Lecture Notes on The Girls in Their Summer Dresses by Irwin ShawWord文件下载.docx
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Michaellaughedagain."
HowdidyouknowIwaslookingather?
”
Francescockedherheadtoonesideandsmiledatherhusbandunderthebrimofherhat."
Mike,darling,"
shesaid.
O.K.,"
hesaid."
Excuseme."
FrancespattedhisarmlightlyandpulledhimalongalittlefastertowardWashingtonSquare."
Let'
snotseeanybodyallday,"
shesaid."
sjusthangaroundwitheachother.Youandme.We'
realwaysuptoourneckinpeople,drinkingtheirScotchordrinkingourScotch;
weonlyseeeachotherinbed,Iwanttogooutwithmyhusbandalldaylong.Iwanthimtotalkonlytomeandlistenonlytome.(WhatdoesitsayaboutFrances?
What'
stostopus?
Michaelasked.
TheStevensons.Theywantustodropbyaroundoneo'
clockandthey'
lldriveusintothecountry.
ThecunningStevensons,"
Mikesaid."
Transparent.Theycanwhistle.Theycangodrivinginthecountrybythemselves."
Isitadate?
It'
sadate."
Francesleanedoverandkissedhimonthetipoftheear.
Darling,"
Michaelsaid,"
thisisFifthAvenue."
Letmearrangeaprogram,"
Francessaid."
AplannedSundayinNewYorkforayoungcouplewithmoneytothrowaway."
Goeasy."
Firstlet'
sgototheMetropolitanMuseumofArt,"
Francessuggested,becauseMichaelhadsaidduringtheweekhewantedtogo."
Ihaven'
tbeenthereinthreeyearsandthere'
reatleasttenpicturesIwanttoseeagain.ThenwecantakethebusdowntoRadioCityandwatchthemskate.Andlaterwe'
11godowntoCavanagh'
sandgetasteakasbigasablacksmith'
sapron,withabottleofwine,andafterthatthere'
saFrenchpictureattheFilmartethateverybodysayssay,areyoulisteningtome?
Sure,"
hesaid.Hetookhiseyesoffthehatlessgirlwiththedarkhair,cutdancer-stylelikeahelmet,whowaswalkingpasthim.
That'
stheprogramfortheday,"
Francessaidflatly."
Ormaybeyou'
djustratherwalkupanddownFifthAvenue."
No,"
Michaelsaid."
Notatall."
Youalwayslookatotherwomen,"
Everywhere.Everydamnedplacewego."
No,darling,"
Ilookateverything.GodgavemeeyesandIlookatwomenandmeninsubwayexcavationsandmovingpicturesandthelittleflowersofthefield.Icasuallyinspecttheuniverse."
“Yououghttoseethelookinyoureye,”Francessaid,“asyoucasuallyinspecttheuniverseonFifthAvenue.“
“I'
mahappilymarriedman.”Michaelpressedherelbowtenderly.“Exampleforthewholetwentiethcentury—Mr.andMrs.MikeLoomis.Hey,let'
shaveadrink,”hesaid,stopping.
“Wejusthadbreakfast.”
Nowlisten,darling,"
Mikesaid,choosinghiswordswithcare,"
it'
sanicedayandwebothfeltgoodandthere'
snoreasonwhywehavetobreakitup.Let'
shaveaniceSunday."
Allright.Idon'
tknowwhyIstartedthis.Let'
sdropit.Let'
shaveagoodtime."
TheyjoinedhandsconsciouslyandwalkedwithouttalkingamongthebabycarriagesandtheoldItalianmenintheirSundayclothesandtheyoungwomenwithScottiesinWashingtonSquarePark.
AtleastonceayeareveryoneshouldgototheMetropolitanMuseumofArt,"
Francessaidafterawhile,hertoneagoodimitationofthetoneshehadusedatbreakfastandatthebeginningoftheirwalk."
Andit'
sniceonSunday.There'
realotofpeoplelookingatthepicturesandyougetthefeelingmaybeArtisn'
tonthedeclineinNewYorkCity,afterall—"
Iwanttotellyousomething,"
Michaelsaidveryseriously."
Ihavenottouchedanotherwoman.Notonce.Inallthefiveyears."
Allright,"
Francessaid.
Youbelievethat,don'
tyou?
"
Allright."
Theywalkedbetweenthecrowdedbenches,underthescrubbycity-parktrees.
Itrynottonoticeit,"
Francessaid,"
butIfeelrotteninside,inmystomach,whenwepassawomanandyoulookatherandIseethatlookinyoureyeandthat'
sthewayyoulookedatmethefirsttime.InAliceMaxwell'
shouse.Standingthereinthelivingroom,nexttotheradio,withagreenhatonandallthosepeople."
“Irememberthehat,"
Michaelsaid.
Thesamelook,"
Anditmakesmefeelbad.Itmakesmefeelterrible."
Sh-h-h,please,darling,sh-h-h."
IthinkIwouldlikeadrinknow,"
TheywalkedovertoabaronEighthStreet,notsayinganything,Mikeautomaticallyhelpingherovercurbstonesandguidingherpastautomobiles.Theysatnearawindowinthebarandthesunstreamedinandtherewasasmall,cheerfulfireinthefireplace.AlittleJapanesewaitercameoverandputdownsomepretzelsandsmiledhappilyatthem.
Whatdoyouorderafterbreakfast?
Brandy,Isuppose,"
Courvoisier,"
Michaeltoldthewaiter,"
TwoCourvoisier’s."
Thewaitercamewiththeglassesandtheysatdrinkingthebrandyinthesunlight.Michaelfinishedhalfhisanddrankalittlewater.
Ilookatwomen,"
Correct.Idon'
tsayit'
swrongorright.Ilookatthem.IfIpassthemonthestreetandIdon'
tlookatthem,I'
mfoolingyou,I'
mfoolingmyself."
Youlookatthemasthoughyouwantthem,"
Francessaid,playingwithherbrandyglass."
Everyoneofthem."
Inaway,"
Michaelsaid,speakingsoftlyandnottohiswife,"
inawaythat'
strue.Idon'
tdoanythingaboutit,butit'
strue."
Iknowit.That'
swhyIfeelbad."
Anotherbrandy,"
Michaelcalled."
Waiter,twomorebrandies."
Hesighedandclosedhiseyesandrubbedthemgentlywithhisfingertips."
Ilovethewaywomenlook.OneofthethingsIlikebestaboutNewYorkisthebattalionsofwomen.WhenIfirstcametoNewYorkfromOhiothatwasthefirstthingInoticed,themillionwonderfulwomen,alloverthecity,Iwalkedaroundwithmyheartinmythroat."
Akid,"
sakid'
sfeeling."
Guessagain,"
Guessagain.I'
moldernow.I'
mamangettingnearmiddleage,puttingonalittlefat,andIstilllovetowalkalongFifthAvenueatthreeo'
clockontheeastsideofthestreetbetweenFiftiethandFifty-seventhStreets.They'
realloutthen,shopping,intheirfursandtheircrazyhats,everythingallconcentratedfromallovertheworldintosevenblocksthebestfurs,thebestclothes,thehandsomestwomen,outtospendmoneyandIfeelinggoodaboutit."
TheJapanesewaiterputthetwodrinksdown,smilingwithgreathappiness.
Everythingisallright?
heasked.
Everythingiswonderful,"
Ifit'
sjustacoupleoffurcoats,"
andforty-fivedollarhats--"
snotthefurcoats.Orthehats.That'
sjustthesceneryforthatparticularkindofwomen.Understand,"
hesaid,"
youdon'
thavetolistentothis."
Iwanttolisten."
Ilikethegirlsintheoffices.Neat,withtheireyeglasses,smart,chipper,knowingwhateverythingisabout.IlikethegirlsonForty-fourthStreetatlunchtime,theactresses,alldresseduponnothingaweek.Ilikethesalesgirlsinthestores,payingattentiontoyoufirstbecauseyou'
reaman,leavingladycustomerswaiting.IgotallthisstuffaccumulatedinmebecauseI'
vebeenthinkingaboutitfortenyearsandnowyou'
veaskedforitandhereitis."
Goahead,"
WhenIthinkofNewYorkCity,Ithinkofallthegirlsonparadeinthecity.Idon'
tknowwhetherit'
ssomethingspecialwithmeorwhethereverymaninthecitywalksaroundwiththesamefeelinginsidehim,butIfeelasthoughI'
matapicnicinthiscity.Iliketositnearthewomeninthetheatres,thefamousbeautieswho'
vetakensixhourstogetreadyandlookit.Andtheyounggirlsatthefootballgames,withtheredcheeks,andwhenthewarmweathercomes,thegirlsintheirsummerdresses."
Hefinishedhisdrink."
sthestory."
Francesfinishedherdrinkandswallowedtwoorthreetimesextra."
Yousayyouloveme?
Iloveyou."
I'
mpretty,too,"
Asprettyasanyofthem."
rebeautiful,"
mgoodforyou,"
Francessaid,pleading.“agoodwife,agoodhousekeeper,agoodfriend.I'
ddoanydamnthingforyou."
Iknow,"
Michaelsaid.Heputhishandoutandgraspedhers.
dliketobefreeto--"
Sh-h-h."
Tellthetruth."
Shetookherhandawayfromunderhis.
Michaelflickedtheedgeofhisglasswithhisfinger."
0.K.,"
hesaidgently.
SometimesIfeelIwouldliketobefree."
Well,"
anytimeyousay."
Don'
tbefoolish."
Michaelswunghischairaroundtohersideofthetableandpattedherthigh.
Shebegantocrysilentlyintoherhandkerchief,bentoverjustenoughsothatnobodyelseinthebarwouldnotice."
Someday,"
shesaid,crying,"
you'
regoingtomakeamove."
Michaeldidn'
tsayanything.Hesatwatchingthebartenderslowlypeelalemon.
Aren'
Francesaskedharshly."
Comeon,tellme.Talk.Aren'
Maybe,"
Michaelsaid.Hemovedhischairbackagain."
Ho