time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第136部分

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。　〃Any　trouble？〃　he　asked；　caressing　her　silken　skin。
　　
　　〃None。　They　had　been　engaged　in　a　bloodthirsty　game　of　Fl~n　h　and　didn't　miss　him　until　it　was　time　to　put　him　to　bed；　only　minutes　before　I　called。　Then　they　were　worried；　but　not　yet　frantic；　my　lfttle　demon　has　hidden　on　us　before。　Theodore；　Electric　Park　is　an　expense　you　did　not　expect。　Will　you　put　aside　your　pride　and　let　me　help？〃
　　
　　〃I　would　if　I　needed　help：　I　don't　have　thet　sort　of　useless　pride。　But　I　have　plenty　of　money；　truly。　If　I　run　short；　11l　tell　you。〃　（Beloved　darling；　I've　been　teaching　optimists　not　to　draw　to　inside　straights；　and　I　wish　I　could　spend　every　cent　of　it　on　emeralds　to　set　off　your　beautiful　skin。　But　your　pride　makes　that　impossible。）
　　
　　〃Theodore；　not　only　do　I　love　you；　you　are　a　most　fortable　person　to　be　with。〃
　　
　　541Taking　Woodie　and　his　mother　to　Electric　Park　turuect　out　to　be　more　fun　than　Lazarus　expected。　He　had　nothing　against　amusement　parks　and　was　willing　to　be　anywhere　with　Maureen…except　that　this　time　he　expected　to　put　up　with　restless　frustration；　in　public　where　he　must　treat　her　as　〃Mrs。　Smith；〃　after　being　in　warmest　privacy…then　disappointed。
　　
　　But　she　taught　him　a　lesson　in　how　to　enjoy　the　inevitable；
　　
　　He　learned　that　Maureen　could　be　unblushingly　intimate　despite　people　all　around　them　and　still　maintain　her　smiling；　regal；　public　dignity。　She　did　it　by　keeping　her　persona　always　intact…happy　young　matron　with　boy　child　clutching　her　hand；　both　enjoying　an　evening　of　innocent　fun　as　guests　of　〃Cousin〃　Theodore；　〃Uncle〃　Ted…while　she　found　endless　chances　to　continue　her　gaily　bawdy　conversation。　Maureen　did　it　not　in　whispers　but　in　ordinary　tones　pitched　to　reach　Lazarus'　ears　only；　or　sometimes　to　Lazarus　and　Woodie　but　so　phrased　that　the　child　would　neither　understand　nor　be　interested。
　　
　　Once　she　gently　chided　Lazarus。　〃Smile；　beloved　man。　Let　your　face　show　that　you　are　where　you　want　to　be；　doing　what　you　want　to　do。　There；　that's　better。　Now　hold　that　expression　and　tell　me　why　you　were　looking　glum。〃
　　
　　He　grinned　at　her。　〃Because　I'm　frustrated；　Maureen。　Because　I'm　not　in　a　certain　spot　by　a　big　walnut　tree。〃
　　
　　She　chuckled　as　if　he　had　said　something　witty。　〃Alone？〃
　　
　　〃Heavens；　nol　With　you。〃
　　
　　〃Not　so　vehemently；　Theodore。　You　are　not　courting　me；　you　are　my　cousin　who　is　wasting　part　of　your　precious　leave　by　treating　me　and　my　child　to　an　evening　of　fun　。　。　when　you　had　hoped　that　I　would　find　you　a　young　lady　who　would　turn　out　to　be　not　at　all　ladylike　when　you　took　her　to　a　dark　place　near　a　big　walnut　tree。　You're　a　good　sport　about　it…　but　not　so　enthusiastic　as　to　cause　Mrs。　Grundy　to　raise　her　eyebrow　。　。　and　there　es　Mrs。　Grundy　now。　Mrs。　Simpson！　And　Mr。　Simpson。　How　nice　to　run　across　you！　Lauretta；　may　I　present　my　dear　cousin　Staff　Sergeant　Bronson？　And　Mr。　Simpson；　Theodore。〃　Maureen　added；　〃Or　perhaps　you　have　met？　At　church？　Before　war　was　declared？〃
　　
　　Mrs。　Simpson　looked　him　over；　counted　the　money　in　his　wallet；　checked　his　underwear；　inspected　his　shave　and　haircut
　　
　　…assigned　him　a　barely　passing　mark。　〃You　belong　…to　our　church；　Mr。　Johnson？〃
　　
　　〃'Bronson；'　Lauretta。　Theodore　Bronson；　Father's　eldest　sister's　son。〃
　　
　　〃Either　way；〃　Mr。　Simpson　said　heartily；　〃it's　a　pleasure　to
　　
　　542shake　hands　with　one　of　'Our　Boys。'　Where　are　you　stationed；
　　
　　…　…　Sergeant？〃…　〃Camp　Fu~ston；　sir。　Mrs。　Simpson；　I　was　a　visito？　to　your
　　
　　church；　my　membership　is　in　Springfield。〃　…
　　
　　Maureen　stopped　their　questions　by　asking　Lazarus　to　fetch　T　Woodie　from　the　miniature　railroad　train；　just　returning　to　its
　　
　　ticket…booth　depot。　〃Pull　him　like　a　cork；　Theodore；　three
　　
　　rides　is　enough。　Lauretta；　I　didn't　see~you　at　Red　Cross　last
　　
　　week。　May　we　count　on　you　this　week？〃
　　
　　Lazarus　returned　with　Woodie　in　time　f~r　Mr。　Simpson　to　wave　and　call　out；　〃Good　luck；　Sergeant！〃　as　the　Simpsons
　　
　　moved　on。　'The　trio　went　next　to　the　pony　ride；　got　Woodie　astraddle　one；　Mrs。　Smith　and　Lazarus　sat　on　a　bench；　enjoyed　more　very　private　talk　while　very　much　in　the　public　eye。　〃Maureen；　you　stole　that　base　beautifully。〃　…
　　
　　〃No　problem；　dear　one。　I　knew　someone　would　see　us；　so　I　was　ready。　I'm　pleased　that　it　was　the　nastiest　old　gossip　in
　　
　　our　church；　I　made　sure　she　didn't　miss　us。　Pillars　of　the　church　and　war　profiteers；　I　despise　them。　So　I　pulled　her　fangs　and　let's　forget　them。　You　were　telling　me　about　a　certain　dark　spot。　How　was　I　dressed？〃
　　
　　〃Like　a　French　postcard！〃…
　　
　　〃Why；　Sergeant　Bronson！…and　me　a　respectable　woman。　Or　almost。　Surely　you　don't　think　I　would　dare　be　that　shameless？〃；　…
　　
　　〃Maureen；　I'm　not　sure　what　you　would　dare。　You　have　startled…and　delighted　me…several　times。　I　think　you　have
　　
　　the　courage　to　do　anything　you　want　to　do。〃　…　…
　　
　　〃Possibly；　Theodore；　but　I　have　limits　on　what　I　will　do；　no　matter　how　much　I　want　to。　Do　you　want　to　know　my　limits？〃
　　
　　〃If　you　want　me　to　know；　you'll　tell　me。　If　you　don't；　you　won't。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　want　you　to　know；　beloved　Theodore。　I　would　like　to　strip　naked　this　very　moment。　I　refrain　only　for　practical　reasons…not　moral　ones　and　not　shyness；　I　want　to　give　you　my　body；　let　you　enjoy　it　any　way　you　please…while　I　enjoy　yours。　There　are　no　limits　to　what　I　want　to　do　with　you
　　
　　but　only　to　what　I　will　do。
　　
　　〃First〃…she　ticked　them　off…〃I　will　not　risk　being　pregnant　by　any　man　but　Brian。　Second；　I　will　not　knowingly　risk　the　well…being　of　my　husband　and　children。〃　…
　　
　　〃Weren't　you　risking　that　tonight？〃
　　
　　〃Was　I；　Theodore？〃
　　
　　Lazarus　thought　about　it。　Pregnancy？　Not　a　factor。　Disease？　She　apparently　trusted　him　on　that…and　Yes；　darling；　you　are　right。　I　don't　know　why　you　hold　that　opinion　of　me；　but　you're　right。　What　does　that　leave？　A　chance　of　scandal　if　we　had　been　caught。　…How　much　chance？　Very　little；　it's　as　safe　a　spot　as　one　could　wish。　Cops？　Lazarus　doubted　that　police　ever　checked　that　spot…and　doubted　still　~more　strongly　that　a　policeman；　in　the　present　war　fever；　would　tell　a　soldier　in　uniform　more　than　〃Break　it　up　and　move　on。〃
　　
　　〃No；　my　darling；　you　took　no　risks。　Uh；　if　I　had　asked　you　to　undress　pletely；　would　you　have　done　so？〃
　　
　　Her　laugh　rang　like　chimes。　Then　she　answered　in　her　controlled　pitch　more　private　than　a　whisper。　〃I　thought　about　that　yself　sweet　for　you；　Theodore。　It　was　a　delightfully　tempting　…　idea；　Brian　has　had　me　do　so　outdoors　oftener　than　that　once。　It　excites　me；　and　he　says　that　makes　me　more　fun　for　him。　But　that's　a　risk　he　chooses　to　take；　so　it　worries　me　not　at　all…with　him。　But　I　did　not　think　it　fair　to　him　to　take　that　risk　on　my　own。　So　I　firmly　resolved；　with　my　nipples　crinkled　up　as　hard　as　you　felt　them…hard　as　they　are　now；　I'm　terribly　excited…I　resolved　not　only　nOt　to　undress　but　not　to　let　you　do　so。　Dear；　will　you　go　pay　for…　another　pony　ride？　Or　fetch　him　if　he's　tired　of　that？〃
　　
　　Lazarus　found　that　Woodie　wanted　another　ride。　He　paid　and　went　back　to　the　bench；　found　Maureen　staring　down　a　lonely　soldier。　Lazarus　touched　his　sleeve。　〃On　your　way；　Private。〃
　　
　　The　soldier　looked　around；　ready　to　argue…looked　again　and　said；　〃Oh。　Sorry；　Sergeant。　No　offense　meant。〃
　　
　　〃And　none　taken。　Better　luck　elsewhere。〃　…
　　
　　Maureen　said；　〃I　hate　to　snub　a　boy　in　uniform；　even　when　I　must。　He　wasn't　fresh　to　me；　Theodore…he　was　just　exploring　the　chances。　I　must　be　twice　his　age　and　was　tempted　to　tell　him　so。　But　it　would　have　hurt　his　feelings。〃
　　
　　〃The　trouble　is　that　you　look　eighteen；　so　they're　certain　to　？ry。〃
　　
　　〃Darling；　I　do　not　look　eighteen。　Me　with　a　daughter　over　seventeen？　If　Nancy　marries　her　young　man　before　he　goes　to　war…she　wants　to；　and　Brian　and　1　won't　stop　it…I'll　be　a　grandmother　this　ing　year。〃
　　
　　〃Hi；　Grandmaw。〃
　　
　　〃Tease。　I　will　enjoy　being　a　grandmother。〃
　　
　　543
　　
　　544〃I'm　certain　you　will；　dear；　I　think　you　have　great　capacity　for　enjoying　life。〃　（As　1　do；　Mama！…and　now　I　feel　sure　I　got　it　both　fimom　you　and　Pop。）
　　
　　〃I　do；　Theodore。〃　She　smiled。　〃Even　when　frustrated。　Very。〃
　　
　　第77节
　　
　　〃Me；　too…very。　But　we　were　talking　about　how　old　you　look。　Eighteen；　that　is。〃　…
　　
　　…　〃Pooh；　You　noticed　how　broken　down　and　ba~by…chewed　my　breasts　are。〃　…
　　
　　〃I　noticed　nothing　of　the　sort。〃
　　
　　〃Then　you　have　no　sense　of　touch；　sir　。　。　for　you　handled　them　quite　thoroughly。〃
　　
　　〃Excellent　sense　of　touch。　Lovely　breasts；〃
　　
　　〃Theodore；　I　try　to　take　care　of；　them。　But　they've　been　filled　with　milk　much　of　the　past　eighteen　years。　That　one〃…　she　nodded　toward　the　pony　ring…〃I　didn't　have　enough　milk　for　and　had　to　put　him　on　Eagle　Brand；　and　he　resented　it。　When　I　had　Richard　two　years　later；　Woodrow　tried　to　crowd　out　the　new　baby　and　take　my　freshened　breasts。　I　had　to　be　firm…when　what　I　wanted　was　to　have　one　at　each　breast。　But　one　must　be　fair　to　children；　not　spoil　one　at　the　expense　of　another。