GARDEN OF EDEN by Ernest Hemingway

“If you want,” the girl said.

David did not look at the girl and she did not look at him.

“I won’t disturb you?” Catherine said.

“Nothing that I do is important,” the girl said.

Catherine and David lay side by side on the bed in their room with the wind blowing its last day outside and it was not like siesta in the old days.

“Can I tell you now?”

“I’d rather skip it.”

“No, let me tell. This morning when I started the car I was frightened and I tried to drive very well and I felt hollow inside. Then I could see Cannes up ahead on the hill and the road was clear all up ahead by the sea and I looked behind and it was clear and I pulled out from the road into the brush. Where it’s like the sagebrush. I kissed her and she kissed me and we sat in the car and I felt very strange and then we drove into Nice and I don’t know whether people could tell it or not. I didn’t care by then and we went everywhere and bought everything. She loves to buy things. Someone made a rude remark but it was nothing really. Then we stopped on the way home and she said it was better if I was her girl and I said I didn’t care either way and really I was glad because I am a girl now anyway and I didn’t know what to do. I never felt so not knowing ever. But she’s nice and she wanted to help me I think. I don’t know. Anyway she was nice and I was driving and she was so pretty and happy and she was just gentle the way we are sometimes or me to you or either of us and I said I couldn’t drive if she did that so we stopped. I only kissed her but I know it happened with me. So we were there for a while and then I drove straight home. I kissed her before we came in and we were happy and I liked it and I still like it.”

“So now you’ve done it,” David said carefully, “and you’re through with it.”

“But I’m not. I liked it and I’m going to really do it.”

“No. You don’t have

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“I do and I’m going to do it until I’m through with it and I’m over it.”

“Who says you’ll be over it?”

“I do. But I really have to, David. I didn’t know I’d ever be like this.”

He did not say anything.

“I’ll be back,” she said. “I know I’ll get over it as well as I know anything. Please trust me.

He did not say anything.

“She’s waiting for me. Didn’t you hear me ask her? It’s like stopping in the middle of anything.”

“I’m going up to Paris,” David said. “You can reach me through the bank.”

“No,” she said. “No. You have to help me.”

“I can’t help you.

“You can. You can’t go away. I couldn’t stand it if you went away. I don’t want to be with her. It’s only something that I have to do. Can’t you understand? Please understand. You always understand.”

“Not this part.”

“Please try. You always understood before. You know you did. Everything. Didn’t you?”

“Yes. Before.”

“It started with us and there’ll only be us when I get this finished. I’m not in love with anyone else.”

“Don’t do it.”

“I have to. Ever since I went to school all I ever had was chances to do it and people wanting to do it with me. And I never would and never did. But now I have to.”

He said nothing.

“Please know how it is.”

He did not say anything.

“Anyway she’s in love with you and you can have her and wash everything away that way.

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“You’re talking crazy, Devil.”

“I know it,” she said. “I’ll stop.”

“Take a nap,” he said. “Just lie close and quiet and we’ll both go to sleep.”

“I love you so,” she said. “And you’re my true partner the way I told her. I’ve told her too much about you but that’s all she likes to talk about. I’m quiet now so I’m going to go.”

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