第51部分

請關閉瀏覽器的閱讀/暢讀/小說模式並且關閉廣告遮蔽過濾功能，避免出現內容無法顯示或者段落錯亂。

n　looked　back　at　her。

〃I　mean　it；〃　Elaine　said。　〃At　first　I　thought　I'd　just　let　you　be　…　I'm　old；　and　that　seemed　easiest。　But　when　my　friends　are　threatened　and　abused；　I　do　not　just　let　be。　Now　get　out　of　here。　And　without　one　more　word。〃

His　lips　moved　like　those　of　a　fish　…　oh；　how　badly　he　wanted　to　say　that　one　more　word　（perhaps　the　one　that　rhymes　with　witch）。　He　didn't；　though。　He　gave　me　a　final　look；　and　then　strode　past　her　and　out　into　the　hall。

I　let　out　my　breath　in　a　long；　ragged　sigh　as　Elaine　set　the　tray　down　in　front　of　me　and　then　set　herself　down　across　from　me。　〃Is　your　grandson　really　Speaker　of　the　House？〃　I　asked。

〃He　really　is。〃

〃Then　what　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃Speaker　of　the　statehouse　makes　him　powerful　enough　to　deal　with　a　roach　like　Brad　Dolan；　but　it　doesn't　make　him　rich；〃　she　said；　laughing。　〃Besides；　I　like　it　here。　I　like　the　pany。〃

〃I　will　take　that　as　a　pliment；〃　I　said；　and　I　did。

〃Paul；　are　you　all　right？　You　look　so　tired。〃　She　reached　across　the　table　and　brushed　my　hair　away　from　my　forehead　and　eyebrows。　Her　fingers　were　twisted；　but　her　touch　was　cool　and　wonderful。　I　closed　my　eyes　for　a　moment。　When　I　opened　them　again；　I　had　made　a　decision。

〃I'm　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃And　almost　finished。　Elaine；　would　you　read　something？〃　I　offered　her　the　pages　I　had　clumsily　swept　together。　They　were　probably　no　longer　in　the　right　order　…　Dolan　really　had　scared　me　badly　…　but　they　were　numbered　and　she　could　quickly　put　them　right。

She　looked　at　me　consideringly；　not　taking　what　I　was　offering。　Yet；　anyway。　〃Are　you　done？〃

〃It'll　take　you　until　afternoon　to　read　what's　there；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　can　make　it　out　at　all；　that　is。〃

Now　she　did　take　the　page