第7部分(第1/6 頁)

snapshot　of　herself　in　a　bathing　suit；　which　drove　me　to　the　wildest　of　fantasies。　I　mentioned　the　possibility　of　marriage　in　my　next　letter；　and　almost　immediately　her　replies　became　less　frequent；　less　personal。

The　first　thing　I　did　when　I　returned　to　the　States　was　to　call　on　Rachel。　Her　mother　answered　the　door。　Rachel　no　longer　lived　there。　She　had　married　a　medical　student　she’d　met　in　college。　“I　thought　she　wrote　you。”　her　mother　said。

Her“Dear　John”　letter　finally　caught　up　with　me　while　I　was　awaiting　discharge。　She　gently　explained　the　impossibility　of　a　marriage　between　us。　Looking　back　on　it；　I　must　have　recovered　rather　quickly；　although　for　the　first　few　months　I　believed　I　didn’t　want　to　live。　Like　Rachel；　I　found　someone　else；　whom　I　learned　to　love　with　a　deep　and　permanent5　mitment　that　has　lasted　to　this　day。

Then；　recently；　after　an　interval　of　more　than　40　years；　I　heard　from　Rachel　again。　Her　husband　had　died。　She　was　passing　through　town　and　had　learned　of　my　where　abouts　through　a　mutual　friend。　We　agreed　to　meet。　。　想看書來

初 戀（3）

I　felt　both　curious　and　excited。　In　the　last　few　years；　I　hadn’t　thought　about　her；　and　her　sudden　call　one　morning　had　taken　me　aback。　The　actual　sight　of　her　was　a　shock。　This　white…haired　matron6　at　the　restaurant　table　was　the　Rachel　of　my　dreams　and　desires；　the　supple　mermaid　of　that　snapshot？

Yet　time　had　given　us　a　mon　reference　and　respect。　We　talked　as　old　friends；　and　quickly　discovered　we　were　both　grandparents。

“Do　you　remember　this？”　She　handed　me　a　slip　of　worn　paper。　It　was　a　poem　I’d　written　her　while　still　in　school。　I　examined　the　crude　meter　and　pallid　rhymes。　Watching　my　face；　she　snatched　the　poem　from　me　and　returned　it　to　her　purse；　as　though　f