The Thirteenth Tale-第14章

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‘no。“

‘then　e　to　the　deer　park。“

“no。”

he　noticed　that　she　had　changed　her　clothes。　“what　do　you　look　like　that　for？”　he　said。　“you　look　stupid。”

she　was　wearing　a　summer　dress　that　had　belonged　to　their　mother；　made　of　a　flimsy　white　material　and　trimmed　with　green。　instead　of　her　usual　tennis　shoes　with　their　frayed　laces；　she　had　put　on　a　pair　of　green　satin　sandals　a　size　too　big—also　their　mother’s—and　had　attached　a　flower　in　her　hair　with　a　b。　she　had　lipstick　on。　his　heart　darkened。　“where　are　you　going？”　he　asked。

‘to　the　picnic。“

he　grabbed　her　by　the　arm；　dug　his　fingers　in　and　pulled　her　toward　the　library。

‘no！“

he　pulled　her　harder。

she　hissed　at　him；　“charlie；　i　said　no！”

he　let　her　go。　when　she　said　no　like　that；　he　knew　it　meant　no。　he　had　found　that　out　in　the　past。　she　could　be　in　a　bad　temper　for　days。

she　turned　her　back　on　him　and　opened　the　front　door。

full　of　anger；　charlie　looked　for　something　to　hit。　but　he　had　already　broken　everything　that　was　breakable。　the　things　that　were　left　would　do　more　harm　to　his　knuckles　than　he　could　do　to　them。　his　fists　slackened；　he　followed　isabelle　out　of　the　door　and　to　the　picnic。

the　young　people　at　the　lakeside　made　a　pretty　picture　from　a　distance；　in　their　summer　frocks　and　white　shirts。　the　glasses　they　held　were　filled　with　a　liquid　that　sparkled　in　the　sunlight；　and　the　grass　at　their　feet　looked　soft　enough　to　go　barefoot。　in　reality；　the　picnickers　were　sweltering　beneath　their　clothes；　the　champagne　was　warm；　and　if　anyone　had　thought　to　take　their　shoes　off　they　would　have　had　to　walk　through　goose　droppings。　still；　they　were　willing　to　feign　jollity；　in　the　hope　that　their　pretense　would　encourage　the　real　thing。

a　young　man　at　the　edge　of　the　crowd　caught　sight　of　movement　up　near　the　house。　a　girl　in　a　strange　outfit　acpanied　by　a　lump　of　a　man。　there　was　something　about　her。

he　failed　to　respond　to　his　panion’s　joke；　the　panion　looked　to　see　what　had　caught　his　attention　and　fell　silent　in　turn。　a　group　of　young　women；　eternally　alert　to　the　doings　of　young　men　even　when　the　young　men　are　behind　their　backs；　turned　to　see　what　had　caused　the　sudden　silence。　and　there　followed　a　sort　of　ripple　effect；　whereby　the　entire　party　turned　to　face　the　newers；　and　seeing　them；　were　struck　dumb。

across　the　wide　lawn　walked　isabelle。

she　neared　the　group。　it　parted　for　her　as　the　sea　parted　for　moses；　and　she　walked　straight　through　it　to　the　lake　edge。　she　stood　on　a　flat　rock　that　jutted　out　over　the　water。　someone　came　toward　her　with　a　glass　and　a　bottle；　but　she　waved　them　away。　the　sun　was　bright；　it　had　been　a　long　walk　and　it　would　take　more　than　champagne　to　cool　her　down。

she　took　off　her　shoes；　hung　them　in　a　tree　and；　arms　outstretched；　let　herself　fall　into　the　water。

the　crowd　gasped；　and　when　she　rose　to　the　surface；　water　streaming　from　her　form　in　ways　that　recalled　the　birth　of　venus；　they　gasped　again。

this　plunge　into　the　water　was　another　thing　people　remembered　years　later；　after　she　left　home　for　the　second　time。　they　remembered；　and　shook　their　heads　in　a　mix　of　pity　and　condemnation。　the　girl　had　had　it　in　her　all　that　time。　but　on　the　day　it　was　put　down　to　sheer　high　spirits；　and　people　were　grateful　to　her。　single…handedly　isabelle　brought　the　whole　party　to　life。

one　of　the　young　men；　the　boldest；　with　fair　hair　and　a　loud　laugh；　kicked　off　his　shoes；　removed　his　tie　and　leapt　into　the　lake　with　her。　a　riot　of　his　friends　followed。　in　no　time　at　all；　the　young　men　were　all　in　the　water；　diving；　calling；　shouting　and　outdoing　one　another　in　athleticism　and　splash。

thinking　quickly；　the　girls　saw　there　was　only　one　way　to　go。　they　hung　their　sandals　in　the　branches；　put　on　their　most　excited　faces　and　splashed　into　the　water；　uttering　cries　that　they　hoped　would　sound　abandoned；　while　doing　their　utmost　to　prevent　any　excessive　dampening　of　their　hair。

their　efforts　were　in　vain。　the　men　had　eyes　only　for　isabelle。

charlie　did　not　follow　his　sister　into　the　water。　he　stood；　a　little　farther　off；　and　watched。　with　his　red　hair　and　his　pallor；　he　was　a　man　made　for　rain　and　indoor　pursuits。　his　face　had　gone　pink　in　the　sun；　and　his　eyes　stung　as　the　sweat　from　his　brow　ran　into　them。　but　he　hardly　blinked。　he　could　not　bear　to　take　his　eyes　off　isabelle。

how　many　hours　later　was　it　that　he　found　himself　with　her　again？　it　seemed　an　eternity。　enlivened　by　isabelle’s　presence　the　picnic　went　on　much　longer　than　anybody　had　expected；　and　yet　it　seemed　to　the　other　guests　to　have　passed　in　a　flash；　and　they　would　all　have　stayed　longer　if　they　could。　the　party　broke　up　with　consoling　thoughts　of　other　picnics　to　e；　a　round　of　promised　invitations　and　damp　kisses。

when　charlie　approached　her；　isabelle　had　a　young　man’s　jacket　arranged　around　her　shoulders　and　the　young　man　himself　in　the　palm　of　her　hand。　not　far　off　a　girl　loitered；　uncertain　whether　her　presence　was　wanted。　though　she　was　plump；　plain　and　female；　the　resemblance　she　nonetheless　bore　to　the　young　man　made　it　clear　she　was　his　sister。

‘e　on；“　charlie　said　roughly　to　his　sister。

‘so　soon？　i　thought　we　might　go　for　a　walk。　with　roland　and　sybilla。“　she　smiled　graciously　at　roland’s　sister；　and　sybilla；　surprised　at　the　unexpected　kindness；　beamed　back。

charlie　could　get　his　own　way　with　isabelle　at　home—sometimes—　by　hurting　her；　but　in　public　he　didn’t　dare；　and　so　he　buckled　under。

what　happened　during　that　walk？　there　were　no　witnesses　to　the　events　that　took　place　in　the　forest。　for　want　of　witnesses　there　was　no　gossip。　at　least　not　at　first。　but　one　does　not　have　to　be　a　genius　to　deduce　from　later　events　what　took　place　under　the　canopy　of　summer　foliage　that　evening。

it　would　have　been　something　like　this：

isabelle　would　have　found　some　pretext　for　sending　the　men　away。

‘my　shoes！　i　left　them　in　the　tree！“　and　she’d　have　sent　roland　to　fetch　them；　and　charlie；　too；　for　a　shawl　of　sybilla’s　or　some　other　item。

the　girls　settled　themselves　on　a　patch　of　soft　ground。　in　the　men’s　absence　they　waited　in　the　growing　darkness；　drowsy　from　champagne；　breathing　in　the　remains　of　the　sun’s　heat　and　with　it　the　beginning　of　something　darker；　the　forest　and　the　night。　the　warmth　of　their　bodies　began　to　drive　the　moisture　from　their　dresses；　and　as　the　folds　of　fabric　dried；　they　detached　themselves　from　the　flesh　beneath　and　tickled。

isabelle　knew　what　she　wanted。　time　alone　with　roland。　but　to　get　it；　she　had　to　be　rid　of　her　brother。

she　began　to　talk　while　they　lolled　back　against　a　tree。　“so　which　is　your　beau；　then？”

‘i　don’t　really　have　a　beau；“　sybilla　admitted。

‘but　you　should。“　isabelle　rolled　on　her　side；　took　the　feathery　leaf　of　a　fern　and　let　it　run　over　her　lips。　then　she　let　it　run　over　the　lips　of　her　panion。

‘that　tickles；“　sybilla　murmured。

isabelle　did　it　again。　sybilla　smiled；　eyes　half　shut；　and　did　not　stop　her　when　isabelle　ran　the　soft　leaf　down　her　neck　and　around　the　neckline　of　her　dress；　paying　special　attention　to　the　swell　of　the　breasts。　sybilla　emitted　a　semi…nasal　giggle。

when　the　leaf　ran　down　to　her　waist　and　beyond；　sybilla　opened　her　yes。

‘you’ve　stopped；“　she　plained。

‘i　haven’t；“　said　isabelle。　”it’s　just　that　you　can’t　feel　it　through　our　dress。“　and　she　pulled　up　the　hem　of　sybilla’s　dress　and　played　the　fronds　along　her　ankles。　”better？“

sybilla　reclosed　her　eyes。

from　the　somewhat　thick　ankle　the　green　plume　found　its　way　to　a　distinctly　chunky　knee。　an　adenoidal　murmur　escaped　from　between　sybilla’s　lips；　though　she　did　not　stir　until　the　fronds　came　to　the　very　top　of　her　legs；　and　she　did　not　sigh　until　isabelle　replaced　the　greenery　with　her　own　tender　fingers。

isabelle’s　sharp　eyes　did　not　once　leave　the　face　of　the　older　girl；　and　the　moment　the　girl’s　eyelids　gave　the　first　hint　of　a　flicker；　she　drew　her　hand　away。

‘of　course；“　she　said；　very　matter…of…fact；　”it’s　a　beau　you　need　really。“

sybilla；　roused　unwillingly　from　her　inplete　rapture；　was　slow　catch　on。　“for　the　tickling；”　isabelle　had　to　explain。　“it’s　much　better　with　a　beau。”

and　when　sybilla　asked　her　newfound　friend；　“how　do　you　know？”　isabelle　had　the　answer　all　ready：　“charlie。”

by　the　time　the　boys　returned；　shoes　and　shawl　in　hand；　isabelle　had　achieved　her　purpose。　sybilla；　a　certain　dishevelment　apparent　in　her　skirt　and　petticoat；　regarded　charlie　with　an　expression　of　warm　interest。

charlie；　indifferent　to　the　scrutiny；　was　looking　at　isabelle。

‘have　you　thought　how　similar　isabelle　and　sybilla　are？“　isabelle　said　carelessly。　charlie　glared。　”the　sounds　of　the　names；　i　mean。　almost　interchangeable；　wouldn’t　you　say？“　she　sent　a　sharp　glance　at　her　brother；　forcing　him　to　understand。　”roland　and　i　are　going　to　walk　a　bit　farther。　but　sybilla’s　tired。　you　stay　with　her。“　isabelle　took　roland’s　arm。

charlie　looked　coldly　at　sybilla；　registered　the　disarrangement　of　her　dress。　she　stared　back　at　him；　eyes　wide；　mouth　slightly　open。

when　he　turned　back　to　where　isabelle　had　been；　she　was　already　gone。　only　her　laughter　came　back