"Carol Emshwiller - Mrs Jones" - читать интересную книгу автора (Emshwiller Carol)

MotherтАЩs floppy, pink hat. She can see where the fireтАЩs been by the black smudge,
and she can tell somebodyтАЩs been up in the tree. She notices things Cora hadnтАЩt:
little claw marks on a branch, a couple of apples that had been bitten into still
hanging on the tree near the nesting place. ThereтАЩs a tiny piece of leathery stuff stuck
to one sharp twig. ItтАЩs incredibly soft and downy and has a wet-dog smell. Janice
takes it, thinking it might be an important clue. Also she wants to have something to
show that sheтАЩs been down there and seen more than Cora has.
Cora comes back while Janice is upstairs taking her nap. She sits down in the
front room and reads an article in the ReaderтАЩs Digest about how to help your
husband communicate. When she hears Janice come down the stairs, Cora goes up
for her nap. While Cora naps, Janice sets out grapes and a tangerine, and scrambles
one egg. As she eats her early supper, she reads the same article Cora has just read.
She feels sorry for Cora who seems to have nothing more exciting than this sort of
thing to read (along with her one hundred great books) whereas Janice has been
reading: HOW FAMOUS COUPLES GET THE MOST OUT OF THEIR SEX
LIVES. Just one of many such books that she keeps locked in her bedside cabinet.
When she finishes eating, she cleans up the kitchen so it looks as if she hadnтАЩt been
there.
Cora comes down when Janice is in the front parlor (sliding doors shut)
listening to music. She has it turned so low Cora can hardly make it out. Might be
Vivaldi. ItтАЩs as if Janice doesnтАЩt want Cora to hear it in case she might enjoy it. At
least thatтАЩs how Cora takes it. Cora opens a can of spaghetti. For desert she takes a
couple of apples from the тАЬspecialтАЭ tree. She eats on the closed-in porch, watching
the clouds. It looks as if itтАЩll rain again tonight.
About eight-thirty they each look out their different windows and see that the
flickering light is there again. Cora says, тАЬDamn it to hell,тАЭ so loud that Janice hears
from two rooms away. At that moment Janice begins to like the little light. Thinks it
looks inviting. Homey. She forgets that she found that funny piece of leather and
those claw marks. Thinks most likely thereтАЩs a young couple in love out there. Their
parents disapprove and they have no place else to go but her orchard. Or perhaps
itтАЩs a young person. Teenager, maybe, cold and wet. She has a hard time sleeping,
worrying and wondering about whoever it is, though sheтАЩs still glad she locked the
house up tight.
The next day begins almost exactly like the one before, with Cora going out to
the orchard first and cleaning up--or trying to--all the signs of anything having been
there, and with Janice coming out later to pick up the clues that are left. Janice finds
that the same branch is scratched up even more than it was before, and this time
Cora had left the vomit (full of bits of apple peel) behind the tree. Perhaps she
hadnтАЩt noticed it. Apples--or at least so many apples arenтАЩt agreeing with the lovers.
(In spite of the clues, Janice prefers to think that itтАЩs lovers.) She feels sorry about
the all-night rain. ThereтАЩs no sign that they had a tent or shelter of any kind, poor
things.
By the third night, though, the wealther finally clears. Stars are out and a tiny
moon. Cora and Janice stand in the front room, each at a different window, looking
out towards where the light had been. An old seventy-eight record is on, Fritz
Kreisler playing a Bach Chaconne. Janice says, тАЬYouтАЩd think, especially since itтАЩs
not raining. . . .тАЭ
Cora says, тАЬGood riddance,тАЭ though she, too, feels a sense of regret. At least
something unusual had been happening. тАЬDonтАЩt forget,тАЭ Cora says, тАЬthe state
prisonтАЩs only ninety miles away.тАЭ