第37部分(第2/7 页)

o　trees　on　the　lake　and　the　trees　looked　like　the　double　sails　of　a　fishing…boat。　The　mountains　were　sharp　and　steep　on　the　other　side　of　the　lake　and　down　at　the　end　of　the　lake　was　the　plain　of　the　Rhone　Valley　flat　between　the　two　ranges　of　mountains；　and　up　the　valley　where　the　mountains　cut　it　off　was　the　Dent　du　Midi。　It　was　a　high　snowy　mountain　and　it　dominated　the　valley　but　it　was　so　far　away　that　it　did　not　make　a　shadow。

When　the　sun　was　bright　we　ate　lunch　on　the　porch　but　the　rest　of　the　time　we　ate　upstairs　in　a　small　room　with　plain　wooden　walls　and　a　big　stove　in　the　corner。　We　bought　books　and　magazines　in　the　town　and　a　copy　of　〃Hoyle〃　and　learned　many　two…handed　card　games。　The　small　room　with　the　stove　was　our　living…room。　There　were　two　fortable　chairs　and　a　table　for　books　and　magazines　and　we　played　cards　on　the　dining…table　when　it　was　cleared　away。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Guttingen　lived　downstairs　and　we　would　hear　them　talking　sometimes　in　the　evening　and　they　were　very　happy　together　too。　He　had　been　a　headwaiter　and　she　had　worked　as　maid　in　the　same　hotel　and　they　had　saved　their　money　to　buy　this　place。　They　had　a　son　who　was　studying　to　be　a　headwaiter。　He　was　at　a　hotel　in　Zurich。　Downstairs　there　was　a　parlor　where　they　sold　wine　and　beer；　and　sometimes　in　the　evening　we　would　hear　carts　stop　outside　on　the　road　and　men　e　up　the　steps　to　go　in　the　parlor　to　drink　wine。

There　was　a　box　of　wood　in　the　hall　outside　the　living…room　and　I　kept　up　the　fire　from　it。　But　we　did　not　stay　up　very　late。　We　went　to　bed　in　the　dark　in　the　big　bedroom　and　when　I　was　undressed　I　opened　the　windows　and　saw　the　night　and　the　cold　stars　and　the　pine　trees　below　the　window　and　then　got　into　bed　as　fast　as　I　could。　It　was　lovely　in　bed　with　the　air　so