第23部分(第2/7 页)

a　jerk。　His　voice　was　alarmed。

〃Don't　tell　me；　Mommy；　I　can　get　it！〃

〃All　right；　honey；〃　she　said。　〃But　it's　not　a　big　thing。　Really　it's　not。〃

Unheeding；　Danny　bent　forward　again。　On　his　face　was　an　expression　that　might

be　more　monly　seen　hovering　over　a　graduate　record　exam　in　a　college　gym

somewhere。　She　liked　it　less　and　less。

〃See　the　。。。　buh。　Aw。　El。　El。　See　the　buhaw…el…el？　See　the　buhawl。　Ball！〃

Suddenly　triumphant。　Fierce。　The　fierceness　in　his　voice　scared　her。　〃See　the

ball！〃

〃That's　right；〃　she　said。　〃Honey；　I　think　that's　enough　for　tonight。〃

〃A　couple　more　pages；　Mommy？　Please？〃

〃No；　doc。〃　She　closed　the　red…bound　book　firmly。　〃It's　bedtime。〃

〃Please？〃

〃Don't　tease　me　about　it；　Danny。　Mommy's　tired。〃

〃Okay。〃　But　he　looked　longingly　at　the　primer。

〃Go　kiss　your　father　and　then　wash　up。　Don't　forget　to　brush。〃

〃Yeah。〃

He　slouched　out；　a　small　boy　in　pajama　bottoms　with　feet　and　a　large　flannel

top　with　a　football　on　the　front　and　NEW　ENGLAND　PATRIOTS　written　on　the　back。

Jack's　typewriter　stopped；　and　she　heard　Danny's　hearty　smack。　〃Night；　Daddy。〃

〃Goodnight；　doc。　How'd　you　do？〃

〃Okay；　I　guess。　Mommy　made　me　stop。〃

〃Mommy　was　right。　It's　past　eight…thirty。　Going　to　the　bathroom？〃

〃Yeah。〃

〃Good。　There's　potatoes　growing　out　of　your　ears。　And　onions　and　carrots　and

chives　and　—　〃

Danny's　giggle；　fading；　then　cut　off　by　the　firm　click　of　the　bathroom　door。

He　was　private　about　his　bathroom　functions；　while　both　she　and　Jack　were　pretty

much　catch…as…catch…can。　Another　sign　—　and　they　were　multiplying　all　the　time　—

that　there　was　another　human　being　in　the　pla