sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第24部分

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　〃I'll　be　back　to　see　you　as　soon　as　I　can；〃　Toby　promised。　He　gave　his　father　some　cash　and　handed　out　lavish　tips　to　all　the　nurses　and　attendants。　〃You　take　good　care　of　him；　huh？　I　need　the　old　man　for　my　act。〃　And　Toby　was　gone。　The　moment　he　walked　out　the　door；　he　had　forgotten　them　all。　He　was　thinking　about　his　performance　that　evening。　For　weeks　they　would　talk　about　nothing　but　his　visit。　
　
　
　At　seventeen；　Josephine　Czinski　was　the　most　beautiful　girl　in　Odessa；　Texas。　She　had　a　golden；　tanned　plexion　and　her　long　black　hair　showed　a　hint　of　auburn　in　the　sunlight；　and　her　deep　brown　eyes　held　flecks　of　gold。　She　had　a　stunning　figure；　with　a　full；　rounded　bosom；　a　narrow　waist　that　tapered　to　gently　swelling　hips；　and　long；　shapely　legs。　Josephine　did　not　socialize　with　the　Oil　People　anymore。　She　went　out　with　the　others　now。　After　school　she　worked　as　a　waitress　at　the　Golden　Derrick；　a　popular　drive…in。　Mary　Lou　and　Cissy　Topping　and　their　friends　came　there　with　their　dates。　Josephine　always　greeted　them　politely；　but　everything　had　changed。　Josephine　was　filled　with　a　restlessness；　a　yearning　for　something　she　had　never　known。　It　was　nameless；　but　it　was　there。　She　wanted　to　leave　this　ugly　town；　but　she　did　not　know　where　she　wanted　to　go　or　what　she　wanted　to　do。　Thinking　about　it　too　long　made　her　headaches　begin。　She　went　out　with　a　dozen　different　boys　and　men。　Her　mother's　favorite　was　Warren　Huffman。　
　〃Warren'd　make　you　a　fine　husband。　He's　a　regular　church…goer；　he　earns　good　money　as　a　plumber　and　he's　half　out　of　his　head　about　you。〃　
　〃He's　twenty…five　years　old　and　he's　fat。〃　
　Her　mother　studied　Josephine。　〃Poor　Polack　girls　don't　find　no　knights　in　shinin'　armor。　Not　in　Texas　and　not　no…place　else。　Stop　foolin'　yourself。〃　
　Josephine　would　permit　Warren　Hofl'man　to　take　her　to　the　movies　once　a　week。　He　would　hold　her　hand　in　his　big；　sweaty；　calloused　palms　and　keep　squeezing　it　throughout　the　picture。　Josephine　hardly　noticed。　She　was　too　engrossed　in　what　was　happening　on　the　screen。　What　was　up　there　was　an　extension　of　the　world　of　beautiful　people　and　things　that　she　had　grown　up　with；　only　it　was　even　bigger　and　even　more　exciting。　In　some　dim　recess　of　her　mind；　Josephine　felt　that　Hollywood　could　give　her　everything　she　wanted：　the　beauty；　the　fun；　the　laughter　and　happiness。　Aside　from　marrying　a　rich　man；　she　knew　there　was　no　other　way　she　would　ever　be　able　to　have　that　kind　of　life。　And　the　rich　boys　were　all　taken　by　the　rich　girls。　Except　for　one。　David　Kenyon。　Josephine　thought　of　him　often。　She　had　stolen　a　snapshot　of　him　from　Mary　Lou's　house　long　ago。　She　kept　it　hidden　in　her　closet　and　took　it　out　to　look　at　whenever　she　was　unhappy。　It　brought　back　the　memory　of　David　standing　by　the　side　of　the　pool　saying；　I　apologize　for　all　of　them；　and　the　feeling　of　hurt　had　gradually　disappeared　and　been　replaced　by　his　gentle　warmth。　She　had　seen　David　only　once　after　that　terrible　day　at　his　swimming　pool　when　he　had　brought　her　a　robe。　He　had　been　in　a　car　with　his　family；　and　Josephine　later　heard　that　he　had　been　driven　to　the　train　depot。　He　was　on　his　way　to　Oxford；　England。　That　had　been　four　years　ago；　in　1952。　David　had　returned　home　for　summer　vacations　and　at　Christmas；　but　their　paths　had　never　crossed。　Josephine　often　heard　the　other　girls　discussing　him。　In　addition　to　the　estate　David　had　inherited　from　his　father；　his　grandmother　had　left　him　a　trust　fund　of　five　million　dollars。　He　was　a　real　catch。　But　not　for　the　Polish　daughter　of　a　seamstress。　
　Josephine　did　not　know　that　David　Kenyon　had　returned　from　Europe。　It　was　a　late　Saturday　evening　in　July；　and　Josephine　was　working　at　the　Golden　Derrick。　It　seemed　to　her　that　half　the　population　of　Odessa　had　e　to　the　drive…in　to　defeat　the　hot　spell　with　gallons　of　lemonade　and　ice　cream　and　sodas。　It　had　been　so　busy　that　Josephine　had　been　unable　to　take　a　break。　A　ring　of　autos　constantly　circled　the　neon…lighted　drive…in　like　metallic　animals　lined　up　at　some　surrealistic　water　hole。　Josephine　delivered　a　car　tray　with　what　seemed　to　her　to　be　her　millionth　order　of　cheeseburgers　and　Cokes；　pulled　out　a　menu　and　walked　over　to　a　white　sports　car　that　had　just　driven　up。　
　〃Good　evening；〃　Josephine　said　cheerfully。　〃Would　you　like　to　look　at　a　menu？〃　
　〃Hello；　stranger。〃　
　At　the　sound　of　David　Kenyon's　voice；　Josephine's　heart　suddenly　began　to　pound。　He　looked　exactly　as　she　remembered　him；　only　he　seemed　even　more　handsome。　There　was　a　maturity　now；　a　sureness；　that　being　abroad　had　given　him。　Cissy　Topping　was　seated　next　to　him；　looking　cool　and　beautiful　in　an　expensive　silk　skirt　and　blouse。　Cissy　said；　
　〃Hi；　Josie。　You　shouldn't　be　working　on　a　hot　night　like　this；　honey。〃
　As　though　it　was　something　Josephine　had　chosen　to　do　instead　of　going　to　an　air…conditioned　theater　or　riding　around　in　a　sports　car　with　David　Kenyon。　Josephine　said　evenly；　
　〃It　keeps　me　off　the　streets〃；　and　she　saw　that　David　Kenyon　was　smiling　at　her。　She　knew　that　he　understood。　Long　after　they　had　gone；　Josephine　thought　about　David。　She　went　over　every　word　　Hello；　stranger。。。　I'll　have　a　pig　in　a　blanket　and　a　root　beer　　make　that　coffee。　Cold　drinks　are　bad　on　a　hot　night。。。。　How　do　you　like　working　here？。。。　I'm　ready　for　the　check。。。。　Keep　the　change。。。。　It　was　nice　seeing　you　again；　Josephine　　looking　for　hidden　meanings；　nuances　that　she　might　have　missed。　Of　course；　he　could　not　have　said　anything　with　Cissy　seated　beside　him；　but　the　truth　was　that　he　really　had　nothing　to　say　to　Josephine。　She　was　surprised　that　he　had　even　remembered　her　name。　She　was　standing　in　front　of　the　sink　in　the　little　kitchen　of　the　drive…in；　lost　in　her　thoughts；　when　Paco；　the　young　Mexican　cook；　came　up　behind　her　and　said；　
　〃Que　pasa；　Josita？　You　have　that　look　een　your　eye。〃　
　She　liked　Paco。　He　was　in　his　late　twenties；　a　slim；　dark　eyed　man　with　a　ready　grin　and　a　flip　joke　when　pressure　built　up　and　everyone　was　tense。　
　〃Who　ees　he？〃　
　Josephine　smiled。　〃Nobody；　Paco。〃　
　〃Bueno。　Because　there　are　seex　hungry　cars　going'　crazy　at　there。　Vamos！〃　
　He　telephoned　the　next　morning；　and　Josephine　knew　who　it　was　before　she　lifted　the　receiver。　She　had　not　been　able　to　get　him　out　of　her　mind　all　night。　It　was　as　though　his　call　was　the　extension　of　her　dream。　His　first　words　were；　
　〃You're　a　cliche。　While　I　was　away；　ou've　grown　up　and　bee　a　beauty；〃　and　she　could　have　died　of　happiness。　He　took　her　out　to　dinner　that　evening。　Josephine　had　been　prepared　for　some　out…of…the…way　little　restaurant　where　David　would　not　be　likely　to　run　into　any　of　his　friends。　Instead　they　went　to　his　club；　where　everyone　stopped　by　their　table　to　say　hello。　David　was　not　only　unashamed　to　be　seen　with　Josephine；　he　seemed　proud　of　her。　And　she　loved　him　for　it　and　for　a　hundred　other　reasons。　The　look　of　him；　his　gentleness　and　understanding；　the　sheer　joy　of　being　with　him。　She　had　never　known　that　anyone　as　wonderful　as　David　Kenyon　could　exist。　Each　day；　after　Josephine　finished　work；　they　were　together。　
　Josephine　had　had　to　fight　men　off　from　the　time　she　was　fourteen；　for　there　was　a　sexuality　about　her　that　was　challenge。　Men　were　always　pawing　and　grabbing　at　her；　trying　to　squeeze　her　breasts　or　shove　their　hands　up　her　skirt；　thinking　that　that　was　the　way　to　excite　her；　not　knowing　how　much　it　repelled　her。　David　Kenyon　was　different。　He　would　occasionally　put　his　arm　around　her　or　touch　her　casually；　and　Josephine's　whole　body　would　respond。　She　had　never　felt　this　way　about　anyone　before。　On　the　days　when　she　did　not　see　David；　she　would　think　of　nothing　else。　She　faced　the　fact　that　she　was　in　love　with　him。　As　the　weeks　went　by；　and　they　spent　more　and　more　time　together；　Josephine　realized　that　the　miracle　had　happened。　David　was　in　love　with　her。　He　discussed　his　problems　with　her；　and　his　difficulties　with　his　family。　
　〃Mother　wants　me　to　take　over　the　businesses；〃　David　told　her；　〃but　I'm　not　sure　that's　how　I　want　to　spend　the　rest　of　my　life。〃　
　The　Kenyon　interests　included；　besides　oil　wells　and　refineries；　one　of　the　largest　cattle　ranches　in　the　Southwest；　a　chain　of　hotels；　some　ba