cw.blackalibi-第13部分

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ket；　held　on　this　site　for　two　hundred　years　past　every　day　from　sunrise　until　dusk。
　　Conchita's　chaperon　got　out　of　the　carriage　at　the　foot　of　the　steps；　turned　to　ask：　〃What　kind　shall　I　get？〃
　　The　girl　descended　right　after　her。　〃I'm　ing；　too。　I　want　to　pick　them　myself。〃
　　Marta　started　to　protest　that　it　wasn't　necessary；　she　would　do　it　for　her；　but　Conchita　had　already　taken　the　lead；　was　moving　slowly　up　the　main　aisle　of　display；　looking　about　her；　assailed　from　either　side　by　an　advancing　barrage　of　shrill；　wheedling；　poetic；　and　personally　flattering　cries　that　kept　pace　with　her；　to　die　out　again　forlornly　behind　her　as　she　passed　out　of　reach　into　the　next　vendor's　jurisdiction。　Hands　reached　for　her；　tugged　importunately　at　her　clothing。　Marta　slapped　them　down　again。
　　〃Here；　nina；　roses　crying　for　you！〃
　　〃Look；　chiquita；　carnations　begging　to　be　bought。　Ten　centavitos。　Five。　Any　price　you　say。　Only　take　them；　take　them！〃　It　was　late　and　the　market　was　about　to　disband。
　　Marta　halted。　〃Here　are　some。　Will　these　do；　nina？〃
　　Conchita　glanced　around；　but　without　halting　her　ascent。　〃No；　up　here　at　the　top。　I　always　buy　from　this　one　at　the　end。〃
　　The　stall　she　indicated；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　had　a　less　sizable　assortment　to　offer　than　many　of　those　they　had　just　passed。　The　vendor　was　an　old　woman　with　a　face　as　finely　lined　as　though　mosquito　netting　had　been　drawn　over　it。
　　〃Some　of　these。〃　Conchita　picked　up　a　single　white　rose　and　held　it　to　her　face　outside　the　veil；　causing　a　small　indentation　to　appear　with　indrawn　breath。
　　〃Si；　little；　angel；　si！〃　the　vendor　jabbered；　bustling　to　collect　them。　〃White　roses；　as　beautiful；　as　young；　as　you　are　yourself。〃
　　〃And　gardenias；〃　Conchita　instructed。
　　Marta　held　out　her　arms　for　the　unbound　accumulation。　〃I'll　carry　them；　they　may　tear　your　clothes。〃　She　handed　the　old　woman　a　coin；　turned　to　pick　her　way　down　the　slippery　steps。
　　The　vendor；　however；　was　not　yet　satisfied。　〃Look；　a　little　cluster　of　white　violets　to　go　with　them。　The　last　one　left。〃　She　laid　one　finger　craftily　alongside　her　nose　for　a　moment；　glanced　after　the　retreating　chaperon。　〃I've　been　saving　them　for　you　all　day。　Free！　I　give　them　to　you　free！〃　She　pulled　twice　at　the　girl's　skirt；　almost　as　though　it　were　a　bell　cord。
　　The　girl　took　them；　moved　down　the　steps　in　the　wake　of　her　panion；　holding　them　close　to　her　face。　They　were　platted　together　on　a　single；　large　leaf　of　some　sort。　She　had　extracted　the　thinly　folded　note　twined　around　their　stems　even　before　she　re…entered　the　carriage。　She　opened　it　with　one　hand；　read　it；　holding　it　down　out　of　sight　on　the　side　away　from　Marta；　as　they　jounced　back　through　the　narrow；　erratically　turning　streets　on　their　way　to　the　cemetery。
　　Just　a　few　words。　The　oldest　message　in　the　world；　that　said　nothing；　that　said　everything。　〃Sweetness　of　my　life。　Will　you　go　there　again　today？　I　will　be　waiting。　I　have　counted　the　hours　all　week　long；　since　the　last　time。　Sweetness　of　my　life；　have　mercy　on　me。〃
　　Somehow　she　got　it　inside　the　lining　of　her　glove；　refolded；　by　thumb　motion　alone。　Then　she　dipped　her　face　to　the　violets　once　more。　As　the　Seсora　Viuda　had　said；　one　couldn't　change　the　world。
　　They　came　out　of　the　older　part　of　town　with　its　tortuous；　cobbled　streets；　where　respectable；　conservative　families　like　hers　lived；　into　one　of　the　new　semi…suburban　sections；　favored　by　foreigners　and　the　more　flashily　prosperous　who　copied　their　ways…even　to　letting　their　daughters　run　around　without　an　older　woman　in　attendance。　They　traversed　this　along　a　straight；　broad　asphalted　driveway；　and　beyond　emerged　into　open　country　for　awhile。　Then　in　the　distance　ahead　a　symmetrical　line　of　dark…green　poplars　began　to　peer　over　an　intervening　rise　of　the　ground　and；　when　they　had　topped　it；　suddenly　seemed　to　spring　forward　to　join　the　road；　behind　a　stone　wall　that　ran　back　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。
　　It　turned　and　followed　the　roadside　for　a　while。　All　Saints　Cemetery　was　known　as　the　largest　in　the　city；　if　not　anywhere　in　the　world。　It　was　said　of　it　that　it　was　big　enough　to　acmodate　all　the　world's　dead　at　one　time。
　　On　the　opposite　side　of　the　road；　buildings　had　sprung　up　once　more；　called　into　being　to　acmodate　the　living　who　on　Sundays　and　certain　religious　holidays　came　out　here　in　such　shoals　to　pay　their　respects　to　the　dead。　A　headstone　carver's　shop　and　workyard；　littered　with　ornamental　urns；　cherubs；　mourning　angels；　and　crosses；　a　refreshment　and　eating　pavilion；　and　others　such。　They　were　intermittent；　with　large　gaps　between；　and　the　whole　atmosphere　was　one　of　abandoned　desolation　rather　than　life…quickened　activity；　somehow。
　　The　carriage　drew　up　at　the　main　entrance；　marked　by　a　pair　of　massive　bronze　doors　set　within　a　stone　arch；　and　they　got　out。　〃e　back　for　us　within　a　half…hour；　no　more；〃　Marta　instructed　the　driver。
　　The　carriage　ambled　aimlessly　off　on　some　mission　best　known　to　its　driver…perhaps　the　nearest　cantina　at　the　next　crossroads　ahead。　As　it　left　them；　Conchita　held　back　in　seeming　irresolution　a　minute。
　　〃Marta；　before　we　go　in；　can't　we　go　over　to　that　place　across　the　way　and　sit　down　for　a　minute？　I'm　so　thirsty。〃
　　Marta　objected　querulously；　flattening　the　sheaf　of　flowers　so　that　she　could　look　at　her　clearly　over　their　tops；　〃No；　nina。　How　can　we？　Your　mother　told　me　to　bring　you　right　back。　Look；　the　sun's　already　far　down。　Night　will　be　upon　us　before　we　can　get　back　to　the　house。〃
　　〃How　long　will　it　take？〃　the　girl　coaxed。
　　〃But　did　we　e　out　here　to　visit　your　father's　grave　or　did　we　e　out　here　to　have　refrescos？　〃　the　old　woman　said　with　peevish　stubbornness。
　　〃Just　a　cup　of　mint　tea。　You　know　how　you　love　your　mint　'tea。　You　always　take　it　at　this　hour　at　home。〃
　　The　chaperon　wavered；　obviously　tempted。　She　cast　a　look　across　the　road；　as　though　judging　how　long　it　would　detain　them　to　go　over　and　back。　〃But　isn't　it　better　to　go　in　first　and　pay　our　respects；　and　then　have　it　when　we　e　out？　The　place　may　close。〃
　　〃I'm　faint；　Martita。　Why　do　you　refuse　me？〃
　　Her　panion　was　at　once　all　whimpering　solicitude。　〃Oh　my　light；　why　didn't　you　tell　me　sooner？　What　am　I　thinking　of；　standing　here　wrangling？　e；　my　heart；　take　me　by　the　arm；　we'll　go　right　over。〃
　　They　inched　across　the　road；　held　to　a　painfully　reduced　gait　more　by　the　stout　figure's　slowness　of　limb　than　by　the　slender　one's　weakness；　if　the　truth　had　been　known。　The　devoted　Marta　even　had　to　caution　her　charge；　〃Not　so　fast；　linda。　You　may　get　dizzy。〃
　　The　establishment　was　bare　of　customers　at　this　hour。　A　waiter　with　a　tray　tucked　under　his　arm　came　attentively　to　the　door；　waiting　to　see　where　they　would　decide　to　sit　before　moving　any　further。　There　was　a　terrace　strip　of　terra…cotta　mosaic　tiling　laid　out　in　front　of　the　place；　holding　a　row　of　reedy；　forlorn…looking；　wafer…sized　iron　tables；　each　one　with　more　wire…legged　chairs　wedged　around　it　than　it　could　acmodate。
　　〃Let's　go　inside　out　of　the　glare；〃　Conchita　suggested　demurely。
　　They　continued　on　into　an　interior　of　cavelike　dimness；　after　the　outer　brightness；　in　which　a　sea　of　other　equally　reedy；　equally　untenanted　iron　tables　could　be　made　out。　A　loosely　strung　pasteboard　sign　proclaiming　ASK　FOR　EL　SOL　BEER　brushed　against　Marta's　head　as　she　passed　below　it。　She　swept　it　indignantly　aside。
　　They　seated　themselves　opposite　one　another　in　a　small　booth　against　the　wall；　duenna　and　massed　flowers　on　one　side　of　the　table；　young　mourner　on　the　other。　The　waiter　approached。　〃Buenos　dias。〃
　　〃Buenos　dias；〃　Marta　grunted；　with　the　curtness　one　employee　often　has　for　another。
　　Conchita　waited　until　he　had　gone　away　again；　then　tipped　the　veil　from　her　face　with　an　air　of　angelic　primness。
　　The　visibility　lightened　up　a　little　around　them　as　their　eyes　grew　accustomed　to　the　place；　though　not　much　beyond　the　blue…green　transparency　of　a　submarine　deep　from　first　to　last。　Then　too；　the　daylight　outside　was　fast　toning　down；　losing　its　contrasting　vividness。
　　They　sat　for　a　moment　or　two。　〃We'll　be　locked　out；〃　Marta　mourned。　〃We'll　have　had　the