第12部分(第1/7 页)

it；　in　which　case　he　would　buy　aturkey；　the　biggest　and　most　expensive　he　could　find；　and　several　pounds　of　coffee；　it　being　hisbelief　that　there　was　never　enough　in　the　house；　and　enough　breakfast　cereal　to　feed　an　army　for　amonth。　Such　foresight　always　filled　him　with　such　a　sense　of　his　own　virtue　that；　as　a　kind　ofreward；　he　would　also　buy　himself　a　bottle　of　whisky；　and—lest　she　should　think　that　he　wasdrinking　too　much—invite　some　ruffian　home　to　share　it　with　him。　Then　they　would　sit　allafternoon　in　her　parlor；　playing　cards　and　telling　indecent　jokes；　and　making　the　air　foul　withwhisky　and　smoke。　She　would　sit　in　the　kitchen；　cold　with　rage　and　staring　at　the　turkey；　which；since　Frank　always　bought　them　unplucked　and　with　the　head　on；　would　cost　her　hours　ofexasperating；　bloody　labor。　Then　she　would　wonder　what　on　earth　had　possessed　her　to　undergosuch　hard　trial　and　travel　so　far　from　home；　if　all　she　had　found　was　a　two…room　apartment　in　a　cityshe　did　not　like；　and　a　man　yet　more　childish　than　any　she　had　known　when　she　was　youngSometimes　from　the　parlor　where　he　and　his　visitor　sat　he　would　call　her：

‘Hey；　Flo！’

And　she　would　not　answer。　She　hated　to　be　called　‘Flo；’　but　he　never　remembered。　Hemight　call　her　again；　and　when　she　did　not　answer　he　would　e　into　the　kitchen。

‘What’s　the　matter　with　you；　girl？　Don’t　you　hear　me　a…calling　you？’

And　once　when　she　still　made　no　answer；　but　sat　perfectly　still；　watching　him　with　bittereyes；　he　was　forced　to　make　verbal　recognition　that　there　was　something　wrong。

‘What’s　the　matter；　old　lady？　You　mad　at　me？’

And　when　in　genuine　bewilderment　he　stared　at　her；　head　to　one　side；　the　faintest　of　smileson　his　face；　something　began　to　yield　in　her；　something　she　fought；　standing