the notebook-恋恋笔记本(英文版)-第9部分

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y。　And　then　Lon　guessed　that　she　had　loved　that　person　far　more　deeply　than　her　mother　had　suggested。　Maybe　more　deeply　than　she　loved　Lon。

And　now　she　was　there。　Interesting。　Lon　brought　his　palms　together；　as　though　he　were　praying；　resting　his　fingertips　against　his　lips。　Coincidence？　Could　he　nothing。　Could　he　exactly　what　she　said。　Could　be　stress　and　antique　shopping。　Possible。　Even　probable。

Yet　。　。　。　what　if？　Lon　considered　the　other　possibility；　and　for　the　first　time　in　a　long　while　he　became　frightened。　What　if　she’s　with　him？

He　made　up　his　mind　then　that　he　would　do　anything　it　took　to　keep　her。　She　was　everything　he’d　always　needed；　and　he’d　never　find　another　quite　like　her。

So；　with　trembling　hands；　he　dialled　the　phone　for　the　fourth　and　last　time　that　evening。

And　again　there　was　no　answer。

CHAPTER　FIVE：　KAYAKS　AND　FORGOTTEN　DREAMS

ALLIE　WOKE　early　the　next　morning。　She’d　slept　in　the　shirt　he’d　given　her；　and　she　smelt　him　once　again　while　thinking　about　the　evening　they’d　spent　together。　The　easy　laughter　and　conversation　came　hack　to　her；　and　she　especially　remembered　the　way　he’d　talked　about　her　painting。　It　was　so　unexpected；　yet　uplifting；　and　she　realized　how　sorry　she　would　have　been　had　she　decided　not　to　see　him　again。

She　looked　out　of　the　window　and　watched　the　chattering　birds　search　for　food　in　the　early　light。　Noah；　she　knew；　had　always　been　a　morning　person。　She　knew　he　liked　to　kayak　or　canoe；　and　she　remembered　one　morning　she’d　spent　with　him　in　his　canoe；　watching　the　sun　e　up。　She’d　had　to　sneak　out　of　her　window　to　do　it　because　her　parents　wouldn’t　allow　it；　but　she　hadn’t　been　caught　and　she　remembered　how　Noah　had　slipped　his　arm　around　her　and　pulled　her　close　as　dawn　began　to　unfold。　“Look　there；”　he’d　whispered；　and　she’d　watched　her　first　sunrise　with　her　head　on　his　shoulder；　wondering　if　anything　could　he　better　than　that　moment。

As　she　got　out　of　bed　to　take　her　bath；　feeling　the　cold　floor　beneath　her　feet；　she　wondered　if　he’d　been　on　the　water　this　morning　watching　another　day　begin；　thinking　somehow　he　probably　had。

SHE　WAS　RIGHT。　Noah　was　up　before　the　sun　and　dressed　quickly；　same　jeans　as　last　night；　undershirt；　clean　flannel　shirt；　blue　jacket　and　boots。　He　drank　a　quick　glass　of　milk　and　grabbed　two　biscuits　on　the　way　out　of　the　door。　After　Clem　greeted　him　with　a　couple　of　sloppy　licks；　he　walked　to　the　dock　where　his　kayak　was　stored。　He　liked　to　let　the　river　work　its　magic；　loosening　up　his　muscles；　warming　his　body；　clearing　his　mind。

The　old　kayak；　well　used　and　river…stained；　hung　on　two　rusty　hooks　attached　to　his　dock；　just　above　the　water　line。　He　lifted　it　free；　inspected　it　quickly；　then　took　it　to　the　hank。　In　a　couple　of　seasoned　moves；　long　since　mastered　by　habit；　he　had　it　in　the　water　and　was　working　his　way　upstream；　paddling　hard；　working　off　the　tension；　preparing　for　the　day。

Questions　danced　in　his　mind。　He　wondered　about　Lon　and　what　type　of　man　he　was；　wondered　about　their　relationship。　Most　of　all；　though；　he　wondered　about　Allie　and　why　she　had　e。

By　the　time　he　reached　Home；　he　felt　renewed。　Checking　his　watch；　he　was　surprised　to　find　that　it　had　taken　two　hours。　Time　always　played　tricks　out　there。

He　hung　the　kayak　to　dry　and　went　to　the　shed　where　he　stored　his　two…man　canoe。　He　carried　it　to　the　hank；　leaving　it　a　few　feet　from　the　water；　and　turned　towards　the　house。　In　the　western　sky　he　saw　storm　clouds；　thick　and　heavy；　far　off　but　definitely　present。　The　winds　weren’t　blowing　hard　but　they　were　bringing　the　clouds　closer。　From　the　look　of　them　he　didn’t　want　to　he　outside　when　they　got　here。　Damn。　How　much　time　did　he　have？　A　few　hours；　maybe　more。

He　showered；　put　on　new　jeans；　a　red　shirt　and　black　cowboy　boots；　brushed　his　hair　and　went　downstairs　to　the　kitchen。　He　did　the　dishes　from　the　night　before；　picked　up　a　little　around　the　house；　made　himself　some　Coffee　and　went　to　the　porch。　The　sky　was　darker　now　and　he　checked　the　barometer。　Steady；　but　it　would　start　dropping　soon。

He’d　learned　long　ago　to　never　underestimate　the　weather；　and　he　wondered　if　it　was　a　good　idea　to　go　out。　The　rain　he　could　deal　with；　lightning　was　a　different　story。　A　canoe　was　no　place　to　he　when　electricity　sparked　in　humid　air。

He　finished　his　Coffee；　putting　off　the　decision　until　later。　He　went　to　the　toolshed　and　found　his　axe。　After　checking　the　blade　by　pressing　his　thumb　to　it；　he　sharpened　it　with　a　whetstone　until　it　was　ready。

He　spent　the　next　twenty　minutes　splitting　and　stacking　logs。　He　did　it　easily；　his　strokes　efficient；　and　didn’t　break　a　sweat。　He　put　a　few　logs　off　to　the　side　for　later　and　brought　them　inside　when　he　was　finished；　stacking　them　by　the　fireplace。

He　looked　at　Allie’s　painting　and　reached　out　to　touch　it；　bringing　back　the　feelings　of　disbelief　at　seeing　her　again。　God；　what　was　it　about　her　that　made　him　feel　this　way？　Even　after　all　these　years？　What　sort　of　power　did　she　have　over　him？

He　finally　turned　away；　shaking　his　head；　and　went　back　to　the　porch。　He　checked　the　barometer　again。　It　hadn’t　changed。　Then　he　looked　at　his　watch。

Allie　should　he　here　soon。

ALLIE　SPENT　the　morning　downtown。　The　Depression　had　taken　its　toll；　but　she　could　see　signs　of　prosperity　beginning　to　work　their　way　hack。　Fort　Totten　Park　looked　exactly　the　same　as　it　had　fourteen　years　ago；　and　the　kids　who　played　on　the　swings　after　school　probably　looked　the　same　as　well。　She　smiled　at　the　memory　then；　thinking　back　to　when　things　were　simpler。　Or　at　least　had　seemed　to　be。

Now；　nothing　was　simple。　She　wondered　what　she　would　have　been　doing　now；　had　she　never　seen　the　article　in　the　paper。　It　wasn’t　very　difficult　to　imagine；　because　her　routines　seldom　changed。　It　was　Wednesday；　which　meant　bridge　at　the　country　club；　then　on　to　the　Junior　Women’s　League；　where　they　would　probably　he　arranging　another　fund…raiser　for　the　private　school　or　hospital。　After　that；　a　visit　to　her　mother；　then　Home　to　get　ready　for　dinner　with　Lon；　because　he　made　it　a　point　to　leave　work　by　seven。　It　was　the　one　night　a　week　she　saw　him　regularly。

She　suppressed　a　feeling　of　sadness　about　that；　hoping　that　one　day　he　would　change。　He　had　often　promised　to　and　usually　followed　through　for　a　few　weeks　before　drifting　back　to　the　same　schedule。　“I　can’t　tonight；　honey。”　he　would　explain；　“I’m　sorry；　but　I　can’t。　Let　me　make　it　up　to　you　later。”

She　didn’t　like　to　argue；　mostly　because　she　knew　he　was　telling　the　truth。　Trial　work　was　demanding；　both　beforehand　and　during；　yet　she　couldn’t　help　wondering　sometimes　why　he　had　spent　so　much　time　courting　her　if　he　didn’t　want　to　spend　time　with　her　now。

She　passed　an　art　gallery　on　Front　Street；　almost　walked　by　it　in　her　preoccupation；　then　turned　and　went　back。　She　paused　at　the　door　for　a　second；　surprised　at　how　long　it　had　been　since　she’d　been　in　one。　At　least　three　years；　maybe　longer。

She　went　inside　and　browsed　among　the　paintings。　Many　of　the　artists　were　local；　and　there　was　a　strong　sea　flavour　to　their　works。

On　one　wall；　though；　there　were　a　few　paintings　more　suited　to　her　tastes；　by　an　artist　she’d　never　heard　of。　Most　appeared　to　have　been　inspired　by　the　architecture　of　the　Greek　islands。　In　the　painting　she　liked　the　best；　she　noted　the　artist　had　purposely　exaggerated　the　scene　with　smaller…than…life　figures；　wide　lines　and　heavy　sweeps　of　vivid；　swirling　colour；　drawing　the　eye；　almost　directing　what　it　should　see　next。　It　was　dynamic；　dramatic。　She　considered　buying　it　before　she　realized　that　she　liked　it　because　it　reminded　her　of　her　own　work。　She　examined　it　more　closely　and　thought　to　herself　that　maybe　Noah　was　right。　Maybe　she　should　start　painting　again。

At　nine　thirty　Allie　left　the　gallery　and　went　to　Hoffman…Lane；　a　department　store。　It　took　a　few　minutes　to　find　what　she　was　looking　for。　Paper；　drawing　chalk　and　pencils；　not　high　quality　but　good　enough。　It　wasn’t　painting；　but　it　was　a　start；　and　she　was　excited　by　the　time　she　got　back　to　her　room。

She　sat　at　the　desk　and　started　working：　nothing　specific；　just　getting　the　feel　of　it　again；　letting　shapes　and　colours　flow　from　the　memory　of　her　youth。　After　a　few　minutes；　she　did　a　rough　sketch　of　the　street　scene　as　seen　from　her　room；　amazed　at　how　easily　it　came。　It　was　almost　as　if　she’d　never　stopped。

She　examined　it　when　she　was　finished；　pleased　with　the　effort。　She　wondered　what　to　try　next　and　finally　decided。　Since　she　didn’t　have　a　model；　she　visualized　it　in　her　head　before　starting。　And　though　it　was　harder　than　the　street　scene；　it　began　to　take　form。

Minutes　passed　quickly。　She　worked　steadily；　checking　the　time　frequently　so　she　wouldn’t　be　late；　and　finished　it　a　little　before　noon。　It　had　taken　almost　two　hours；　but　the　end　result　surprised　her。　It　looked　as　though　it　had　taken　a　great　deal　longer。　After　rolling　it　up；　she　put　it　in　a　bag　and　collected　the　rest　of　her　things。　On　her　way　out　of　the　door；　she　looked　at　herself　in　the　mirror；　feeling　oddly　relaxed；　not　exactly　sure　why。

Down　the　stairs　again　and　out　of　the　door。　As　she　left　she　heard　a　voice　behind　her。　“Miss？”

She　turned。　The　manager。　The　same　man　as　yesterday；　a　curious　look　on　his　face。

“Yes？”

“You　had　some　calls　last　night。”

She　was　shocked。　“I　did？”

“Yes。　All　from　a　Mr。　Hammond。”

Oh；　God。　“Lon　called？”

“Yes；　ma’am；　four　times。　He　was　concerned　about　you。　He　said　he　was　your　fiancé。”

She　smiled　weakly；　trying　to　hide　what　she　was　thinking。　Four　times？　Four？　What　could　that　mean？　What　if　something　had　happened　back　Home？　“Did　he　say　anything？　Is　it　an　emergency？”

He　shook　his　head　quickly。　“He　really　didn’t　say；　miss。　Actually；　he　sounded　more　concerned　about　you。”

Good；　she　thought。　That’s　good。　And　then；　just　as　suddenly；　a　pang　in　her　chest。　Why　so　many　calls？　Had　she　said　anything　yesterday？　Why　would　he　be　so　persistent？　It　was　pletely　unlike　him。　Was　there　any　way　he　could　have　found　out？　No；　that　was　impossible。　Unless　someone　saw　her　here　yesterday　and　called…　But　they　would　have　had　to　follow　her　out　to　Noah’s。　No　one　would　have　done　that。

She　had　to　call　him　now：　no　way　to　get　around　it。　But　she　didn’t　want　to。　This　was　her　time；　and　she　wanted　to　spend　it　doing　what　she　wanted。　She　hadn’t　planned　on　speaking　to　him　until　later；　and　she　felt　almost　as　if　talking　to　him　now　would　spoil　the　day。　Besides；　what　was　she　going　to　say？　How　could　she　explain　being　out　so　late？　A　late　dinner　and　then　a　walk？　Maybe。　Or　a　movie？　Or。

“Miss？”

Almost　noon；　she　thought。　Where　would　he　be？　His　office；　probably　。　。　。　no。　In　court；　she　suddenly　realized；　and　immediately　felt　as　if　she’d　been　released　from　shackles。　There　was　no　way　she　could　talk　to　him；　even　if　she　wanted　to。　She　was　surprised　by　her　feelings。　She　shouldn’t　feel　this　way；　she　knew；　and　yet　it　didn’t　bother　her。　She　looked　at　her　watch；　acting　now。

“Is　it　really　almost　twelve？”

The　manager　looked　at　the　clock。　“Yes；　a　quarter　to。”

“Unfortunately；”　she　started；　“he’s　in　court　right　now　and　I　can’t　reach　him。　If　he　does　call　again；　could　you　tell　him　I’m　shopping　and　that　I