cw.imarriedadeadman-第35部分

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　〃I　am　the　Woman　of　the　Family　now；〃　she　thought。　〃The　only　woman　of　their　house　and　in　their　house。　That　is　why　I　sit　between　them　like　this；　in　place　of　prominence；　and　not　to　the　outside。〃
　And　though　she　would　not　have　known　how　to　phrase　it；　even　to　herself；　her　own　instincts　told　her　that　the　country　and　the　society　she　was　a　part　of　were　basically　matriarchal；　that　it　was　the　woman　who　was　essentially　the　focus　of　each　home；　the　head　of　each　little　individual　family…group。　Not　brazenly；　aggressively　so；　not　on　the　outside；　but　within　the　walls；　where　the　home　really　was。　She　had　succeeded　to　this　primacy　now。　The　gangling　adolescent　who　had　once　stood　outside　a　door　that　wouldn't　open。
　One　she　would　marry　and　be　his　wife。　One　she　would　look　after　in　filial　devotion；　and　ease　his　loneliness　and　cushion　his　decline　as　best　she　could。　There　was　no　treachery；　no　deceit；　in　her　plans；　all　that　was　over　with　and　past。
　She　held　Father　Hazzard's　hand　gently　clasped　in　her　own；　on　the　one　side。　And　on　the　other；　her　hand　curved　gracefully　up　and　around　the　turn　of　Bill's　stalwart　arm。　To　indicate：　You　are　mine。　And　I　am　yours。
　The　limousine　had　halted。　Bill　got　out　and　armed　her　down。　Then　they　both　helped　his　father　and；　one　on　each　side　of　him；　walked　slowly　with　him　up　the　familiar　terraced　flagstones　to　the　familiar　door。
　Bill　sounded　the　knocker；　and　Aunt　Josie　's　deputy　opened　the　door　for　them　with　all　the　alacrity　of　the　novice。　Aunt　Josie　herself；　of　course；　a　titular　member　of　the　family；　had　attended　the　services　with　them；　was　on　her　way　back　now　in　the　lesser　of　the　two　limousines。
　She　closed　the　door　in　respectful　silence；　and　they　were　home。
　It　was　she　who　first　saw　them；　Patrice。　They　were　in　the　library。
　Bill　and　his　father；　going　on　ahead；　supporting　arm　about　waist；　had　passed　the　open　doorway　obliviously。　She　had　lingered　behind　for　a　moment；　to　give　some　muted　necessary　orders。
　〃Yes；　Mrs。　Hazzard；〃　Aunt　Josie　's　deputy　said　docilely。
　Yes；　Mrs。　Hazzard。　That　was　the　first　time　she　had　heard　it　（Aunt　Josie　always　called　her　〃Miss　Pat〃）；　but　she　would　have　that　now　all　her　life；　as　her　due。　Her　mind　rolled　it　around　on　its　tongue；　savoring　it　Yes；　Mrs。　Hazzard。　Position。　Security。　Impregnability。　The　end　of　a　journey。
　Then　she　moved　forward　and；　passing　the　doorway；　saw　them。
　They　were　sitting　in　there；　both　facing　it　Two　men。　The　very　way　they　held　their　heads…they　were　not　apologetic；　they　were　not　disclaiming　enough；　for　such　a　time　and　such　a　place　and　such　a　visit。　Their　faces；　as　she　met　them；　did　not　say：　〃Whenever　you　are　ready。〃　Their　faces　said：　〃We　are　ready　for　you　now。　e　in　to　us。〃
　Fear　put　out　a　long　finger　and　touched　her　heart。　She　had　stopped。
　〃Who　are　those　two　men？〃　she　breathed　to　the　girl　who　had　let　her　in。　〃What　are　they　doing　in　there？〃
　〃Oh；　I　forgot。　They　came　here　about　twenty　minutes　ago；　asking　to　see　Mr。　Hazzard。　I　explained　about　the　funeral；　and　suggested　maybe　they'd　better　e　back　later。　But　they　said　no；　they　said　they'd　wait　I　couldn't　do　anything　with　them。　So　I　just　let　them　be。〃
　She　went　on　past　the　opening。　〃He's　in　no　condition　to　speak　to　anyone　now。　You'll　have　to　go　in　there　and…〃
　〃Oh；　not　old　Mr。　Hazzard。　It's　Mr。　Hazzard　his　son　they　want。〃
　She　knew　then。　Their　faces　had　already　told　her；　the　grim　way　they　had　both　sized　her　up　that　fleeting　second　or　two　she　had　stood　in　the　doorway。　People　didn't　stare　at　you　like　that；　just　ordinary　people。　Punitive　agents　did。　Those　empowered　by　law　to　seek　out；　and　identify；　and　question。
　The　finger　had　bee　a　whole　icy　hand　now；　twisting　and　crushing　her　heart　in　its　grip。
　Detectives。　Already。　So　soon；　so　relentlessly；　so　fatally　soon。　And　today　of　all　days；　on　this　very　day。
　The　copybooks　were　right；　the　texts　that　said　the　police　were　infallible。
　She　turned　and　hurried　up　the　stairs；　to　overtake　Bill　and　his　father；　nearing　the　top　now；　still　linked　in　considerate；　toiling　ascent。
　Bill　turned　his　head　inquiringly　at　sound　of　her　hasty　step　behind　them。　Father　Ha。zzard　didn't　What　was　any　step　to　him　any　more？　The　only　one　he　wanted　to　hear　would　never　sound　again。
　She　made　a　little　sign　to　Bill　behind　his　father's　back。　A　quick　little　quirk　of　the　finger　to　show　that　this　was　something　to　be　kept　between　the　two　of　them　alone。　Then　said；　trying　to　keep　her　voice　casual；　〃Bill；　as　soon　as　you　take　Father　to　his　room；　I　want　to　see　you　for　a　minute。　Will　you　e　out？〃
　He　came　upon　her　in　her　own　room；　in　the　act　of　lowering　an　emptied　brandy…jigger　from　her　lips。　He　looked　at　her　curiously。
　〃What'd　you　do；　get　a　chill　out　there？〃
　〃I　did；〃　she　said。　〃But　not　out　there。　Here。　Just　now。〃
　〃You　seem　to　be　shaking。〃
　〃I　am。　Close　the　door。〃　And　when　he　had；　〃Is　he　sleeping？〃
　〃He　will　be　in　another　minute　or　two。　Aunt　Josie's　giving　him　a　little　more　of　that　sedative　the　doctor　left〃
　She　kneaded　her　hands　together；　as　though　she　were　trying　to　break　each　bone　separately。　〃They're　here；　Bill。　About　the　other　night　They're　here　already。〃
　He　didn't　have　to　ask；　he　knew　what　she　meant　by　〃the　other　night。〃　There　was　only　one　other　night　for　them；　there　would　always　be　only　one；　from　now　on。　As　the　nights　multiplied；　it　would　bee　〃that　night；〃　perhaps；　that　was　the　only　alteration。
　〃How　do　you　know？　Did　they　tell　you？〃
　〃They　don't　have　to。　I　know。〃　She　snatched　at　his　coat…lapels；　as　though　she　were　trying　to　rip　them　off　him。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　〃We　are　not　going　to　do　anything；〃　he　said　with　meaning。　〃I'll　do　whatever　is　to　be　done　about　it〃
　〃Who's　that？〃　she　shuddered；　and　crushed　herself　close　to　him。　Her　teeth　were　almost　chattering　with　nervous　tension。
　〃Who　is　it？〃　he　asked　at　full　voice。
　〃Aunt　Josie；〃　came　through　the　door。
　〃Let　go　of　me；〃　he　cautioned　in　an　undertone。　〃All　right；　Aunt　Josie。〃
　She　put　her　head　in　and　said；　〃Those　two　men　that're　down　there；　they　said　they　can't　wait　for　Mr。　Hazzard　any　more。〃
　For　a　moment　a　little　hope　wormed　its　way　through　her　stricken　heart。
　〃They　said　if　he　don't　e　down；　they'll　have　to　e　up　here。〃
　〃What　do　they　want？　Did　they　tell　you？〃　he　said　to　Aunt　Josie。
　〃I　asked　'em　twice；　and　each　time　they　said　the　same　thing。　'Mr。　Hazzard。'　What　kind　of　an　answer　is　that？　They're　bold　ones。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　curtly。　〃You've　told　us。〃
　She　closed　the　door　again。
　He　stood　for　awhile　irresolute；　his　hand　curled　around　the　back　of　his　neck。　Then　straightened　with　reluctant　decision；　squared　off　his　shoulders；　hitched　down　his　cuffs；　and　turned　to　face　the　door。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃let's　get　it　over　with。〃
　She　ran　to　join　him。　〃I'll　go　with　you。〃
　〃You　won't！〃　He　took　her　hand　and　put　it　off　his　arm；　in　rough　rejection。　〃Let's　get　that　straight　right　now。　You're　staying　up　here；　and　you're　staying　out　of　it　Do　you　hear　me？　No　matter　what　happens；　you're　staying　out　of　it。〃
　He'd　never　spoken　to　her　like　that　before。
　〃Are　you　taking　me　to　be　your　husband？〃　he　demanded。
　〃Yes；〃　she　murmured。　〃I've　already　told　you　that。〃
　〃Then　that's　an　order。　The　first　and　the　last；　I　hope；　that　I'll　ever　have　to　give　you。　Now　look；　we　can't　tell　two　stories　about　this。　We're　only　telling　one：　mine。　And　it's　one　that　you're　not　supposed　to　know　anything　about。　So　you　can't　help　me；　you　can　only　harm　me。〃
　She　seized　his　hand　and　put　her　lips　to　it；　as　a　sort　of　god…speed。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　tell　them？〃
　〃The　truth。〃　The　look　he　gave　her　was　a　little　odd。　〃What　did　you　expect　me　to　tell　them？　I　have　nothing　to　lie　about；　as　far　as　it　involves　me　alone。〃
　He　closed　the　door　and　he　went　out。
　
　
　46
　
　As　she　found　her　hands　leading　the　way　down　for　her；　one　over　the　other；　along　the　bannister…rail；　while　her　feet　followed　them　more　slowly；　a　step　behind　all　the　way；　she　realized　how　impossible　it　would　have　been　to　follow　his　injunction；　remain　immured　up　there；　without　knowing；　without　listening；　how　futile　of　him　to　expect　it　of　her。　She　couldn't　have　been　involved　as　she　was；　she　couldn't　have　been　a　woman　at　all；　and　obeyed　him。　This　wasn't　prying；　you　didn't　pry　into　something　that　concerned　you　as　closely　as　this　did　her。　It　was　your　right　to　know。
　Hand　over　hand　down　the　bannister；　the　rest　of　her　creeping　after；　body　held　at　a　broken　crouch。　Like　a　cripple　struggling　down　a　staircase。
　A　quarter　of　the　way　down；　the　murmur　became　separate　voices。　Halfway　down；　the　voices　became　words。　She　didn't　go　beyond　there。
　Their　voices　weren't　raised。　There　was　no　blustering　or　angry　contradiction。　They　were　just　men　talking　quietly；　politely　together。　Somehow；　it　struck　more　fear　into　her　that　way。
　They　were　repeating　after　him　something　he　must　have　just　now　said。
　〃Then　you　do　know　someone　named　Harry　Carter；　Mr。　Hazzard。〃
　She　didn't　hear　him　say　anything。　As　though　he　considered　one　affirmation　on　that　point　enough。
　〃Would　you　care　to　tell　us　what　relationship…what　connection…　there　is　between　you　and　this　man　Carter？〃
　He　sounded　slightly　ironical；　when　he　answered　that。　She　had　never　heard　him　that　way　toward　herself；　but　she　caught　a　new　inflection　to　his　voice；　and　recognized　it　for　irony。　〃Look；　gentlemen；　you　already　know。　You　must