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The Lovers :: Фармер Филип Хосе
Страница: 67 из 127I haveto wear my eating cap,' he said with a shaky voice. 'I couldn't keep my food down.'
She spoke a phrase in a language he did not know. But the unfamiliarity did not conceal the bewilderment and hurt.
'I'm sorry,' he said. 'But that's the way it is. That's the way it should be.'
Slowly, she sat down again. She put the cap on.
'Very well, Hal. But I think we must talk about this later. This makes me feel as if I am isolated from you. There is no closeness, no sharing in the good things that life has given us.'
'Please don't make any noise while your're eating,' he said. 'And if you must speak, swallow all your food first. I've turned my face when a wog was eating before me, but I couldn't close my ears.'
'I'll try not to make you sick,' she said. 'Just one question. How do you keep your children quiet when they're eating?'
'They never eat with adults. Rather, the only adults at their tables are gapts. And these soon teach them the proper behavior.'
'Oh.'
The meal passed in silence except for the unavoidable sound of cutlery on plate. When Hal finished, he took off his cap.
'Ah, Jeannette, you are a rare cook. The food is so good I almost felt sinful that I should be enjoying it so much. The soup was the best I ever tasted. The bread was delicious. The salad was superb. The steak was perfect.'
Jeannette had removed her cap first. Her meal was scarcely touched. Nevertheless, she smiled.
'My aunts trained me well. Among my people, the female is taught at an early age all that will please a man. All.'
He laughed nervously and, to cover his uneasiness, lit a cigarette.
Jeannette asked if she might try a cigarette, too.
'Since I am burning, I may as well smoke,' she said, and she giggled.
Hal wasn't sure – of what she meant, but he laughed to show her that he wasn't angry with her about the eating caps.
Jeannette lit her own cigarette, drew in, coughed, and rushed to the sink for a glass of water. She came back with her eyes streaming, but she at once picked up the cigarette and tried again. In a short time, she was inhaling like a veteran.
'You have amazing imitative powers,' Hal said. 'I've watched you copying my movements, heard you mimic my speech. Do you know that you pronounce American as well as I do?'
'Show or tell me something once, and you seldom have to do it again. I'm not claiming a superior intelligence, however. As you said, I have an instinct for imitation. Not that I'm not capable of an original thought now and then.
She spoke a phrase in a language he did not know. But the unfamiliarity did not conceal the bewilderment and hurt.
'I'm sorry,' he said. 'But that's the way it is. That's the way it should be.'
Slowly, she sat down again. She put the cap on.
'Very well, Hal. But I think we must talk about this later. This makes me feel as if I am isolated from you. There is no closeness, no sharing in the good things that life has given us.'
'Please don't make any noise while your're eating,' he said. 'And if you must speak, swallow all your food first. I've turned my face when a wog was eating before me, but I couldn't close my ears.'
'I'll try not to make you sick,' she said. 'Just one question. How do you keep your children quiet when they're eating?'
'They never eat with adults. Rather, the only adults at their tables are gapts. And these soon teach them the proper behavior.'
'Oh.'
The meal passed in silence except for the unavoidable sound of cutlery on plate. When Hal finished, he took off his cap.
'Ah, Jeannette, you are a rare cook. The food is so good I almost felt sinful that I should be enjoying it so much. The soup was the best I ever tasted. The bread was delicious. The salad was superb. The steak was perfect.'
Jeannette had removed her cap first. Her meal was scarcely touched. Nevertheless, she smiled.
'My aunts trained me well. Among my people, the female is taught at an early age all that will please a man. All.'
He laughed nervously and, to cover his uneasiness, lit a cigarette.
Jeannette asked if she might try a cigarette, too.
'Since I am burning, I may as well smoke,' she said, and she giggled.
Hal wasn't sure – of what she meant, but he laughed to show her that he wasn't angry with her about the eating caps.
Jeannette lit her own cigarette, drew in, coughed, and rushed to the sink for a glass of water. She came back with her eyes streaming, but she at once picked up the cigarette and tried again. In a short time, she was inhaling like a veteran.
'You have amazing imitative powers,' Hal said. 'I've watched you copying my movements, heard you mimic my speech. Do you know that you pronounce American as well as I do?'
'Show or tell me something once, and you seldom have to do it again. I'm not claiming a superior intelligence, however. As you said, I have an instinct for imitation. Not that I'm not capable of an original thought now and then.