scoonts.theminotaur-第99节

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　〃Tarkington！〃　Jake　Grafton　roared。
　Toad　twisted　the　man's　arm；　squeezing　as　hard　as　he　could。　〃The　decision　has　been　made！　They　decided。　It's　over　for　you。〃
　〃Please　listen…〃　Caplinger　began　as　Jake　strode　toward　the　two　men；　his　face　a　mask　of　livid　fury。
　〃Tarkington！〃
　〃So　long；　asshole！〃　Toad　stepped　to　one　side；　raised　his　arm　and　pointed　right　into　Caplinger's　face。　〃Bang；〃　he　said；　and　let　the　corncob　pipe　fall　from　his　hand。
　Caplinger　stood　staring　at　it。
　〃Tarkington；〃　Jake　said　softly；　his　voice　as　ominous　as　a　gathering　storm。
　Toad　walked　away　down　the　drive。　He　stumbled　once；　caught　himself　and　kept　walking。　He　didn't　look　back。
　Caplinger　lowered　himself　into　the　gravel。　He　put　his　head　on　his　knees。　After　a　bit　he　whispered；　〃I　really。。。　I　really　thought。。。〃
　〃His　wife。。。〃
　〃He's　right；　you　know。〃
　Jake　turned　and　looked　down　the　long；　straight　driveway。　Tarkington　was　still　going；　marching　for　the　road；　his　head　up　and　shoulders　back。　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Go。　Take　him　with　you。　Go。〃
　〃You　going　to　be　okay？〃
　〃Yes。　Just　go。〃
　Jake　started　the　car；　turned　it　around　and　went　down　the　driveway。　He　slowed　to　a　crawl　alongside　Toad；　who　kept　walking。　〃Get　in。〃
　Tarkington　ignored　him。　He　was　chewing　on　his　lower　lip。
　〃Get　in　the　car；　Lieutenant；　or　I　will　court…martial　you；　so　help　me　God。〃
　Tarkington　stopped　and　looked　at　Grafton　behind　the　wheel。　He　hesitated；　then　opened　the　passenger　door　and　climbed　in。
　As　Jake　started　the　car　rolling　again　he　glanced　in　the　rearview　mirror。　In　front　of　the　huge　mansion　covered　with　ivy；　Caplinger　was　still　sitting　in　the　gravel　with　his　head　down。
　Three　mites　down　the　road　Toad　spoke。　〃Why　did　you　stay　in　the　navy？〃
　〃Some　things　are　worth　fighting　for。〃
　Toad　sat　silently；　his　eyes　on　the　road；　for　a　long　time。　Finally　he　said；　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃Everyone's　sorry。〃　We're　born　sorry；　we　spend　our　life　apologizing；　and　we　die　sorry。　Sorry　for　all　the　guys　with　their　names　on　the　Wall。　Sorry　for　the　silly　bastards　who　sent　them　there　and　stayed　home　and　aren't　sorry　themselves。　Sorry　for　the　230　grunts　killed　in　Lebanon　by　a　truck　bomb。　Sorry　for　the　simple　sonuvabitch　who　wouldn't　let　the　sentry　load　his　rifle。　We're　sorry　for　them　all。
　〃Forget　it；〃　Jake　added。
　〃I　should've　killed　the　bastard。〃
　〃Wouldn't　have　done　any　good。〃
　〃I　suppose　not。〃
　
　31
　
　Rita　was　released　from　the　hospital　on　a　Wednesday　in　November。　She　wore　a　cervical　collar　and　a　blue　uniform　that　Toad　had　had　dry…cleaned。　He　picked　her　up　at　noon。　〃Where　to；　beautiful？〃
　〃Straight　to　the　beauty　shop；　James。　I'm　going　to　treat　myself　to　a　cut；　shampoo　and　perm；　then　home　to　bed。〃
　She　was　very　tired　when　he　got　her　home　to　their　apartment；　After　a　nap；　that　evening　she　walked　around　slowly；　looking　at　this；　touching　that。　Harriet　came　over　for　a　gabfest　and　left　at　nine　when　Rita　visibly　wilted。
　On　Friday；　Rita　insisted　on　going　to　the　office　with　Toad。　The　crowd　paraded　by　the　desk　one　at　a　time　to　wele　her　back。　She　greeted　each　of　them　joyfully；　with　genuine　enthusiasm。　Her　delightful　exhilaration　was　contagious。　She　seemed　the　incarnation　of　the　promise　and　hope　of　life。　Yet　by　noon　she　was　tired；　so　Toad　drove　her　home；　then　be　returned　to　the　office　alone。
　Saturday　morning　arrived　crisp　and　clear。　〃How　do　you　feel　today？〃　Toad　asked　as　he　helped　her　into　the　collar。
　〃Good。　I'll　need　a　nap　this　afternoon；　though。〃
　〃Want　to　go　on　an　expedition？　I　promise　a　nap。〃
　〃Where？〃
　He　wouldn't　tell。　So；　suitably　dressed；　they　went　down　to　the　car；　where　Toad　announced　he　had　forgotten　something　upstairs。
　He　rode　the　elevator　back　up　to　the　third　floor　and　made　several　quick　phone　calls；　then　returned　smiling。
　He　drove　out　to　a　small　civilian　airport　in　Reston；　all　the　while　refusing　to　answer　questions；　parked　the　car　in　front　of　the　flying　service's　little　building；　and　came　around　to　help　her　out。
　〃'Just　as　lovely　a　morning　as　ever　was　seen；　for　a　nice　tittle　trip　in　a　flying　machine；'〃　quoted　Toad。
　〃What　is　this？　Toad！　I　can't　fly！〃
　〃I　can。　You　can　watch　me。〃
　〃You？　You've　been　taking　lessons？〃
　〃Got　my　license　too。　Last　weekend。　Now　we're　both　pilots。〃　He　grinned　broadly　and　hugged　her　gently。
　Toad　took　her　inside　and　introduced　her　to　the　owner　of　the　flying　service；　who　visited　with　her　while　Toad　preflighted　the　plane　and　taxied　it　to　the　front；　where　he　killed　the　engine。　The　machine　was　a　Cessna　172；　white　with　a　red　stripe　extending　horizontally　along　the　fuselage；　back　from　the　prop　spinner。　Toad　thought　it　looked　racy。
　Rita　was　standing　in　the　door；　watching　him。　He　couldn't　resist。　He　bowed　deeply　from　the　waist。　〃e；〃　he　said。　〃e　fly　with　me。〃
　He　helped　her　strap　into　the　right　seat；　then　walked　around　the　machine　and　strapped　himself　into　the　left。
　〃This　feels　funny；〃　she　giggled。
　〃e　fly　with　me；　darling　Rita。　We'll　fly　the　halls　of　heaven；　watch　the　angel　choir。　We'll　soar　with　the　eagles　and　see　where　the　storms　are　born。　Fly　with　me；　Rita；　all　your　life。〃
　〃Start　the　engine；　Toad…man。〃
　With　a　half　inch　of　throttle；　the　engine　spluttered　to　life　again。　He　pulled　the　throttle　back　to　idle　and　the　Lying　ran　smoothly；　the　propeller　a　blurred　disk。　Out　they　went　down　the　narrow　asphalt　taxiway　with　Toad　monitoring　the　Unicorn　frequency　and　checking　the　sky。　He　paused　at　the　end　of　the　taxiway；　ran　the　engine　up　to　1；700　RPM　and　checked　the　mags；　carb　heat　and　mixture　control；　all　the　while　acutely　aware　of　Rita's　scrutiny。
　He　was　trying　very　hard　to　do　everything　right　and　not　to　laugh　at　the　incongruity　of　the　situation。　When　he　glanced　at　Rita；　she　quickly　averted　her　gaze。　She　was　biting　her　lip；　no　doubt　to　keep　from　smiling。　She　had　that　scrunched…up　look　around　her　eyes。　Trying　hard　to　keep　a　straight　face　himself。　Toad　got　back　to　the　business　at　hand。
　He　wiped　the　controls　through　a　cycle　and　ran　the　flaps　out　and　in　with　an　eye　on　the　voltage　needle。　Satisfied；　he　announced　his　intentions　on　Unicorn　and　took　the　runway。
　The　engine　snarled　as　he　smoothly　pushed　the　throttle　knob　in　all　the　way。　With　his　feet　dancing　on　the　rudder　pedals；　the　plane　swerved　only　a　little　as　it　accelerated。　At　fifty…five　knots　he　pulled　bock　on　the　yoke　and　the　plane　came　willingly　off　the　runway。　He　trimmed　the　plane　for　a　seventy…knot　climb　and　said；　〃You've　got　it。〃
　She　took　the　wheel　gingerly　and　waggled　it　experimentally。　〃Oh；　Toad！　It's　terrific！　It　flies　great。〃
　〃Anything　that　gets　you　off　the　ground　is　a　great　airplane。〃　He　gave　her　the　course　he　wanted　and　checked　that　the　IFF　was　properly　set。
　Upward　they　climbed。　They　circled　south　of　the　metropolitan　Washington　area　and　headed　eastward　across　the　Chesapeake　at　5；500　feet；　105　knots　indicated。　The　engine　was　loud；　but　not　unpleasantly　so。
　Rita　flew　with　a　smile；　occasionally　waggling　the　wings　or　kicking　the　rudder；　just　to　see　how　it　felt。　She　made　gentle　coordinated　climbing　and　descending　turns　as　Toad　monitored　the　engine　instruments；　swept　the　sky　for　other　airplanes；　and　kept　track　of　their　position　with　the　VOR　needles。　Still；　105　knots　was　not　warp　speed；　so　between　all　these　tasks　he　had　time　to　watch　the　boats　on　the　Chesapeake　a　mile　below。　They　were　small；　trailing　short　wakes　on　the　great　blue　water；　under　the　great　blue　sky。
　The　wind　helped　the　plane　eastward。　About　fifteen　knots　of　wind　from　the　northwest。　Toad　figured。　Approaching　the　eastern　shore　of　Maryland；　he　could　see　smoke　rising　skyward　from　odd　smokestacks　and　bending　with　the　wind　as　it　drifted　aloft。
　Rita　signaled　that　he　should　take　the　controls；　and　he　did。　She　sat　back　in　her　seat　and　watched　him　fly。　Somewhere　over　eastern　Maryland　she　began　to　laugh。
　What　began　as　a　giggle　quickly　became　an　eye…watering　gut　buster。　Toad　joined　in。　Together　they　laughed　until　they　had　tears　in　their　eyes。　When　they　had　melted　themselves　down　to　wide　grins；　she　ran　her　fingers　through　his　hair　as　he　continued　his　impersonation　of　Orville　Wright；　Glenn　Curtiss　and　Eddie　Rickenbacker；　Douglas　McCampbell　and　Randy　Cunningham；　Jake　Grafton　and　Rita　Moravia　and　all　the　rest；　all　those　who　were　only　truly　alive　when　they　had　a　stick　in　their　hand　and　the　airplane　was　a　part　of　them。
　Finally　she　devoted　her　attention　to　the　sky　and　the　green　earth　spread　out　below。　When　he　next　looked　at　her　she　wore　a　gentle；　contented　smile。　She　seemed　very　much　at　peace。
　I　roust　always　remember　her　this　way；　he　thought；　with　the　sun　on　her　face　and　the　blue　sky　behind　her；　happy　and　content？
　The　field　at　Rehoboth　was　grass。　Toad　held　the　plane　off　until　the　stall　warning　sounded；　and　after　the　main　mounts　kissed；　he　held　the　weight　off　the　nose　with　full　back　elevator　until　he　had　slowed　to　the　speed　of　a　man　walking。
　Jake　Grafton　was　leaning　on　the　fence；　watching　them　taxi　in。　Toad　napped　a　hand。　The　captain　waved　back。
　〃Have　a　good　flight？〃　Jake　asked　after　Toad　killed　the　engine　and　climbed　out。
　〃The　best。　No　lie；　sir；　this　was　the　finest　Sight　of　my　life。〃
　〃'Lo；　Rita。　Was　he　safe？〃
　She　laughed　and　grasped　Toad's　hand。　〃I'll　fly　with　him　anytime。〃
　At　the　Graftons'　house　Callie　led　Rita　upstairs；　where　she　stretched　out　in　Amy's　bed；　at　Amy's　proud　ins