　at　times　like　this　he　would　be　petulant　and　penitent。　She　would　notcreep　into　bed　until　she　thought　that　he　was　sleeping。　But　he　would　not　be　sleeping。　He　would　turn　as　she　stretched　her　legs　beneath　the　blankets；　and　his　arm　would　reach　out；　and　his　breath　wouldbe　hot　and　sour…sweet　in　her　face。

‘Sugar…plum；　what　you　want　to　be　so　evil　with　your　baby　for？　Don’t　you　know　you　donemade　me　go　out　and　get　drunk；　and　I　wasn’t　a…fixing　to　do　that？　I　wanted　to　take　you　outsomewhere　to…night。’　And；　while　he　spoke；　his　hand　was　on　her　breast；　and　his　moving　lipsbrushed　her　neck。　And　this　caused　such　a　war　in　her　as　could　scarcely　be　endured。　She　felt　thateverything　in　existence　between　them　was　part　of　a　mighty　plan　for　her　humiliation。　She　did　notwant　his　touch；　and　yet　she　did：　she　burned　with　longing　and　froze　with　rage。　And　she　felt　that　heknew　this　and　inwardly　smile　to　see　how　easily；　on　this　part　of　the　battlefield；　his　victory　could　beassured。　But　at　the　same　time　she　felt　that　his　tenderness；　his　passion；　and　his　love　were　real。

‘Let　me　alone；　Frank。　I　want　to　go　to　sleep。’

‘No　you　don’t。　You　don’t　want　to　go　to　sleep　so　soon。　You　want　me　to　talk　to　you　a　little。

You　know　how　your　baby　loves　to　talk。　Listen。’　And　he　brushed　her　neck　lightly　with　his　tongue。

‘You　hear　that？’

He　waited。　She　was　silent。

‘Ain’t　you　got　nothing　more　to　say　than　that？　I　better　tell　you　something　else。’　And　t