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e with Maureen…except that this time he expected to put up with restless frustration； in public where he must treat her as 〃Mrs。 Smith；〃 after being in warmest privacy…then disappointed。
But she taught him a lesson in how to enjoy the inevitable；
He learned that Maureen could be unblushingly intimate despite people all around them and still maintain her smiling； regal； public dignity。 She did it by keeping her persona always intact…happy young matron with boy child clutching her hand； both enjoying an evening of innocent fun as guests of 〃Cousin〃 Theodore； 〃Uncle〃 Ted…while she found endless chances to continue her gaily bawdy conversation。 Maureen did it not in whispers but in ordinary tones pitched to reach Lazarus' ears only； or sometimes to Lazarus and Woodie but so phrased that the child would neither understand nor be interested。
Once she gently chided Lazarus。 〃Smile； beloved man。 Let your face show that you are where you want to be； doing what you want to do。 There； that's better。 Now hold that expression and tell me why you were looking glum。〃
He grinned at her。 〃Because I'm frustrated； Maureen。 Because I'm not in a certain spot by a big walnut tree。〃
She chuckled as if he had said something witty。 〃Alone？〃
〃Heavens； nol With you。〃
〃Not so vehemently； Theodore。 You are not courting me； you are my cousin who is wasting part of your precious leave by treating me and my child to an evening of fun 。 。 when you had hoped that I would find you a young lady who would turn out to be not at all ladylike when you took her to a dark place near a big walnut tree。 You're a good sport about it… but not so enthusiastic as to cause Mrs。 Grundy to raise her eyebrow 。 。 and there es Mrs。 Grundy now。 Mrs。 Simpson！ And Mr。 Simpson。 How nice to run across you！ Lauretta； may I present my dear cousin Staff Sergeant Bronson？ And Mr。 Simpson； Theodore。〃 Maureen added； 〃Or perhaps you have met？ At church？ Before war was declared？〃
Mrs。 Simpson looked him over； counted the money in his wallet； checked his underwear； inspected his shave and haircut
…assigned him a barely passing mark。 〃You belong …to our church； Mr。 Johnson？〃
〃'Bronson；' Lauretta。 Theodore Bronson； Father's eldest sister's son。〃
〃Either way；〃 Mr。 Simpson said heartily； 〃it's a pleasure to
542shake hands with one of 'Our Boys。' Where are you stationed；
… … Sergeant？〃… 〃Camp Fu~ston； sir。 Mrs。 Simpson； I was a visito？ to your
church； my membership is in Springfield。〃 …
Maureen stopped their questions by asking Lazarus to fetch T Woodie from the miniature railroad train； just returning to its
ticket…booth depot。 〃Pull him like a cork； Theodore； three
rides is enough。 Lauretta； I didn't see~you at Red Cross last
week。 May we count on you this week？〃
Lazarus returned with Woodie in time f~r Mr。 Simpson to wave and call out； 〃Good luck； Sergeant！〃 as the Simpsons
moved on。 'The trio went next to the pony ride； got Woodie astraddle one； Mrs。 Smith and Lazarus sat on a bench； enjoyed more very private talk while very much in the public eye。 〃Maureen； you stole that base beautifully。〃 …
〃No problem； dear one。 I knew someone would see us； so I was ready。 I'm pleased that it was the nastiest old gossip in
our church； I made sure she didn't miss us。 Pillars of the church and war profiteers； I despise them。 So I pulled her fangs and let's forget them。 You were telling me about a certain dark spot。 How was I dressed？〃
〃Like a French postcard！〃…
〃Why； Sergeant Bronson！…and me a respectable woman。 Or almost。 Surely you don't think I would dare be that shameless？〃； …
〃Maureen； I'm not sure what you would dare。 You have startled…and delighted me…several times。 I think you have
the courage to do anything you want to do。〃 … …
〃Possibly； Theodore； but I have limits on what I will do； no matter how much I want to。 Do you want to know my limits？〃
〃If you want me to know； you'll tell me。 If you don't； you won't。〃 …
〃I want you to know； beloved Theodore。 I would like to strip naked this very moment。 I refrain only for practical reasons…not moral ones and not shyness； I want to give you my body； let you enjoy it any way you please…while I enjoy yours。 There are no limits to what I want to do with you
but only to what I will do。
〃First〃…she ticked them off…〃I will not risk being pregnant by any man but Brian。 Second； I will not knowingly risk the well…being of my husband and children。〃 …
〃Weren't you risking that tonight？〃
〃Was I； Theodore？〃
Lazarus thought about it。 Pregnancy？ Not a factor。 Disease？ She apparently trusted him on that…and Yes； darling； you are right。 I don't know why you hold that opinion of me； but you're right。 What does that leave？ A chance of scandal if we had been caught。 …How much chance？ Very little； it's as safe a spot as one could wish。 Cops？ Lazarus doubted that police ever checked that spot…and doubted still ~more strongly that a policeman； in the present war fever； would tell a soldier in uniform more than 〃Break it up and move on。〃
〃No； my darling； you took no risks。 Uh； if I had asked you to undress pletely； would you have done so？〃
Her laugh rang like chimes。 Then she answered in her controlled pitch more private than a whisper。 〃I thought about that yself sweet for you； Theodore。 It was a delightfully tempting … idea； Brian has had me do so outdoors oftener than that once。 It excites me； and he says that makes me more fun for him。 But that's a risk he chooses to take； so it worries me not at all…with him。 But I did not think it fair to him to take that risk on my own。 So I firmly resolved； with my nipples crinkled up as hard as you felt them…hard as they are now； I'm terribly excited…I resolved not only nOt to undress but not to let you do so。 Dear； will you go pay for… another pony ride？ Or fetch him if he's tired of that？〃
Lazarus found that Woodie wanted another ride。 He paid and went back to the bench； found Maureen staring down a lonely soldier。 Lazarus touched his sleeve。 〃On your way； Private。〃
The soldier looked around； ready to argue…looked again and said； 〃Oh。 Sorry； Sergeant。 No offense meant。〃
〃And none taken。 Better luck elsewhere。〃 …
Maureen said； 〃I hate to snub a boy in uniform； even when I must。 He wasn't fresh to me； Theodore…he was just exploring the chances。 I must be twice his age and was tempted to tell him so。 But it would have hurt his feelings。〃
〃The trouble is that you look eighteen； so they're certain to ？ry。〃
〃Darling； I do not look eighteen。 Me with a daughter over seventeen？ If Nancy marries her young man before he goes to war…she wants to； and Brian and 1 won't stop it…I'll be a grandmother this ing year。〃
〃Hi； Grandmaw。〃
〃Tease。 I will enjoy being a grandmother。〃
543
544〃I'm certain you will； dear； I think you have great capacity for enjoying life。〃 （As 1 do； Mama！…and now I feel sure I got it both fimom you and Pop。）
〃I do； Theodore。〃 She smiled。 〃Even when frustrated。 Very。〃
第77节
〃Me； too…very。 But we were talking about how old you look。 Eighteen； that is。〃 …
… 〃Pooh； You noticed how broken down and ba~by…chewed my breasts are。〃 …
〃I noticed nothing of the sort。〃
〃Then you have no sense of touch； sir 。 。 for you handled them quite thoroughly。〃
〃Excellent sense of touch。 Lovely breasts；〃
〃Theodore； I try to take care of； them。 But they've been filled with milk much of the past eighteen years。 That one〃… she nodded toward the pony ring…〃I didn't have enough milk for and had to put him on Eagle Brand； and he resented it。 When I had Richard two years later； Woodrow tried to crowd out the new baby and take my freshened breasts。 I had to be firm…when what I wanted was to have one at each breast。 But one must be fair to children； not spoil one at the expense of another。