《the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)》饥饿游戏(英文版)-第86章

can　hear　the　crowdˇs　confusion　　whose　head　will　he　place　it　on？　　until　President　Snow　gives　it　a　twist　and　it　separates　into　two　halves。　He　places　the　first　around　Peetaˇs　brow　with　a　smile。　Heˇs　still　smiling　when　he　settles　the　second　on　my　head；　but　his　eyes；　just　inches　from　mine；　are　as　unforgiving　as　a　snakeˇs。
Thatˇs　when　I　know　that　even　though　both　of　us　would　have　eaten　the　berries；　I　am　to　blame　for　having　the　idea。　Iˇm　the　instigator。　Iˇm　the　one　to　be　punished。
Much　bowing　and　cheering　follows。　My　arm　is　about　to　fall　off　from　waving　when　Caesar　Flickerman　finally　bids　the　audience　good　night；　reminding　them　to　tune　in　tomorrow　for　the　final　interviews。　As　if　they　have　a　choice。
Peeta　and　I　are　whisked　to　the　presidentˇs　mansion　for　the　Victory　Banquet；　where　we　have　very　little　time　to　eat　as　Capitol　officials　and　particularly　generous　sponsors　elbow　one　another　out　of　the　way　as　they　try　to　get　their　picture　with　us。　Face　after　beaming　face　flashes　by；　being　increasingly　intoxicated　as　the　evening　wears　on。　Occasionally；　I　catch　a　glimpse　of　Haymitch；　which　is　reassuring；　or　President　Snow；　which　is　terrifying；　but　I　keep　laughing　and　thanking　people　and　smiling　as　my　picture　is　taken。　The　one　thing　I　never　do　is　let　go　of　Peetaˇs　hand。
The　sun　is　just　peeking　over　the　horizon　when　we　straggle　back　to　the　twelfth　floor　of　the　Training　Center。　I　think　now　Iˇll　finally　get　a　word　alone　with　Peeta；　but　Haymitch　sends　him　off　with　Portia　to　get　something　fitted　for　the　interview　and　personally　escorts　me　to　my　door。　
¨Why　canˇt　I　talk　to　him？〃　I　ask。
¨Plenty　of　time　for　talk　when　we　get　home；〃　says　Haymitch。　¨Go　to　bed；　youˇre　on　air　at　two。〃
Despite　Haymitchˇs　running　interference；　Iˇm　determined　to　see　Peeta　privately。　After　I　toss　and　turn　for　a　few　hours；　I　slip　into　the　hall。　My　first　thought　is　to　check　the　roof；　but　itˇs　empty。　Even　the　city　streets　far　below　are　deserted　after　the　celebration　last　night。　I　go　back　to　bed　for　a　while　and　then　decide　to　go　directly　to　his　room；　but　when　I　try　to　turn　the　knob；　I　find　my　own　bedroom　door　has　been　locked　from　the　outside。　I　suspect　Haymitch　initially；　but　then　thereˇs　a　more　insidious　fear　that　the　Capitol　may　by　monitoring　and　confining　me。　Iˇve　been　unable　to　escape　since　the　Hunger　Games　began；　but　this　feels　different；　much　more　personal。　This　feels　like　Iˇve　been　imprisoned　for　a　crime　and　Iˇm　awaiting　sentencing。　I　quickly　get　back　in　bed　and　pretend　to　sleep　until　Effie　Trinket　es
to　alert　me　to　the　start　of　another　¨big；　big；　big　day！〃
I　have　about　five　minutes　to　eat　a　bowl　of　hot　grain　and　stew　before　the　prep　team　descends。　All　I　have　to　say　is；　¨The　crowd　loved　you！〃　and　itˇs　unnecessary　to　speak　for　the　next　couple　of　hours。　When　Cinna　es　in；　he　shoos　them　out　and　dresses　me　in　a　white；　gauzy　dress　and　pink　shoes。　Then　he　personally　adjusts　my　makeup　until　I　seem　to　radiate　a　soft；　rosy　glow。　We　make　idle　chitchat；　but　Iˇm　afraid　to　ask　him　anything　of　real　importance　because　after　the　incident　with　the　door；　I　canˇt　shake　the　feeling　that　Iˇm　being　watched　constantly。
The　interview　takes　place　right　down　the　hall　in　the　sitting　room。　A　space　has　been　cleared　and　the　love　seat　has　been　moved　in　and　surrounded　by　vases　of　red　and　pink　roses。　There　are　only　a　handful　of　cameras　to　record　the　event。　No　live　audience　at　least。
Caesar　Flickerman　gives　me　a　warm　hug　when　I。　e　in。　¨Congratulations；　Katniss。　How　are　you　faring？〃
¨Fine。　Nervous　about　the　interview；〃　I　say。
¨Donˇt　be。　Weˇre　going　to　have　a　fabulous　time；〃　he　says；　giving　my　cheek　a　reassuring　pat。
¨Iˇm　not　good　at　talking　about　myself；〃　I　say。
¨Nothing　you　say　will　be　wrong；〃　he　says。
And　I　think；　Oh；　Caesar；　if　only　that　were　true。　But　actually；　President　Snow　may　be　arranging　some　sort　of　¨accident〃　for　me　as　we　speak。
Then　Peetaˇs　there　looking　handsome　in　red　and　white；　pulling　me　off　to　the　side。　¨I　hardly　get　to　see　you。　Haymitch　seems　bent　on　keeping　us　apart。〃　
Haymitch　is　actually　bent　on　keeping　us　alive；　but　there　are　too　many　ears　listening；　so　I　just　say；　¨Yes；　heˇs　gotten　very　responsible　lately。〃
¨Well；　thereˇs　just　this　and　we　go　home。　Then　he　canˇt　watch　us　all　the　time；〃　says　Peeta。
I　feel　a　sort　of　shiver　run　through　me　and　thereˇs　no　time　to　analyze　why；　because　theyˇre　ready　for　us。　We　sit　somewhat　formally　on　the　love　seat；　but　Caesar　says；　¨Oh；　go　ahead　and　curl　up　next　to　him　if　you　want。　It　looked　very　sweet。〃　So　I　tuck　my　feet　up　and　Peeta　pulls　me　in　close　to　him。
Someone　counts　backward　and　just　like　that；　weˇre　being　broadcast　live　to　the　entire　country。　Caesar　Flickerman　is　wonderful；　teasing；　joking；　getting　choked　up　when　the　occasion　presents　itself。　He　and　Peeta　already　have　the　rapport　they　established　that　night　of　the　first　interview；　that　easy　banter；　so　I　just　smile　a　lot　and　try　to　speak　as　little　as　possible。　I　mean；　I　have　to　talk　some；　but　as　soon　as　I　can　I　redirect　the　conversation　back　to　Peeta。
Eventually　though；　Caesar　begins　to　pose　questions　that　insist　on　fuller　answers。　¨Well；　Peeta；　we　know；　from　our　days　in　the　cave；　that　it　was　love　at　first　sight　for　you　from　what；　age　five？〃　Caesar　says。
¨From　the　moment　I　laid　eyes　on　her；〃　says　Peeta。
¨But；　Katniss；　what　a　ride　for　you。　I　think　the　real　excitement　for　the　audience　was　watching　you　fall　for　him。　When　did　you　realize　you　were　in　love　with　him？〃　asks　Caesar。
¨Oh；　thatˇs　a　hard　one　。　。　。〃　I　give　a　faint；　breathy　laugh　and　look　down　at　my　hands。　Help。
¨Well；　I　know　when　it　hit　me。　The　night　when　you　shouted　out　his　name　from　that　tree；〃　says　Caesar。
Thank　you；　Caesar！　I　think；　and　then　go　with　his　idea。　¨Yes；　I　guess　that　was　it。　I　mean；　until　that　point；　I　just　tried　not　to　think　about　what　my　feelings　might　be；　honestly；　because　it　was　so　confusing　and　it　only　made　things　worse　if　I　actually　cared　about　him。　But　then；　in　the　tree；　everything　changed；〃　I　say。
¨Why　do　you　think　that　was？〃　urges　Caesar。
¨Maybe　。　。　。　because　for　the　first　time　。　。　。　there　was　a　chance　I　could　keep　him；〃　I　say。
Behind　a　cameraman；　I　see　Haymitch　give　a　sort　of　huff　with　relief　and　I　know　Iˇve　sa