《亚当,午后》第4章

〃good…bye；　libereso。〃
〃wait　a　minute。〃
〃but　i　must　go　and　finish　washing　the　dishes。　tile　signora　doesnt　like　me　ing　out　in　the　garden。〃
〃wait。　i　want　to　give　you　something。　something　really　nice。　e　along。〃
she　began　following　him　along　the　gravel　paths；　what　a　strange　boy　this　libereso　was；　with　that　long　hair；　and　picking　up　toads　in　his　hands。　
〃how　old　are　you；　libereso　？〃
〃fifteen。　and　you　？〃
〃fourteen。〃
〃now；　or　on　your　next　birthday　？〃
〃on　my　next　birthday。　assumption　day。〃
〃has　that　passed　yet　？〃
〃what；　dont　you　know　when　assumption　day　is　？〃　she　began　laughing。
〃no。〃
〃assumption　day；　when　theres　the　procession。　dont　you　go　to　the　procession　？〃
〃me？　no。〃
〃back　home　there　are　lovely　processions。　its　not　like　here；　back　home。　there　are　big　fields　full　of　bergamots；　nothing　but　bergamots；　and　everyone　picks　bergamots　from　morning　till　night。　ive　fourteen　brothers　and　sisters　and　they　all　pick　bergamots；　five　died　when　they　were　babies；　and　then　my　mother　got　tetanus；　and　we　were　in　a　train　for　a　week　to　go　to　uncle
carmelos；　and　eight　of　us　all　slept　in　a　garage　there。　tell　me；　whyve　you　got　such　long　hair　？〃
they　had　stopped。
〃because　it　grows　like　that。　youve　got　long　hair　too。〃
〃im　a　girl。　if　you　wear　long　hair；　youre　like　a　girl。〃
〃im　not　like　a　girl。　you　dont　tell　a　boy　from　a　girl　by　the　hair。〃
〃not　by　the　hair　？〃
〃no；　not　by　the　hair。〃
〃why　not　by　the　hair　？〃
〃would　you　like　me　to　give　you　something　nice　？〃
〃oh；　yes。〃
libereso　began　moving　among　the　arum　lilies；　budding　white　trumpets　silhouetted　against　the　sky。　libereso　looked　into　each；　groped　around　with　two　fingers；　and　then　hid　something　in　his　fist。　maria…nunziata　had　not　gone　into　the　flower…bed；　and　was　watching　him；　with　silent　laughter。　what　was　he　up　to　now？
libereso　had　now　looked　into　all　the　lilies。　he　came　up　to　her　holding　one　hand　over　the　other。
〃open　your　hands；〃　he　said。　maria…nunziata　cupped　her　hands；　but　was　afraid　to　put　them　under　his。
〃what　have　you　got　in　there　？〃
〃something　very　nice。　youll　see。〃
〃show　me；　first。〃
libereso　opened　his　hands　and　let　her　look　inside。　his　palm　was　full　of　multi…coloured　rose…chafers；　red　and　black　and　even　purple　ones；　but　the　green　were　the　prettiest。　they　were　buzzing　and　slithering　over　each　other　and　waving　little　black　legs　in　the　air。　maria…nunziata　hid　her　hands　under　her　apron。
〃here；〃　said　libereso。　〃dont　you　like　them　？〃
〃yes；〃　said　maria…nunziata　uncertainly；　still　keeping　her　hands　under　her　apron。
〃when　you　hold　them　tight　they　tickle；　would　you　like　to　feel　？〃
maria…nunziata　held　out　her　hands　timidly；　and　libereso　poured　a　cascade　of　rose…chafers　of　every　colour　into　them。
〃dont　be　frightened；　they　wont　bite　you。〃
〃mammamia！〃　it　hadnt　occurred　to　her　that　they　might　bite　her。　she　opened　her　hands　and　the　rose…chafers　spread　their　wings　and　the　beautiful　colours　vanished　and　there　was　nothing
to　be　seen　but　a　swarm　of　black　insects　flying　about　and　settling。
〃what　a　pity。　i　try　to　give　you　a　present　and　you　dont　want　it。〃
〃i　must　go　and　do　the　washing　up。　the　signora　will　be　cross　if　she　cant　find　me。〃
〃dont　you　want　a　present　？〃
〃what　are　you　going　to　give　me　now　？〃
〃e　and　see。〃
he　took　her　hand　again　and　led　her　through　the　flower…beds。
〃i　must　get　back　to　the　kitchen　soon；　libereso。　theres　a　chicken　to　pluck；　too。〃
〃poof！〃
〃why　poof？〃
〃we　dont　eat　the　flesh　of　dead　birds　or　animals。〃
〃why；　are　you　always　in　lent　？〃
〃what　do　you　mean　？〃
〃well；　what　do　you　eat　then　？〃
〃oh；　all　sorts　of　things；　artichokes；　lettuces；　tomatoes。　my　father　doesnt　like　us　to　eat　the　flesh　of　dead　animals。　or　coffee　or　sugar；　either。〃
〃what　dyou　do　with　your　sugar　ration；　then　？〃
〃sell　it　on　the　black　market。〃
they　had　reached　some　climbing　plants；　starred　all　over　with　red　flowers。
〃what　lovely　flowers；〃　said　maria…nunziata。　〃dyou　ever　pick　them　？〃
〃what　for　？〃
〃to　take　to　the　madonna。　flowers　are　for　the　madonna。〃
〃mesembryanthemum。〃
〃whats　that　？〃
〃this　plants　called　mesembryanthemum　in　latin。　all　flowers　have　latin　names。〃
〃the　mass　is　in　latin；　too。〃
〃i　dont　know　about　that。〃
libereso　was　now　peering　closely　between　the　winding　branches　on　the　wall。
〃there　it　is；〃　he　said。
〃what　is　？〃
it　was　a　lizard　green　with　black　markings；　basking　in　the　sun。
〃ill　catch　it。〃
〃no。〃
but　he　got　closer　to　the　lizard；　very　slowly；　with　both　hands　open；　a　jump；　and　hed　caught　it。　he　laughed　happily；　showing　his　white　teeth。　〃look　out；　its　escaping！〃　first　a　stunned…looking　head；　then　a　tail；　slithered　out　between　his　closed　fingers。
maria…nunziata　was　laughing　too；　but　every　time　she　saw　the　lizard　she　skipped　back　and　pulled　her　skirt　tight　about　her　knees。
〃so　you　really　dont　want　me　to　give　you　anything　at　all　？〃　said　libereso；　rather　sadly；　and　very　carefully　he　put　the　lizard　back　on　the　wall；　off　it　shot。　maria…nunziata　kept　her　eyes　lowered。
〃e　along；〃　said　libereso；　and　took　her　hand　again。
〃id　like　to　have　a　lipstick　and　paint　my　lips　red　on　sundays　to　go　out　dancing。　and　a　black　veil　to　put　on　my　head　afterwards　for　benediction。〃
〃on　sundays；〃　said　libereso；　〃i　go　to　the　woods　with　my　brother　and　we　fill　two　sacks　with　pine　cones。　then；　in　the　evening；　my　father　reads　out　loud　from　kropotkin。　my　tither　has　hair
down　to　his　shoulders　and　a　beard　right　down　to　his　chest。　and　he　wears　shorts　in　summer　and　winter。　and　i　do　drawings　for　the　anarchist　federation　windows。　the　figures　in　top　hats　are　business　men；　those　in　caps　are　generals；　and　those　in　round　hats　are　priests；　then　i　paint　them　in　water　colours。〃
they　came　to　a　pond　with　round　water…lily　leaves　floating　on　it。
〃quiet；　now；〃　manded　libereso。
under　the　water　a　frog　could　be　seen　swimming　up　with　sharp　little　strokes　of　its　green　arms　and　legs。　it　suddenly　surfaced；　jumped　on　to　a　water…lily　leaf　and　sat　down　in　the　middle。
〃there；〃　cried　libereso　and　put　out　a　hand　to　catch　it；　but　maria…nunziata　let　out　a　cry；　〃ut！〃　and　the　frog　jumped　back　into　the　water。　libereso　began　searching　for　it；　his　nose　almost　touching　the　sur