第8部分(第2/6 页)

　now　this　person　was　in　turn　learning　the　secret　of　sharing　them。　Beauty　so　shines　when　given　away。　The　only　truth　that　exists　is；　in　that　sense；　free。

It　was　a　long　time　before　I　met　the　author　of　the　notes。

One　Sunday　morning；　I　was　told　that　someone　was　waiting　for　me　in　the　office。　The　young　person　who　answered　the　rectory　door　said　that　it　was　“the　woman　who　said　she　left　all　the　notes。”　When　I　saw　her　I　was　shocked；　since　I　immediately　recognized　her　from　church　but　had　no　idea　that　it　was　she　who　wrote　the　notes。　She　was　sitting　in　a　chair　in　the　office　with　her　hands　folded　in　her　lap。　Her　head　was　bowed　and　when　she　raised　it　to　look　at　me；　she　could　barely　smile　without　pain。　Her　face　was　disfigured；　and　the　skin　so　tight　from　surgical　procedures　that　smiling　or　laughing　was　very　difficult　for　her。　She　had　suffered　terribly　from　treatment　to　remove　the　growths　that　had　so　marred　her　face。

We　chatted　for　a　while　that　Sunday　morning　and　agreed　to　meet　for　lunch　later　that　week。

As　it　turned　out　we　went　to　lunch　several　times；　and　she　always　wore　a　hat　during　the　meal。　I　thought　that　treatments　of　some　sort　had　caused　a　lot　of　her　hair　to　fall　out。　We　shared　things　about　our　lives。　I　told　her　about　my　schooling　and　growing　up。　She　told　me　that　she　had　worked　for　years　for　an　insurance　pany。　She　never　mentioned　family；　and　I　did　not　ask。

We　spoke　of　authors　we　both　had　read；　and　it　was　easy　to　tell　that　books　are　a　great　love　of　hers。

I　have　thought　about　her　often　over　the　years　and　how　she　struggled　in　a　society　that　places　an　incredible　premium　on　looks；　class；　wealth　and　all　the　other　fineries　of　life。　She　suffered　from　a　disfigurement　that　cannot　be　made　to　look　attractive。　I　knew　that　her　condition　hurt　her　deeply。