cw.blackalibi-第14部分

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idness。
　　They　sat　for　a　moment　or　two。　〃We'll　be　locked　out；〃　Marta　mourned。　〃We'll　have　had　the　whole　trip　out　for　nothing。〃　She　shifted　her　head　and　shoulders　outward　along　her　seat　to　scan　the　seemingly　lifeless　rear　of　the　establishment。　She　shattered　the　silence　with　an　explosive　double　smack　of　her　cupped　hands。　〃Muchacho！　We're　in　a　hurry！〃　she　called　imperatively。
　　The　waiter　returned　at　a　trudging　walk；　his　excuse　for　not　hurrying　any　faster　the　brimming　cup　of　strongly　aromatic　tea　and　glass　of　lemonade　he　bore　on　the　tray。
　　Marta　ducked　her　chin　to　the　cup；　smacked　her　lips　expressively　as　she　raised　it　again。　Conchita；　who　was　sitting　facing　the　thoroughfare　outside；　kept　scanning　it；　more　as　though　she　were　on　the　lookout　for　something　to　e　along　and　catch　her　eye　than　because　something　had。　Suddenly　she　gave　a　little　sob　of　suppressed　laughter；　flexed　one　finger　toward　the　outer　panorama。
　　〃You　should　have　seen　that！　The　funniest…looking　man　just　went　by。　I　wonder　what　he　was。〃
　　Marta；　who　was　sitting　back　to　the　road；　laboriously　swiveled　herself　around　and　tried　to　peer　out　past　the　edge　of　the　booth　partition　behind　her。
　　She　turned　back　in　a　moment；　shrugged。　〃I　don't　see　anyone。〃
　　A　little　ripple　was　going　around　in　her　cup。
　　〃You　missed　him。　He's　gone　past　now。〃
　　Marta　said；　〃You　do　look　pale；　nina。〃
　　Conchita　did　look　pale。　She　wasn't　used　to　acts　of　overt　treachery　against　members　of　her　own　household。　Against　anyone；　for　that　matter。
　　Another　minute　or　two　went　by。　Marta　put　down　her　drained　cup。
　　〃e　pequena；　we　must　go。〃
　　〃Just　let's　sit　a　minute　longer。　It's　so　nice　here。　I　haven't　quite　finished　my　lemonade　yet。〃
　　〃The　sun　is　almost　all　gone。　It'll　be　dark　before　we　know　it。　We　can't　go　in　there　in　the　dark。〃
　　〃You　look　tired；　Marta。〃
　　As　though　she　had　only　realized　it　now　that　the　thought　had　been　suggested　to　her；　Marta　admitted：　〃I　am　tired。　I　went　'to　six…o'clock　Mass　this　morning。〃　She　sighed　self…indulgently。　〃When　one　gets　to　be　my　age…〃
　　〃Put　your　head　back　a　minute　against　the　leather　padding；〃　the　girl　suggested。
　　〃It　wouldn't　look　right；　out　in　public　like　this。〃
　　〃There's　no　one　but　us　here　to　see。〃
　　The　old　woman's　head　went　back　almost　of　its　own　accord；　she　closed　her　eyes　gratefully；　and　gave　a　deep　sigh　of　relaxation。　Her　head　stayed　straight　for　a　minute；　erect　on　her　shoulders。　Then　it　slanted　over　until　it　had　found　the　angle　between　the　two　walls　of　the　partment；　remained　leaning　against　it；　supported　by　one　of　them。　Her　breathing　started　to　bee　more　gritty。　Her　lips　parted　pany　slightly；　just　in　the　middle。
　　The　girl　sat　quietly　on　opposite　her　a　moment　longer。　Then　she　shifted　outward　along　the　seat　until　the　impediment　of　the　table　had　ended；　stood　up；　never　taking　her　eyes　off　her　deputy　guardian's　face。　The　heavy　jowls　were　shaking　a　little　now；　with　each　breath。
　　She　reached　cautiously　downward　for　the　mass　of　flowers　beside　Marta；　scooped　them　up　in　the　crook　of　one　arm；　careful　to　keep　them　from　rustling　too　flagrantly。　She　got　them　all　but　one；　a　long…stemmed　white　rose　which　escaped　her。　She　let　that　remain　where　it　was。　To　have　tried　to　retrieve　it　might　have　cost　her　all　the　others。
　　She　picked　her　way　through　the　shoal　of　spool…topped　tables；　moving　like　a　black…garbed　wraith　against　the　dying　brightness　of　the　day　outside。　When　she　had　gained　the　lateral　aisle　of　clearance　that　led　to　the　front　and　out；　she　motioned　the　waiter　toward　her　before　proceeding　along　it；　at　the　same　time　cautioning　him　with　finger　to　lips。
　　〃　Si；　seсorita？　〃
　　〃My　nodriza's　very　tired；　pobrecita。　I'm　going　to　leave　her　here　for　a　few　minutes。　Don't　wake　her　up；　please；　until　I　get　back。　I'm　just　going　across　the　street。　I'll　be　back　for　her　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。〃
　　〃Just　as　the　seсorita　orders　it；〃　he　murmured　respectfully。　A　refined　young　girl　in　mourning　from　head　to　foot；　an　armful　of　flowers　obviously　destined　for　a　grave…who　could　think　anything　amiss？
　　She　moved　decorously　enough　until　she　had　gained　the　terrace　outside　and　the　street　beyond　that。　Then；　because　the　cemetery　entrance　was　some　considerable　distance　down；　not　directly　opposite；　and　because　the　sun　was　already　expiring　in　a　pool　of　blood　in　the　western　sky；　and　her　precious　store　of　stolen　minutes　was　draining　away　through　her　fingers　like　sand；　she　began　to　hasten。　Unnoticeably　at　first。　In　a　moment　more　she　was　presenting　the　rather　grotesque；　not　to　say　scandalous；　spectacle　of　black…garbed　mourner；　flowers　bobbing　up　and　down　in　arms；　veil　ends　and　skirts　streaming　out　behind　her；　rushing　along　full　tilt　toward　a　burial…ground　entrance；　as　though　the　dead　couldn't　wait；　as　though　she　couldn't　get　in　fast　enough　to　offer　them　her　homage。　One　or　two　heads　turned　to　look　incredulously　after　her　as　she　whisked　by。
　　She　was　out　of　breath　as　she　rounded　the　ornamental　entrance　archway；　black…silk…encased　legs　trip…hammering　under　her　so　fast　they　almost　blurred。　〃I　don't　want　you　to　have　anything　undignified　to　have　to　look　back　on　later。〃　Tell　that　to　love！
　　Her　sense　of　propriety　returned　to　her　just　in　time；　she　forced　herself　to　slow　to　a　more　sedate　though　still　rather　rapid　walk；　as　she　passed　between　the　ponderous；　bronze　gate　flaps；　outstretched　like　a　pair　of　wings　waiting　to　receive　and　fold　upon　her。　The　gift　of　some　wealthy　private　donor；　they　were　expensively　worked　in　basrelief。　On　one　was　inscribed：　That　which　is　so　universal　as　death　must　be　a　blessing。　And　on　the　opposite　one：　And　none　may　escape　its　benediction。
　　She　passed　through　them　without　a　glance。　The　living　have　no　time　to　look　at　death；　they　cannot　see　it　even　if　they　try。
　　A　short　distance　within　and　beyond　them　was　a　little　lodge；　scarcely　more　than　a　stone　sentry　box；　used　by　the　gatekeeper　during　hours　of　admission。　He　was　standing　in　the　narrow　doorway　of　it；　looking　out；　as　she　Went　by。　He　was　a　kindly；　monplace…looking　old　man；　obviously　nearsighted　as　she　could　tell　by　the　way　he　squinted　at　her　in　peering　uncertainty。
　　She　stopped　short；　mbved　a　step　or　two　over　toward　him。　〃Has　a　young　man　e　in　here　within　the　past　half…hour　or　so；　have　you　noticed？　Dark…haired　and　thin　and；　and　by　himself？〃
　　〃Sort　of　a　good…looking　young　fellow？〃　he　suggested。
　　〃Oh；　handsome！〃　she　agreed　fervently；　casting　a　rapturous　upward　look　at　the　sky。
　　The　old　man　smiled　a　little　with　tolerant　understanding。　〃Yes；　nina；　yes；　I　have　seen　someone　like　that。　Three　times　within　the　past　ten　minutes　he's　been　out　here　to　the　entrance；　looking　for　someone；　getting　more　restless　all　the　time；　asking　me　if　I'd　seen…someone　very　beautiful；　in　black　with　jet…black　hair；　bringing　a　servant　girl　with　her。〃
　　She　dropped　her　eyes；　quickly　raised　them　again。
　　〃He's　still　in　there；　though？　He　didn't　leave？〃　she　said　relievedly。
　　〃He's　still　in　there　as　far　as　I　know。　I　don't　remember　seeing　hini　leave。　Unless　he　left　while　I　was　making　my　last　tour　of　inspection。〃
　　〃No；〃　she　assured　him；　with　a　sort　of　charming　inner　conviction；　〃he　didn't；　he's　still　in　there。　Thank　you。〃
　　She　turned　and　resumed　her　way　down　the　long　broad　central　avenue　that　led　farther　in　before　it　began　to　unravel　into　numberless；　winding；　white…graveled　paths；　all　looking　pretty　much　alike　and　all　already　taking　on　a　bluish　cast　as　they　filled　up　with　the　silt　of　night　shadow。
　　〃Don't　stay　in　too　long；　seсorita；〃　the　gatekeeper　called　after　her　in　kindly　warning。　〃When　you　hear　my　whistle　blow　that　means　we're　closing。　You　only　have　a　minute　or　two　left。〃
　　She　only　half　heard　him。　An　invisible　current　that　he　couldn't　see　had　swept　her　up；　was　pulling　her　irresistibly　forward。　Whistles　and　gates　and　quotas　of　minutes　couldn't　weaken　or　stop　it　or　interfere。　This　was　the　time　for　love；　treasured；　hoarded；　waited　for；　ever　since　the　time　before。
　　She　walked　rapidly　down　the　somber　avenue；　through　an　eerie　landscape　fast　dimming　in　the　twilight。　Eerie　because　it　was　neither　natural　nor　human；　it　was　that　of　the　other　world。　There　was　a　classical　severity　to　it；　a　cold　melancholy；　that　nature　lacks。　These　cypresses；　poplars；　weeping　willows；　ar