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said。 〃You don't want me to make a speech do you？〃
〃No。 But we have to talk sometime。〃
'Would you like me to go away？〃
〃You'd be smarter to go away。
〃Would you kiss me so I know that it is all right if I stay？〃 Catherine had come in now with the young waiter who carried a large tin of caviar in a bowl of ice on a tray with a plate of toast。 〃That was a wonderful kiss；〃 she said。 〃Everyone saw it so there's no longer any fear of scandal or anything；〃 Catherine said。 〃They're cutting up some egg whites and some onion。
It was very large firm gray caviar and Catherine dipped it onto the pieces of thin toast。
〃Heiress bought you a case of B6llinger Brut 1915 and there is some iced。 Don't you think we should drink a bottle with this？〃
〃Sure；〃 said David。 〃Let's have it all through the meal。〃
〃Isn't it lucky Heiress and I are rich so you'll never have anything to worry about？ We'll take good care of him won't we Heiress？〃
'We must try very hard；〃 the girl said。 〃I'm trying to study his needs。 This was all we could find for today。〃
Chapter Fourteen
HE HAD 5LEPT about two hours when the daylight woke him and he looked at Catherine sleeping easily and looking happy in her sleep。 He left her looking beautiful and young and unspoiled and then went into the bathroom and showered and put on a pair of shorts and walked barefoot through the garden to the room where he worked。 The sky was washed clean after the wind and it was the fresh early morning of a new day toward the end of
summer。
He started in again on the new and difficult story and worked attacking each thing that for years he had put off facing。 He worked until nearly eleven o'clock and when he had finished for the day he shut up the room and went out and found the two girls playing chess at a table in the garden。 They both looked fresh and young and as attractive as the wind…washed morning
sky。
〃She's beating me again；〃 Catherine said。 〃How are you； David？〃
The girl smiled at him very shyly。
They are the two loveliest girls I've ever seen； David thought。 Now what will this day bring。 〃How are you two？〃 he said。
〃We're very well；〃 the girl said。 〃Did you have good luck？〃
〃It's all uphill but it's going well；〃 he said。
〃You haven't had any breakfast。〃
〃It's too late for breakfast；〃 David said。
〃Nonsense；〃 Catherine said。 〃You're wife of the day； Heiress。 Make him eat breakfast。〃
〃Wouldn't you like coffee and some fruit； David？〃 the girl asked。 〃You ought to eat something。〃
〃I'll have some black coffee；〃 David said。
〃I'll bring you something；〃 the girl said and went off into the hotel。
David sat by Catherine at the table and she put the chessmen and the board on a chair。 She mussed his hair and said； 〃Have you forgotten you have a silver head like mine？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said。
〃It's going to be lighter and lighter and I'll be fairer and fairer and darker in the body too。〃
〃That will be wonderful。〃
〃Yes and I'm all over everything。〃
The pretty dark girl was bringing a tray with a small bowl rounded with caviar； a half lemon； a spoon and two pieces of toast and the young waiter had a bucket with a bottle of the B6llinger and a tray with three glasses。
〃This will be good for David；〃 the girl said。 〃Then we can go swimming before lunch。〃
After the swimming and lying in the sun on the beach and a big long lunch with more of the Bdllinger； Catherine said； 〃I'm really tired and sleepy。〃
〃You swam a long way；〃 David said。 〃We'll make a siesta。〃
〃I want to really sleep；〃 Catherine said。
〃Do you feel well； Catherine？〃 the girl asked。
〃Yes。 just deadly sleepy。〃
〃We'll put you to bed；〃 David said。 〃Do you have a ther mometer？〃 he asked the girl。
〃I'm sure I haven't any fever；〃 Catherine said。 〃I just want to sleep for a long time。〃
When she was in bed the girl brought in the thermometer and David took Catherine's temperature and her pulse。 The temperature was normal and the pulse was one hundred and five。
〃The pulse is a little high；〃 he said。 〃But I don't know your normal pulse。〃
〃I don't either but it's probably too fast。〃
〃I don't think the pulse means much with the temperature normal；〃 David said。 〃But if you have a fever I'll bring a doctor up from Cannes。〃
〃I don't want a doctor；〃 Catherine said。 〃I just want to sleep。 Can I sleep now？〃
〃Yes； my beauty。 You call if you want me。
They stood and watched her go to sleep and then went out very quietly and David walked along the stones and looked through the window。 Catherine was sleeping quietly and her breathing was regular。 He brought two chairs up and a table and they sat in the shade near Catherine's window and looked out through the pines to the blue sea。 〃What do you think？〃 David asked。
〃I don't know。 She was happy this morning。 just as you saw her when you finished writing。〃
'What about now？〃
〃Maybe just a reaction from yesterday。 She's a very natural girl； David； and this is natural。〃
〃Yesterday was like loving someone when someone s died；〃 he said。 〃It wasn't right。〃 He stood up and walked to the window
and looked in。 Catherine was sleeping in the same position and breathing lightly。 〃She's sleeping well；〃 he told the girl。 〃Wouldn't you like to take a nap？〃
〃I think so。〃
〃I'm going down to my room where I work；〃 he said。 〃There's a door to yours that bolts on each side。〃 He walked down along the stones and unlocked the door of his room and then unbolted the door between the two rooms。 He stood and waited and then heard the bolt turn on the other side of the door and then the door opened。 They sat side by side on the bed and he put his arm around her。 〃Kiss me；〃 David said。
〃I love to kiss you；〃 she said。 〃I love it so very much。 But I can't do the other。〃
〃No？〃
〃No； I can't。〃
Then she said； 〃Isn't there anything I can do for you now？ I'm so ashamed about the other but you know how it could。 make trouble。〃
〃Just lie here by me。〃
〃I'd love that。〃
〃Do what you like。〃
〃I will；〃 she said。 〃You too please。 Do what we can。
Catherine slept all through the afternoon and early evening。 David and the girl were sitting at the bar having a drink together and the girl said； 〃They never did bring the mirror。〃
〃Did you ask old man Aurol about it？〃
〃Yes。 He was pleased。〃
〃I'd better pay him corkage on that Bollinger or something。〃
〃I gave him four bottles and two very good bottles of fine。 He's taken care of。 It was Madame I was afraid of about trouble。〃
〃You were absolutely right。〃
〃I don't want to make trouble； David。〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃I don't think you do。〃
The young waiter had come in with more ice and David made two martinis and gave her one。 The waiter put in the garlic olives and then went back to the kitchen。
〃I'll go and see how Catherine is；〃 the girl said。 〃Things will turn out or they won't。〃
She was gone for about ten minutes and he felt of the girl's drink and decided to drink it before it got warm。 He took it in his hand and raised it to his lips and he found as it touched his lips that it gave him pleasure because it was hers。 It was clear and undeniable。 That's all you need； he thought。 That's all you need to make things really perfect。 Be in love with both of them。 What's happened to you since last May？ What are you anymore anyway？ But he touched the glass to his lips again and there was the same reaction as before。 All right； he said； remember to do the work。 The work is what you have left。 You better fork up with the work。
The girl came back and when he saw her come in； her face happy； he knew how he felt about her。
〃She's getting dressed；〃 the girl said。 〃She feels fine。 Isn't it wonderful？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； loving Catherine too as always。
〃What happened to my drink？〃
〃I drank it；〃 he said。 〃Because it was yours。
〃Truly； David？〃 She blushed and was happy。
〃That's as well as I can put it；〃 he said。 〃Here's a new one。
She tasted it and passed her lips very lightly over the rim and then passed it to him and he did the same and took a long sip。 〃You're very beautiful；〃 he said。 〃And I love you。
126 127
Chapter Fifteen
HE HEARD THE BUGATTI start and the noise came as a surprise and an intrusion because there was no motor noise in the country where he was living。 He was completely detached from every thing except the story he was writing and he was living in it as he built it。 The difficult parts he had dreaded he now faced one after another and as he did the people； the country； the days and the nights； and the weather were all there as he wrote。 He went on working and he felt as tired as if he had spent the night crossing the broken volcanic desert and the sun had caught him and the others with the dry gray lakes still ahead。 He could feel the weight of the heavy double…barreled rifle carried over his shoulder； his hand on the muzzle； and he tasted the pebble in his mouth。 Across the shimmer of the dry lakes he could see the distant blue of the escarpment。 Ahead of him there was no one； and behind was the long line of porters who knew that they had reached this point three hours too late。
It was not him； of course； who had stood there that morning； nor had he even worn the patched corduroy jacket faded almost white now； the armpit