博炮作文网

第26部分（第2页）

〃Then　dont　plain　about　the　noise。〃　In　one　swift　move　he　was　up；

stacking　the　dishes；　dumping　them　in　the　sink。　When　he　turned　back　to

her；　a　silver　wave　had　fallen　across　his　brow。　〃You　clean　up。　I　cooked。〃

He　left　the　room　so　quickly　that　Annes　protest　met　thin　air。

〃But…it　was…my　food…〃　Slowly　she　faced　the　dishes。　If　this　was　a　preview

of　the　week；　things　looked　grim。

But　Anne　was　tired　of　grim；　so　she　took　a　positive　approach。　Starting

with　a　long　walk　through　the　woods；　she　followed　the　line　of　a　low　stone

wall　across　the　hilltop　and　down　a　gently　graded　slope　until　the　road

intersected　her　path。　The　view　was　spectacular　from　several　points　where

the　forest　door　opened　to　the　village　below；　its　tall　white　church

steeple　catching　the　afternoon　sun。

As　she　followed　the　dirt　road　back　to　the　house；　the　climb　steepened。

She　stopped　to　rest　a　time　or　two。　All　was　peaceful。　The　murmur　of　the

breeze　was　a　wele　switch　from　the　grating　sounds　of　the　city；　the

lush　ferns　on　the　forest　floor　were　a　far　cry　from　stone　sidewalks；　the

chipmunk　skuttling　through　the　brush　was　far　better　than　a　guard　dog　on

a　leash　by　the　curb。

Accustomed　to　the　gray　of　the　pigeon；　she　smiled　at　the　chickadees

black　cap　and　white　bib　and　the　red　breast　of　the　robin。　She　watched　the

play　of　the　sun　through　the　boughs　of　thick；　healthy　trees。　The

crispness　of　the　air；　sharp　without　chill；　invigorated　her。

When　she　finally　returned　to　the　house；　Mitch　was　nowhere　about。　No　car；

no　man；　no　note。　Exhausted　from　fresh　air　and　lack　of　sleep；　she

stretched　out　on　her　quilt　and　fell　into　a　deep　and　restful　sleep。

The　tension　of　the　past　weeks　took　its　due。　When　she　awakened；　it　was

dusk。　After　freshening　up　in　the　bathroom；　she　fixed　a　supper　of　soup

and　crackers；　then　settled　before　the　fire　to　finish　the　mystery　shed

started。　But　the　storys　momentum　had　been　broken。　She　never　quite　got

back　into　the　terror　of　it。

When　she　finished　the　last　page；　she　sat　back　to　watch　the　flames。　Their

play　entranced　her；　calmed　her；　lulled　her　into　a　peaceful　daze；　and　for

the　very　first　time；　and　at　long　last；　she　felt　removed　from　Jeffs

death。

It　had　been　a　nightmare…first　news　of　the　plane　crash；　then　the　limbo

when　rescue　teams　set　to　work；　hope　when　survivors　appeared；　total　and

utter　despair　when　the　worst　became　reality。　But　her　heart　felt　lighter