time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)- 第128部分

　　
　　〃I　told　you　I　was　sentimental；　Theodore。　Yes；　this　is　the　same　pair。　Old　and　faded　and　worn　and　I've　replaced　the　elastic…but　the　same　pair；　I　picked　them　to　wear　for　you。〃
　　
　　〃Then　I　want　one　of　them　for　me！〃
　　
　　〃Beloved　Theodore。　I　planned　to　offer　you　both　of　them。　That's　why　I　suggested　a　new　pair　for　Tamara。　Very　well；　dear；　one　for　you；　one　for　her。　As　soon　as　we're　home。　I'll　trot　upstairs；　and　when　I　e　down；　I'll　have　a　present　for　you　and
　　
　　will　tell　you　…not　to　open　It　until　you're　back　at　Camp　Funston。　You　just　say　thank　you　and　go　straight　to　your　room　and　put　it　into　your　grip。　I　see　a　light　on　the　front　porch；　so　now　I　must　push　my　skirts　down　and　be　the　prim　and　proper　Mrs。　Brian　Smith。　With　a　smoldering　volcano　inside　her！　Thank　you；　Staff　Sergeant　Bronson。　You　have　given　my　son　and　me　a　most　enjoyable　evening。〃
　　
　　〃Thank　you；　pretty　little　pussycat　in　green　garters　and　no　bloomers。　Will　you　grab　the　Teddy　bear　and　the　Kewpie　doll　while　I　carry　our　chaperon？〃
　　
　　Ira　Johnson　and　Nancy　were　not　yet　home。　Brian　Junior　relieved　Lazarus　of　the　limp　child　and　carried　him　upstairs。　Carol　went　along　to　put　Woodie　to　bed　after　exacting　a　promise　from　〃Uncle　Ted〃　not　to　go　to　bed　before　she　came　back。　George　wanted　to　know　where　they　had　gone　and　what　they　had　done；　but　Lazarus　put　him　off　with　a　promise　and　used　the　chance　to　repair　to　his　tiny　bath　and　repair　himself。　…
　　
　　Hair　a　bit　mussed…　Thank　God　respectable　women　did　not　use　lipstick。　Uniform　slightly　wrinkled；　nothing　damning　about　that。　Five　minutes　later；　refreshed　and　certain　there　were　no　feathers　on　his　chin；　Lazarus　returned　to　the　front　of　the　house　and　offered　George　and　Brian　Junior　an　account　of　the　eve…
　　
　　…　fling　truthful　in　everything　he　said。
　　
　　He　had　just　started　when　Carol　came　down　and　listened　too；　then　Mrs。　Smith　rejoined　them；　moving　regally　as　always　and　carrying　a　little　package　wrapped　in　tissue　paper。　〃A　surprise　for　you；　Sergeant　Theodore…please　don't　open　it　until　you　are　back　at　camp。〃
　　
　　〃Then　I　had　better　put　it　into　my　grip　right　now。〃
　　
　　〃If　you　wish；　sir。　I　think　it's　bedtime；　dears。〃　…
　　
　　〃Yes；　Mama；〃　agreed　Carol。　〃But　Uncle　Ted　was　telling　us　how　you　knocked　down　all　the　milk　bottles。〃
　　
　　〃He　says　you　should　pitch　for　the　Blues；　Mama！〃　added　George。
　　
　　〃All　right；…　fifteen　minutes。〃
　　
　　〃Mrs。　Smith；〃　said　Lazarus；　〃you　ought　not　to　start　your　stopwatch　on　us　until　I　get　back。〃
　　
　　〃You're　as　bad　as　the　rest　of　my　children；　Sergeant。　Very　well。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　put　the　package　into　his　grip；　locked　it　from　long　habit；　and　returned。　Nancy　and　her　young　man　arrived；　Lazarus　was　introduced　while　looking　over　Jonathan　Weath~…sral　with　real　interest。　Pleasant　young　fellow；　a　bit　on　the
　　
　　gawky　side…。…　Tamara　and　Ira　will　be　interested；　so　let's　photograph　him　by　eye；　be　able　to　sketch　him；　and…　remember　any　word　he　says。
　　
　　Mrs。　Smith　urged　her　prospective　son…in…law　into　the　parlor　while　cutting　Nancy　out　of　the　herd；　Lazarus　resumed　describing　what　they　had　done　at　the　amusement　park　while　Jonathan　looked　politely　bored。　Mrs。　Smith。　returned；　carrying　a　laden　tray　and　said；　〃That　fifteen　minutes　is　up；　dears。　Jonathan；　Nancy　wants　you　to　help　her　with　something；　will　you　see　what　it　is？　She's　in　the　kitchen。〃
　　
　　第80节
　　
　　Brian　Junior　asked　if　he　could　put　the　car　into　the　barn。
　　
　　…　〃Sergeant　Uncle　Ted；　I　haven't　let　your　car　sit　out…　at　the　curb　at　night；　not　once。　But　I'll　get　it　out　for　you；　first　thing　in　the　morning；　it's　kind　o'　tricky；　sort　of　a　'Z'　turn；　you　have　to　back　and　fill。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　thanked　him；　kissed　Carol　good…night；　as　she　was　clearly　expecting　it。　George　couldn't　seem　to　make　up　his　mind　whether　he　had　outgrown　kissing　or　not；　so　Lazarus　settled　it　by　shaking　hands　and　telling　him　he　had　quite　a　grip　on　him。　At　that　point　Mi~。　Johnson　got　home；　and　the　good…nights　started　over。
　　
　　Five　…　minutes　later　Mrs。　Smith；　her　father；　and　Lazarus　were　seated　in　the　parlor　over　coffee　and　cake；　and　Lazarus　was　suddenly　reminded　of　the　first　night　he　had　been　invited　in。　Save　that　the　men　were　now　in　uniform　the　tableau　was　the　same；　each　was　seated　in　the　spot　he　had　been　in　that　night；　Mrs。　Smith　presided　over　the　〃pany〃　coffee　service　with　the　same　serene　dignity；　even　the　refreshments　were　the　same。　He　looked　for　changes；　could　find　only　three：　His　elephant　was　not　back　of　Mrs。　Smith's　chair；　the　prizes　they
　　
　　…had　won　at　the　amusement　park　were　on　a　table　near　the　door；　and　sheet　music　for　〃Hello；　Central；　Give　Me　No　Man's　Land〃　was　~open　on　the　piano。　…　〃You　were　late　tonight；　Father。〃
　　
　　〃Seven　recruits；　and　I　had　just　the　…usual　sizes　for　them；　too　large　and　too　small。　Ted；　we　get　what　the　Army　doesn't　want。　Proper；　of　course。　We　now　…　have　Lewis　guns　for　the　machine…gun　panies　and　enough　Springflelds　to　go　around；　we　are　beginning　to　look　less　like　Villa's　bandits；　I'm　not　plaining。　Daughter；　what　are　those　things　on　that　table？　They　look　out　of　place。〃　…
　　
　　〃The　Kewpie　doll　I　wOn　myself；　so　I'm　thinking　of　giving　it　a　place　of　honor　on　top　of　the　piano。　The　Teddy　Roosevelt　bear　was　won　by　Sergeant　Theodore；　perhaps　he's　taking
　　
　　it　to　France　with　him。　Electric　Park；　Father；　and　I　don't　think　it　costS　Sergeant　Theodore　more　…than　twice　what　the　prizes　are　worth　for　us　to　win　them；　we　had　a　lucky　night…　and　a　very　gay　one。〃　…
　　
　　Lazarus　could　see　the　old　man　starting　to　cloud　up…in　public　with　a　bachelor？　With　her　husband　away？　So　he　spoke　up：
　　
　　〃I　can't　take　it　to　France；　Mrs。　Smith；　I　made　a　deal　with　Woodie…don't　you　remember？　My　Teddy　bear　for　his　elephant。　I　assume　it's　a　firm　deal；　he　carried　it　from　then　on。〃
　　
　　Mr。　Johnson　said；　〃If　you　didn't　get　it　in　writing；　Ted；　he'll　hornswoggle　you。　Do　I　understand　that　Woodie　went　to　Electric　Park　with　you　two？〃
　　
　　〃Yes；　sir。　Between　ourselves　I　expect　to　leave　the　elephant　in　Woodie's　custody　for　the　duration。　But　I'm　going　to　dicker　with　him　first。〃
　　
　　〃He'll　still　hornswoggle　you。　Maureen；　the　idea　was　to　give　you　relief　from　the　children。　Especially　Woodie。　What　in　Ned　possessed　you　to　take　him　along？〃
　　
　　〃We　didn't　exactly　take　him　along；　Father；　he　was　a　stowaway。〃　She　gave　her　father　an　accurate　account；　save　that　she　left　out　certain　things　and　did　not　include　a　timetable。
　　
　　Mr。　Johnson　shook　his　head　and　looked　pleased。　〃That　boy　will　go　far…if　they　don't　hang　him　first。　Maureen；　you　should　have　…spanked　him　and　fetched　him　home。　Then　you　and　Ted　should　have　gone　on　with　your　ride。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　fuss；　Father；　I　did　have　my　ride　and　a　very　nice　one；　I　made　Woodrow　sit　in　the　back　seat　and　keep　quiet。　Then　I　had　a　gay　time　at　the　park；　a　bonus　I　would　not　have　had　if　Woodrow　had　not　invited　himself　along。〃
　　
　　〃Woodie　had　some　justice　on　his　side；〃　Lazarus　admitted。　〃I　did　promise　him　an　outing　at　Electric　Park；　then
　　
　　…　never　kept　my　promise。〃
　　
　　〃Should　have　whacked　him。〃
　　
　　〃It's　too　late　for　that；　Father。　And　we　did　have　fun。　We　ran　into　some　people　from　church；　too…Lauretta　and　Clyde　Simpson。〃　…
　　
　　〃That　old　witch！　She'll　gossip　about　you；　Maureen。〃
　　
　　〃I　think　not。　We　chatted　while　Woodie　rode　the　miniature　train。　But　you　might　remember　that　Sergeant　Bronson　is　your　eldest　sister's　son。〃
　　
　　Ira　Johnson　raised　his　eyebrows；　then　Chuckled。　〃Samantha　would　be　surprised…if　she　were　still　with　us。　Ted；　my　eldest　sister　was　thrown　by　a　horse　she　was　trying　to　break
　　
　　？…　at　eighty…five。　She　lingered　awhile；　then　tu？ned　her　face　to　the　wall　and　refused　to　eat。　Very　well；　I'll　remember。　Ted；　this　is　better　than　blaming　my　gay…dog　brother　and　still　harder　to　check　on；/Samantha　lived　in　illinois；　wore　out　three　husbands；　and　one　of　them　could　have　been　named　Bronson　for　all　anyone　here　would　know。　Do　you　mind？　Gives　you　a　family　of　sorts。〃
　　
　　〃I　don't　mind。　Although　I　like　to　think　of　this　family　as　my　family。〃
　　
　　〃And　we　like　to　have　you　think　of　us　that　way；　Son。　Maureen；　is　our　young　lady　home？〃
　　
　　〃Just　before　you　got　home；　Father。　They　are　in　the　kitchen；　on　the　excuse　that　she　wanted　to　make　a　sandwich　for　Jonathan。　Since　I'm　sure　it's　an　excuse　to　stay　out　there　and　spoon；　I　suggest　that；　if　you　want　something　from　the　kitchen；　you　allow　me　to　fetch　it；　I'll　be　noisy　enough　to　let　Nancy　jump　off　his　lap。　Theodore；　Nancy　is　engaged；　we　just　haven't　made　a　formal　announcement。　I　think　it's　best　to　let　them　marry　now；　since　he'll　be　joining　the　Army　almost　at　once。
　　
　　…　What　do　you　think？〃
　　
　　〃I'm　hardly　entitled　to　an　opinion；　Mrs。　Smith。　I　hope　they　will　be　happy。〃
　　
　　〃They　will　be；〃　said　Mr。　Johnson。　〃He's　a　fine　lad。　I　tried　to　sign　him　into　the　Seventh；　but　he　insisted　on　waiting　for　his　birthday　so　he　could　go　straight　into　the　Army。　Even　though　he　couldn't　be　drafted　for　another　three　years。　Spirit。　I　like　him。　Ted；　if　you　need　to　go　to　your　room；　you　can　go　around　this　other　way　and　avoid　the　kitchen。〃
　　
　　A　few　minutes　later　the　young　people　came　out　of　the　kitchen；　thade　polite　sounds　without　sitting　down；　then　Nancy　stepped　out　onto　the　porch　to　say　good…night　to　her　swain；。　came　back　in；　and　sat　down。
　　
　　Mr。　Johnson　smothered　a　yawn。　〃Time　I　hit　the　hay。　You　will　too；　Ted；　if　you're　smart。　Too　noisy　around　here　to　sleep　late；　especially　where　your　room　is。〃
　　
　　Nancy　said　quickly；　〃I'll　keep　the　young　ones　quiet；　Grandpa；　so　Uncle　Ted　can　sleep。〃
　　
　　Lazarus　stood　up。　〃Thank　you；　Nancy；　but　I　didn't　get　much　rest　on　the　train　last　night；　I　think　I'll　go　right　to　bed。　Don't　orning；　I'll　wake　up　at　reveille　time　anyhow。　Habit。〃
　　
　　Mrs。　Smith　stood　up。　〃We'll　all　go　to　bed。〃
　　
　　Mr。　Johnson　shook　hands　as　he　sai。d　good…night~　Mrs。
　　
　　Smith　gave　Lazarus　a　symbolic　peck　on　the　cheek　such　as　she　had　gi'sen　him　on　arrival；　thanked　him　for　a　lovely　evening；　and　urged　him　to　turn　over　and　go　back　to　sleep　if　the　reveille　habit　wakened　him；　Nancy　hung　back　and　kissed　him　good…night　as　her　elders　started　up　the　stairs。