第10部分 (第1/7页)

Esquire。　She　remembered　that　day　clearly　enough；　it　would　take　more　than　three

years　to　forget　it。　She　had　almost　thrown　the　envelope　away；　thinking　it　was　a

subscription　offer。　Opening　it；　she　had　found　instead　that　it　was　a　letter

saying　that　Esquire　would　like　to　use　Jack's　story　〃Concerning　the　Black　Holes〃

early　the　following　year。　They　would　pay　nine　hundred　dollars；　not　on

publication　but　on　acceptance。　That　was　nearly　half　a　year's　take　typing　papers

and　she　had　flown　to　the　telephone；　leaving　Danny　in　his　high　chair　to　goggle

ically　after　her；　his　face　lathered　with　creamed　peas　and　beef　puree。

Jack　had　arrived　from　the　university　forty…five　minutes　later；　the　Buick

weighted　down　with　seven　friends　and　a　keg　of　beer。　After　a　ceremonial　toast

（Wendy　also　had　a　glass；　although　she　ordinarily　had　no　taste　for　beer）；　Jack

had　signed　the　acceptance　letter；　put　it　in　the　return　envelope；　and　went　down

the　block　to　drop　it　in　the　letter　box。　When　he　came　back　he　stood　gravely　in

the　door　and　said；　〃Veni；　vidi；　vici。〃　There　were　cheers　and　applause。　When　the

keg　was　empty　at　eleven　that　night；　Jack　and　the　only　two　others　who　were　still

ambulatory　went　on　to　hit　a　few　bars。

She　had　gotten　him　aside　in　the　downstairs　hallway。　The　other　two　were　already

out　in　the　car；　drunkenly　singing　the　New　Hampshire　fight　song。　Jack　was　down　on

one　knee；　owlishly　fumbling　with　the　lacings　of　his　moccasins。

〃Jack；〃　she　said；　〃you　shouldn't。　You　can't　even　tie　your　shoes；　let　alone

drive。〃

He　stood　up　and　put　his　hands　calmly　on　her　shoulders。　〃Tonight　I　could　fly　to

the　moon　if　I　wanted　to。〃

〃No；〃　she　said。　〃Not　for　all　t