one basket(一个篮子)-第23章
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didn't care。
〃I don't care where you're goin'；〃 she said exultantly； her eyes lingering
on the stocky； straight； powerful figure in its rather ill…fitting khaki。
〃You're here now。 That's enough。 Ain't you tickled to be home； Chuck？
Gee！〃 ‘
‘I'll say；〃 responded Chuck。 But even he seemed to detect some lack
in his tone and words。 He elaborated somewhat shamefacedly：
〃Sure。 It's swell to be home。 But I don't know。 After you've
traveled around； and come back； things look so kind of little to you。 I
don't knowkind of〃 He floundered about； at a loss for expression。
Then tried again： 〃Now； take Hatton's place； for example。 I always
used to think it was a regular palace； but； gosh； you ought to see places
where I was asked to in San Francisco and around there。 Why； they was…
…wereenough to make the Hatton house look like a shack。 Swimmin'
pools of white marble； and acres of yard like a park； and the help always
bringing you something to eat or drink。 And the folks themselveswhy；
say！ Here we are scraping and bowing to Hattons and that bunch。
They're pikers to what some people are that invited me to their houses in
New York and Berkeley； and treated me and the other guys like kings or
something。 Take Megan's store； too〃he was warming to his subject； so
that he failed to notice the darkening of Tessie's face〃it's a joke
compared to New York and San Francisco stores。 Reg'lar hick joint。〃
Tessie stiffened。 Her teeth were set； her eyes sparkled。 She tossed
her head。 〃Well； I'm sure； Mr。 Mory； it's good enough for me。 Too bad
you had to come home at all now you're so elegant and swell； and
everything。 You better go call on Angie Hatton instead of wasting time
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on me。 She'd probably be tickled to see you。〃
He stumbled to his feet； then； awkwardly。 〃Aw； say； Tessie； I didn't
meanwhy； sayyou don't supposewhy； believe me； I pretty near busted
out cryin' when I saw the Junction eatin' house when my train came in。
And I been thinking of you every minute。 There wasn't a day〃
〃Tell that to your swell New York friends。 I may be a hick but I ain't
a fool。〃 She was near to tears。
〃Why； say； Tess； listen！ Listen！ If you knewif you knewA guy's
got tohe's got no right to〃
And presently Tessie was mollified； but only on the surface。 She
smiled and glanced and teased and sparkled。 And beneath was terror。
He talked differently。 He walked differently。 It wasn't his clothes or the
army。 It was something elsean ease of manner； a new leisureliness of
glance； an air。 Once Tessie had gone to Milwaukee over Labor Day。 It
was the extent of her experience as a traveler。 She remembered how
superior she had felt for at least two days after。 But Chuck！ California！
New York！ It wasn't the distance that terrified her。 It was his new
knowledge； the broadening of his vision； though she did not know it and
certainly could not have put it into words。
They went walking down by the river to Oneida Springs； and drank
some of the sulphur water that tasted like rotten eggs。 Tessie drank it
with little shrieks and shudders and puckered her face up into an
expression indicative of extreme disgust。
〃It's good for you；〃 Chuck said； and drank three cups of it； manfully。
〃That taste is the mineral qualities the water containssulphur and iron
and so forth。〃
〃I don't care；〃 snapped Tessie irritably。 〃I hate it！〃 They had often
walked along the river and tasted of the spring water； but Chuck had never
before waxed scientific。 They took a boat at Baumann's boathouse and
drifted down the lovely Fox River。
〃Want to row？〃 Chuck asked。 〃I'll get an extra pair of oars if you
do。〃
〃I don't know how。 Besides； it's too much work。 I guess I'll let you
do it。〃
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Chuck was fitting his oars in the oarlocks。 She stood on the landing
looking down at him。 His hat was off。 His hair seemed blonder than
ever against the rich tan of his face。 His neck muscles swelled a little as
he bent。 Tessie felt a great longing to bury her face in the warm red skin。
He straightened with a sigh and smiled at her。 〃I'll be ready in a minute。〃
He took off his coat and turned his khaki shirt in at the throat； so that you
saw the white line of his untanned chest in strange contrast to his sun…
burned throat。 A feeling of giddy faintness surged over Tessie。 She
stepped blindly into the boat and would have fallen if Chuck's hard； firm
grip had not steadied her。 〃Whoa； there！ Don't you know how to step
into a boat？ There。 Walk along the middle。〃
She sat down and smiled up at him。 〃I don't know how I come to do
that。 I never did before。〃
Chuck braced his feet； rolled up his sleeves； and took an oar in each
brown hand； bending rhythmically to his task。 He looked about him；
then at the girl； and drew a deep breath； feathering his oars。 〃I guess I
must have dreamed about this more'n a million times。〃
〃Have you； Chuck？〃
They drifted on in silence。 〃Say； Tess； you ought to learn to row。
It's good exercise。 Those girls in California and New York； they play
tennis and row and swim as good as the boys。 Honest； some of 'em are
wonders！〃
Oh； I'm sick of your swell New York friends！ Can't you talk about
something else？〃
He saw that he had blundered without in the least understanding how
or why。 〃All right。 What'll we talk about？〃 In itself a fatal admission。
〃Aboutyou。〃 Tessie made it a caress。
〃Me？ Nothin' to tell about me。 I just been drillin' and studyin' and
marchin' and readin' some Oh； say； what d'you think？〃
〃What？〃
〃They been learnin' usteachin' us； I meanFrench。 It's the
darnedest language！ Bread is pain。 Can you beat that？ If you want to
ask for a piece of bread； you say like this： DONNAY MA UN MORSO
DOO PANG。 See？〃
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〃My！〃 breathed Tessie。
And within her something was screaming： Oh； my God！ Oh； my
God！ He knows French。 And those girls that can row and swim and
everything。 And me； I don't know anything。 Oh； God； what'll I do？
It was as though she could see him slipping away from her； out of her
grasp； out of her sight。 She had no fear of what might come to him in
France。 Bullets and bayonets would never hurt Chuck。 He'd make it；
just as he always made the 7：50 when it seemed as if he was going to miss
it sure。 He'd make it there and back； all right。 But he'd be a different
Chuck； while she stayed the same Tessie。 Books； travel； French； girls；
swell folks
And all the while she was smiling and dimpling and trailing her hand
in the water。 〃Bet you can't guess what I got in that lunch box。〃
〃Chocolate cake。〃
〃Well； of course I've got chocolate cake。 I baked it myself this
morning。〃
〃Yes； you did！〃 〃Why； Chuck Mory； I did so！ I guess you think I
can't do anything； the way you talk。〃
〃Oh； don't I！ I guess you know what I think。〃
〃Well； it isn't the cake I mean。 It's something else。〃
〃Fried chicken！〃
〃Oh； now you've gone and guessed it。〃 She pouted prettily。
〃You asked me to； didn't you？〃
Then they laughed together； as at something exquisitely witty。 Down
the river； drifting； rowing。 Tessie pointed to a house half hidden among
the trees on the farther shore： 〃There's Hatton's camp。 They say they
have grand times there with their swell crowd some Saturdays and
Sundays。 If I had a house like that； I'd live in it all the time； not just a
couple of days out of the whole year。〃 She hesitated a moment。 〃I
suppose it looks like a shanty to you now。〃
Chuck surveyed it； patronizingly。 〃No； it's a nice little place。〃
They beached their boat； and built a little fire； and had supper on the
riverbank； and Tessie picked out the choice bits for himthe breast of the
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chicken； beautifully golden brown； the ripest tomato； the firmest； juiciest
pickle； the corner of the little cake which would give him a double share
of icing。
From Chuck； between mouthfuls： 〃I guess you don't know how good
this tastes。 Camp grub's all right； but after you've had a few months of it
you get so you don't believe there IS such a thing as real fried chicken and
homemade chocolate cake。〃
〃I'm glad you like it； Chuck。 Here； take this drumstick。 You ain't
eating a thing！〃 His fourth piece of chicken。
Down the river as far as the danger line just above the dam； with
Tessie pretending fear just for the joy of having Chuck reassure her。
Then back again in the dusk； Chuck bending to the task now against the
current。 And so up the hill； homeward bound。 They walked very
slowly； Chuck's hand on her arm。 They were dumb with the tragic；
eloquent dumbness of their kind。 If she could have spoken the words that
were churning in her mind； they would have been something like this：
〃Oh； Chuck； I wish I was married to you。 I
