第42部分(第1/5 页)

afterward。〃　He　pushed　a　hand　through　his　hair。　〃You　were　bound　to　learn

the　truth　sooner　or　later。　I　wanted　to　tell　you　myself　I　just　。。。

couldn't。〃

Slowly　he　turned　to　face　her。　His　eyes　held　unfathomable　pain。　〃When　we

made　love；　Anne；　it　was　magnificent。　We　might　fight　about　little　things；

but　when　we　came　together　that　day；　it　was　heaven。　I　kept　thinking　that

if　you　knew　how　much　I　loved　you；　you'd　forgive　me。　If　I　could　have

prevented　that　accident；〃　he　said　on　a　note　of　defeat；　〃I　would　have；

believe　me；　I　would　have。〃

〃I　never　blamed　you　for　that　crash！〃

〃The　guilt　has　been　unbearable；〃　he　said　as　though　he　hadn't　heard　her。

〃It's　irrational　and　unjustified；　but　it's　real。　You　have　no　idea。

Between　the　plane　and　the　car。。　。〃　He　shook　his　head。

Anne　was　missing　something。　Quietly；　she　said；　〃What　car？〃

He　turned　away；　took　a　shuddering　breath；　straightened　in　resignation。

〃My　wife　was　killed　in　an　automobile　accident　three　weeks　before　that

plane　crash。　It　was　late　at　night。　The　roads　were　icy。　Our　car　was　hit

head　on　by　a　man　who'd　had　too　much　to　drink。〃　He　looked　back　over　his

shoulder。　〃I　was　at　the　wheel。〃

Anne　stared　dumbly　at　him；　and　suddenly　she　was　the　one　overwhelmed　with

grief　She　hadn't　asked　how　Mitch's　wife　had　died；　because　that　was

against　the　rules。　But　she　should　have　known　that　the　death　of　a　young

woman　would　be　tragic　no　matter　how　it　occurred。

〃It　wasn't　your　fault；〃　she　reasoned。

His　eyes　flashed。　〃I　was　driving！　If　only　I'd　driven　slower　or　faster；

or　taken　a　different　route。〃　He　hung　his　head。　When　he　raised　it　again；

his　anger　was　spent。　〃Remember　the　nig