when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第12节
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you understand？〃
Loretta buried her face in the cushioned chair back； and broke into a
passionate storm of sobs。
All that Bashford could make out at first； as he listened； was： 〃But I
don't want to leave Daisy！ I don't want to leave Daisy！〃
He paced grimly back and forth； then stopped curiously to listen。
〃How was I to know？Boohoo；〃 Loretta was crying。 〃He didn't tell
me。 Nobody else ever kissed me。 I never dreamed a kiss could be so
terrible 。 。 。 until； boo…hoo 。 。 。 until he wrote to me。 I only got the letter
this morning。〃
His face brightened。 It seemed as though light was dawning on him。
〃Is that what you're crying about？〃
〃Nno。〃
His heart sank。
〃Then what are you crying about？〃 he asked in a hopeless voice。
〃Because you said I had to marry Billy。 And I don't want to marry
Billy。 I don't want to leave Daisy。 I don't know what I want。 I wish I
were dead。〃
He nerved himself for another effort。
〃Now look here； Loretta； be sensible。 What is this about kisses。
You haven't told me everything？〃
〃II don't want to tell you everything。〃
She looked at him beseechingly in the silence that fell。
〃Must I？〃 she quavered finally。
〃You must；〃 he said imperatively。 〃You must tell me everything。〃
〃Well； then 。 。 。 must I？〃
〃You must。〃
〃He 。 。 。 I 。 。 。 we 。 。 。〃 she began flounderingly。 Then blurted out； 〃I
let him； and he kissed me。〃
〃Go on；〃 Bashford commanded desperately。
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
〃That's all；〃 she answered。
〃All？〃 There was a vast incredulity in his voice。
〃All？〃 In her voice was an interrogation no less vast。
〃I meanernothing worse？〃 He was overwhelmingly aware of his
own awkwardness。
〃Worse？〃 She was frankly puzzled。 〃As though there could be！
Billy said… …〃
〃When did he say it？〃 Bashford demanded abruptly。
〃In his letter I got this morning。 Billy said that my 。 。 。 our 。 。 。 our
kisses were terrible if we didn't get married。〃
Bashford's head was swimming。
〃What else did Billy say？〃 he asked。
〃He said that when a woman allowed a man to kiss her； she always
married himthat it was terrible if she didn't。 It was the custom； he said；
and I say it is a bad； wicked custom； and I don't like it。 I know I'm
terrible；〃 she added defiantly； 〃but I can't help it。〃
Bashford absent…mindedly brought out a cigarette。
〃Do you mind if I smoke？〃 he asked； as he struck a match。 Then he
came to himself。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he cried； flinging away match and cigarette。 〃I
don't want to smoke。 I didn't mean that at all。 What I mean is〃
He bent over Loretta； caught her hands in his； then sat on the arm of
the chair and softly put one arm around her。
〃Loretta； I am a fool。 I mean it。 And I mean something more。 I
want you to be my wife。〃
He waited anxiously in the pause that followed。
〃You might answer me；〃 he urged。
〃I will 。 。 。 if〃
〃Yes； go on。 If what？〃
〃If I don't have to marry Billy。〃
〃You can't marry both of us；〃 he almost shouted。
〃And it isn't the custom 。 。 。 what。 。 。 what Billy said？〃
〃No； it isn't the custom。 Now； Loretta； will you marry me？〃
〃Don't be angry with me；〃 she pouted demurely。
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
He gathered her into his arms and kissed her。
〃I wish it were the custom；〃 she said in a faint voice； from the midst of
the embrace； 〃because then I'd have to marry you； Ned dear 。 。 。 wouldn't
I？〃
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
JUST MEAT
He strolled to the corner and glanced up and down the intersecting
street； but saw nothing save the oases of light shed by the street lamps at
the successive crossings。 Then he strolled back the way he had come。
He was a shadow of a man； sliding noiselessly and without undue
movement through the semi…darkness。 Also he was very alert； like a wild
animal in the jungle； keenly perceptive and receptive。 The movement of
another in the darkness about him would need to have been more shadowy
than he to have escaped him。
In addition to the running advertisement of the state of affairs carried
to him by his senses； he had a subtler perception； a FEEL； of the
atmosphere around him。 He knew that the house in front of which he
paused for a moment； contained children。 Yet by no willed effort of
perception did he have this knowledge。 For that matter； he was not even
aware that he knew； so occult was the impression。 Yet； did a moment
arise in which action； in relation to that house； were imperative； he would
have acted on the assumption that it contained children。 He was not
aware of all that he knew about the neighbourhood。
In the same way； he knew not how； he knew that no danger threatened
in the footfalls that came up the cross street。 Before he saw the walker；
he knew him for a belated pedestrian hurrying home。 The walker came
into view at the crossing and disappeared on up the street。 The man that
watched； noted a light that flared up in the window of a house on the
corner； and as it died down he knew it for an expiring match。 This was
conscious identification of familiar phenomena； and through his mind
flitted the thought； 〃Wanted to know what time。〃 In another house one
room was lighted。 The light burned dimly and steadily； and he had the
feel that it was a sick…room。
He was especially interested in a house across the street in the middle
of the block。 To this house he paid most attention。 No matter what way
he looked； nor what way he walked； his looks and his steps always
returned to it。 Except for an open window above the porch； there was
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
nothing unusual about the house。 Nothing came in nor out。 Nothing
happened。 There were no lighted windows； nor had lights appeared and
disappeared in any of the windows。 Yet it was the central point of his
consideration。 He rallied to it each time after a divination of the state of
the neighbourhood。
Despite his feel of things； he was not confident。 He was supremely
conscious of the precariousness of his situation。 Though unperturbed by
the footfalls of the chance pedestrian； he was as keyed up and sensitive
and ready to be startled as any timorous deer。 He was aware of the
possibility of other intelligences prowling about in the darkness
intelligences similar to his own in movement； perception； and divination。
Far down the street he caught a glimpse of something that moved。
And he knew it was no late home…goer； but menace and danger。 He
whistled twice to the house across the street； then faded away shadow…like
to the corner and around the corner。 Here he paused and looked about
him carefully。 Reassured； he peered back around the corner and studied
the object that moved and that was coming nearer。 He had divined aright。
It was a policeman。
The man went down the cross street to the next corner； from the shelter
of which he watched the corner he had just left。 He saw the policeman
pass by； going straight on up the street。 He paralleled the policeman's
course； and from the next corner again watched him go by； then he
returned the way he had come。 He whistled once to the house across the
street； and after a time whistled once agai
