hr.thecarpetbaggers-第66部分

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　〃What　you　need　is　a　vacation；〃　he　said。　〃You　look　tired　and　drawn。〃
　〃We'll　both　take　a　vacation　when　you　e　home；〃　she　said。　〃We'll　go　to　Europe。　I　know　a　place　on　the　Riviera　where　we　could　live　a　whole　year　on　less　than　two　thousand　dollars。〃
　〃That's　still　a　long　way　off；〃　he　said。　〃You　need　a　vacation　now。〃
　〃What　are　you　getting　at；　Father？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　wrote　to　my　cousin　Foster；〃　he　said。　〃He　and　his　wife；　Betty；　want　you　to　e　out　and　stay　with　them。　They　say　it's　beautiful　out　there　and　you　could　stay　with　them　until　I　could　e　out　to　join　you。〃
　〃But　then　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　visit　you；〃　she　said　quickly；　reaching　for　his　hands　in　the　narrow　space　beneath　the　bars。
　He　pressed　her　fingers。　〃It　will　be　better　that　way。　Both　of　us　will　have　less　painful　things　to　remember。〃
　〃But；　Father…　〃　she　began　to　protest。
　The　guard　started　over　and　her　father　got　to　his　feet。　〃I've　already　given　Stan　White　instructions；〃　he　said。　〃Now；　you　do　as　I　say　and　go　out　there。〃
　He　turned　away　and　she　watched　him　walk　off　through　eyes　that　were　beginning　to　mist　over　with　tears。　She　didn't　see　him　again　until　many　months　later；　when　she　was　on　her　way　to　Europe　again　on　her　honeymoon。　She　brought　her　husband　out　to　the　prison。
　〃Father；〃　she　said；　almost　shyly；　〃this　is　Jonas　Cord。〃
　What　Harrison　Marlowe　saw　was　a　man　his　own　age；　perhaps　even　older；　but　with　a　height　and　youthful　vitality　that　seemed　characteristic　of　the　Westerner。
　〃Is　there　anything　we　can　get　you；　Father？〃　she　asked。
　〃Anything　we　can　do　at　all；　Mr。　Marlowe？〃　Jonas　Cord　added。
　〃No。　No；　thank　you。〃
　Cord　looked　at　him　and　Harrison　Marlowe　caught　a　glimpse　of　deep…set；　penetrating　blue　eyes。　〃My　business　is　expanding；　Mr。　Marlowe；〃　he　said。　〃Before　you　make　any　plans　after　leaving　here；　I'd　appreciate　your　speaking　with　me。　I　need　a　man　with　just　your　experience　to　help　me　in　refinancing　my　expansion。〃
　〃You're　very　kind；　Mr。　Cord。〃
　Jonas　Cord　turned　to　Rina。　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；〃　he　said；　〃I　know　you　want　some　time　alone　with　your　father。　I'll　be　waiting　outside。〃
　Rina　nodded　and　the　two　men　said　good…by。　For　a　short　time；　father　and　daughter　looked　at　each　other；　then　Rina　spoke。　〃What　do　you　think　of　him；　Father？〃
　〃Why；　he's　as　old　as　I　am！〃
　Rina　smiled。　〃I　told　you　I'd　marry　a　mature　man；　Father。　I　never　could　stand　boys。〃
　〃But…　but…　〃　her　father　stammered。　〃You're　a　young　woman。　You　have　your　whole　life　ahead　of　you。　Why　did　you　marry　him？〃
　Rina　smiled　gently。　〃He's　an　extremely　wealthy　man；　Father；〃　she　said　softly。　〃And　very　lonely。〃
　〃You　mean　you　married　him　for　that？〃　Then　suddenly　he　understood　the　reason　for　her　husband's　offer。　〃Or　so　he　could　take　care　of　me？〃　he　asked。
　〃No；　Father；〃　she　said　quickly。　〃That　isn't　why　I　married　him　at　all。〃
　〃Then　why？〃　he　asked。　〃Why？〃
　〃To　take　care　of　me；　Father；〃　she　said　simply。
　〃But；　Rina…　〃　he　began　to　protest。
　She　cut　him　off　quickly。　〃After　all；　Father；〃　she　said；　〃you　yourself　said　there　wasn't　anything　I　could　do　to　take　care　of　myself。　Wasn't　that　why　you　sent　me　out　there？〃
　He　didn't　answer。　There　wasn't　anything　left　for　him　to　say。　After　a　few　more　awkward　moments；　they　parted。　He　stretched　out　on　the　narrow　cot　in　his　cell　and　stared　up　at　the　ceiling。　He　felt　a　cold　chill　creeping　through　him。　He　shivered　slightly　and　pulled　the　thin　blanket　across　his　legs。　How　had　he　failed　her？　Where　had　he　gone　wrong？
　He　turned　his　face　into　the　hard　straw　pillow　and　the　hot　tears　began　to　course　down　his　cheeks。　He　began　to　shiver　as　the　chill　grew　deeper　within　him。　Later　that　night；　they　came　and　took　him　to　the　prison　hospital；　with　a　fever　of　a　hundred　and　two。　He　died　of　bronchial　pneumonia　three　days　later；　while　Rina　and　Jonas　Cord　were　still　on　the　high　seas。
　
　14
　
　THE　PAIN　BEGAN　TO　ECHO　IN　HER　TEMPLES；　CUTTING　LIKE　A　SHARP　KNIFE　INTO　THE　DREAM。　She　felt　it　begin　to　slip　away　from　her；　and　then　the　terrible　loneliness　of　awakening。　She　stirred　restlessly。　Everyone　was　fading　away；　everyone　except　her。　She　held　her　breath　for　a　moment；　fighting　the　return　to　reality。　But　it　was　no　use。　The　last　warm　traces　of　the　dream　were　gone。　She　was　awake。
　She　opened　her　eyes　and　stared　unrecognizingly　for　a　moment　around　the　hospital　room；　then　she　remembered　where　she　was。　There　were　new　flowers　on　the　dresser　opposite　the　foot　of　the　bed。　They　must　have　brought　them　in　while　she　slept。
　She　moved　her　head　slowly。　Ilene　was　dozing　in　the　big　easy　chair　near　the　window。　It　was　night　outside。　She　must　have　dozed　the　afternoon　away。
　〃I　have　a　terrible　headache；〃　she　whispered　softly。　〃May　I　have　some　aspirin；　please？〃
　Ilene's　head　snapped　forward。　She　looked　at　Rina　questioningly。
　Rina　smiled。　〃I've　slept　away　the　whole　afternoon。〃
　〃The　whole　afternoon？〃　It　was　the　first　time　in　almost　a　week　that　Rina　had　been　conscious。　〃The　whole　afternoon；〃　Ilene　repeated。　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　was　so　tired；〃　Rina　said。　〃And　I　always　get　a　headache　when　I　nap　during　the　day。　I'd　like　some　aspirin。〃
　〃I'll　call　the　nurse。〃
　〃Never　mind；　I'll　call　her；〃　Rina　said　quickly。　She　started　to　raise　her　hand　to　the　call　button　over　her　head。　But　she　couldn't　lift　her　arm。
　She　looked　down　at　it。　It　was　strapped　to　the　side　of　the　bed。　There　was　a　needle　inserted　into　a　vein　on　her　forearm；　attached　to　a　long　tube　which　led　up　to　an　inverted　bottle　suspended　from　a　stand。　〃What's　that　for？〃
　〃The　doctor　thought　it　would　be　better　it　they　didn't　disturb　your　rest　to　feed　you；〃　Ilene　said　quickly。　She　leaned　across　the　bed　and　pressed　the　buzzer。
　The　nurse　appeared　almost　instantly　in　the　doorway。　She　walked　quickly　to　the　bed　and　stood　next　to　Ilene；　looking　down　at　Rina。　〃Are　we　awake？〃　she　asked　with　professional　brightness。
　Rina　smiled　slowly。　〃We're　awake；〃　she　said　faintly。　〃You're　a　new　one；　aren't　you？　I　don't　remember　you。〃
　The　nurse　flashed　a　quick　look　at　Ilene。　She　had　been　on　duty　ever　since　Rina　was　checked　into　the　hospital。　〃I'm　the　night　nurse；〃　she　answered　calmly。　〃I've　just　e　on。〃
　〃I　always　get　a　headache　when　I　sleep　in　the　afternoon；〃　Rina　said。　〃I　was　wondering　if　I　could　have　some　aspirin？〃
　〃I'll　call　the　doctor；〃　the　nurse　said。
　Rina　turned　her　head。　〃You　must　be　exhausted；〃　she　said　to　Ilene。　〃Why　don't　you　go　home　and　get　some　rest？　You've　been　here　all　day。〃
　〃I'm　really　not　tired。　I　grabbed　forty　winks　myself　this　afternoon。〃
　The　doctor　came　into　the　room　just　then　and　Rina　turned　toward　the　door。　He　stood　there　blinking　his　eyes　behind　his　shining　glasses。　〃Good　evening；　Miss　Marlowe。　Did　you　have　a　good　rest？〃
　Rina　smiled。　〃Too　much；　doctor。　It's　left　me　with　a　headache。〃　Her　brows　knit。　〃It's　a　peculiar　kind　of　a　headache；　though。〃
　He　came　over　to　the　side　of　the　bed　and　put　his　fingers　on　her　wrist；　finding　her　pulse。　〃Peculiar？〃　he　asked；　looking　down　at　his　watch。　〃How　do　you　mean　peculiar？〃
　〃It　seems　to　hurt　most　when　I　try　to　remember　names。　I　know　you　and　I　know　my　friend　here〃　…　she　gestured　to　Ilene　…　〃but　when　I　try　to　say　your　name；　the　headache　es　and　I　can't　remember。〃
　The　doctor　laughed　as　he　let　go　of　her　wrist。　〃That's　not　at　all　unusual。　There　are　some　types　of　migraine　headaches　which　make　people　forget　their　own　name。　Yours　isn't　that　bad；　is　it？〃
　〃No；　it's　not；〃　Rina　answered。
　The　doctor　took　an　ophthalmoscope　from　his　pocket　and　leaned　over。　〃I'm　going　to　look　into　your　eyes　with　this；〃　he　said。　〃This　makes　it　possible　for　me　to　see　behind　them　and　we　may　find　out　that　your　headache　is　due　to　nothing　but　simple　eyestrain。　Don't　be　frightened。〃
　〃I'm　not　frightened；　doctor；〃　Rina　answered。　〃A　doctor　in　Paris　once　looked　at　me　with　one　of　those。　He　thought　I　was　in　shock。　But　I　wasn't。　I　was　only　hypnotized。〃
　He　placed　his　thumb　in　a　corner　of　her　eye　and　raised　the　eyelid。　He　pressed　a　button　on　the　instrument　and　a　bright　light　reflected　through　the　pin…point　hole。　〃What's　your　name？〃　he　asked　casually。
　〃Katrina　Osterlaag；〃　she　answered　quickly。　Then　she　laughed。　〃See；　doctor；　I　told　you　my　headache　wasn't　that　bad。　I　still　know　my　name。〃
　〃What's　your　father's　name？〃　he　asked；　moving　the　instrument　to　the　other　eye。
　〃Harrison　Marlowe。　See；　I　know