Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter II
Whymustwehaveaweddingtrip,nowthatyouaresobusy?Wouldn’titbebetter—oh,Itellyou,wecouldgotoMontereyafterweweremarried,foralittleweek,wheremamma’speoplelive,andthencomebackheretotheranchhouseandsettlerightdownwhereweareandletmekeephouseforyou.Iwouldn’tevenwantasingleservant.”
Annixterheardandhisfacegrewtroubled.
“Hum,”hesaid,“Isee.”
Hegatheredupahandfulofpebblesandbegansnappingthemcarefullyintothecreek.Hefellthoughtful.Herewasaphaseoftheaffairhehadnotplannedintheleast.HehadsupposedallthetimethatHilmatookhismeaning.Hisoldsuspicionthatshewastryingtogetaholdonhimstirredagainforamoment.Therewasnogoodofsuchtalkasthat.Alwaysthesefeemalegirlsseemedcrazytogetmarried,bentoncomplicatingthesituation.
“Isn’tthatbest?”saidHilma,glancingathim.
“Idon’tknow,”hemutteredgloomily.
“Well,then,let’snot.Let’scomerightbacktoQuienSabewithoutgoingtoMonterey.AnythingthatyouwantIwant.”
“Ihadn’tthoughtofitinjustthatway,”heobserved.
“Inwhatway,then?”
“Can’twe—can’twewaitaboutthismarryingbusiness?”
“That’sjustit,”shesaidgayly.“Isaiditwastoosoon.Therewouldbesomuchtodobetweenwhiles.Whynotsayattheendofthesummer?”
“Saywhat?”
“Ourmarriage,Imean.”
“Whygetmarried,then?What’sthegoodofallthatfussaboutit?Idon’tgoanythinguponaministerpuddlingroundinmyaffairs.What’sthedifference,anyhow?Weunderstandeachother.
