天锡小说网

第22部分（第3页）

she　stood；　smoothed　out　her　jeans；　and　padded　barefoot　to　the　front

window。　The　darkness　was　dense。　Staring　out　through　rain…spattered

panes；　she　was　grateful　that　she　had　shut　the　car　windows　and　locked　the

door。　The　idea　of　going　outside　to　do　it　now　didnt　appeal　to　her。　As

she　stood；　hands　by　her　sides；　eyes　straight　ahead；　she　could　see

nothing　but　the　black　of　night　and　her　own　grim　reflection。

She　didnt　need　friends　to　tell　her　that　she　looked　gaunt　and　spectral。

Her　cheeks　were　pale；　hollowed　by　a　weight　loss　that　had　cut　into　gentle

curves　all　over　her　body。　Her　mouth　was　more　often　drawn　thin　and

straight　now；　rather　than　curved　in　a　smile。　Dark　eyes　that　had　once

danced　with　happiness；　now　spoke　of　loneliness；　and　her　hair　didnt

swing。　It　fit　her　mood；　which　was　restrained。　Even　now　she　had　it　tied

back　with　a　thin　strip　of　black　velvet　whose　ends　were　lost　in　the

ribbing　of　her　black　turtleneck　sweater。

This；　too…this　ghostly　appearance…would　have　to　change　if　she　planned　to

start　a　new　life。

She　had　been　paralyzed　for　weeks　after　the　previous　Januarys　debacle。

The　thought　of　a　future　without　Jeff　was　still　alien。　They　had　been

married　for　seven　years；　though　it　had　seemed　forever。　Anne　was　a

sophomore　in　college；　a　language　major；　when　she　had　met　him　during　a

summer　of　study　in　France。　He　was　one　of　the　few　Americans　she　had　seen

during　her　three　month　stay　with　a　family　in　a　small　village　west　of

Limoges。　His　means　of　transportation　had　been　a　bicycle；　his　means　of

munication　a　brilliant　smile；　until　he　discovered　she　spoke　English。

From　then　on　they　were　inseparable。　He　revised　his　touring　plans　to

acmodate　her；　and　when　they　returned　to　the　States　at　the　end　of

August；　friendship　became　courtship。　He　was　also　from　New　York；　his

family　home　an　hours　drive　from　her　own。　By　January　she　had　transferred

to　his　midwestern　university；　they　were　married　the　following　summer。

Only　two　years　apart　in　age；　they　grew　up　together；　passing　through　the

college　years　of　flux　and　idealism　with　hours　of　carefree　camaraderie

and　first　love。　Both　had　e　from　hard…working；　upwardly　mobile

families　that　helped　them　financially　until　they　were　on　their　own　feet。

But　money　hadnt　mattered；　even　when　Jeff　became　a　successful　investment

consultant。　What　mattered　had　always　been　Jeff　and　Anne；　Anne　and　Jeff。