第7部分(第5/7 页)

if　the　lines　of　our　lives　had　coincided　…　but　I　didn't　mind　diverting　him　a　little　from　his　main　business；　either。

He　sighed　deeply。　〃Not　so　well；　Paul。　Not　so　well　at　all。〃

〃More　headaches？〃

〃Only　one　this　week；　but　it　was　the　worst　yet　…　put　her　flat　on　her　back　for　most　of　the　day　before　yesterday。　And　now　she's　developed　this　weakness　in　her　right　hand…〃　He　raised　his　own　liverspotted　right　hand。　We　both　watched　it　tremble　above　his　blotter　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　then　he　lowered　it　again。　I　could　tell　he　would　have　given　just　about　anything　not　to　be　telling　me　what　he　was　telling　me；　and　I　would　have　given　just　about　anything　not　to　be　hearing　it。　Melinda's　headaches　had　started　in　the　spring；　and　all　that　summer　her　doctor　had　been　saying　they　were　〃nervous…tension　migraines；〃　perhaps　caused　by　the　stress　of　Hal's　ing　retirement。　Except　that　neither　of　them　could　wait　for　his　retirement；　and　my　own　wife　had　told　me　that　migraine　is　not　a　disease　of　the　old　but　the　young；　by　the　time　its　sufferers　reached　Melinda　Moores's　age；　they　were　usually　getting　better；　not　worse。　And　now　this　weakness　of　the　hand。　It　didn't　sound　like　nervous　tension　to　me；　it　sounded　like　a　damned　stroke。

〃Dr。　Haverstrom　wants　her　to　go　in　hospital　up　to　Indianola；〃　Moores　said。　〃Have　some　tests。　Head　X…rays；　he　means。　Who　knows　what　else。　She　is　scared　to　death！'　He　paused；　then　added；　〃Truth　to　tell；　so　am　I。〃

〃Yeah；　but　you　see　she　does　it；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　wait。　If　it　turns　out　to　be　something　they　can　see　with　an　X…ray；　it　may　turn　out　to　be　something　they　can　fix。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　agreed；　and　then；　for　just　a　moment　…　the　only　one　during　that　part　of　our　interview；　as　I　recall　…　our　eyes　met　and　locked。　There　was　the　sort　of　nakedly　perfect　unders