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Text A A Woman on a Roof（第2页）

[21]“Ibetheroldmanhasputhisfootdown，”

saidStanley，andHarryandTomcaughteachother’seyesandsmiledbehindtheyoungmarriedman’sback.

[22]Harrysuggestedtheyshouldgetpermissiontoworki，ahatday.ButbefupStanleysaid:“Let’shaveabreathoffreshair.”

AgainHarryandTomsmiledateachotherastheyfollototheroof，TomithathewastheretoproteStawasaboutfive-thirty，andacalm，fullsunlightlayovertheroofs.ThegreatestillswungitsblaOxfordStreettoabovetheirheads.Shewasherewasaflutterofwhitefrombehindaparapet，aoodup，iedressing-gown.Shehadbeenthereallday，probably，butochofroof，tohidefromthem.Stawhistle;hesaidnothing，butwatchedthewomaocollectpapers，books，cigarettes，theoverherarm.Tomwasthinkihere，I’dgooverandsay...what?Butheknewfromhisnightlydreamsofherthatshewaskindandfriendly.Perhapsshewouldaskhimdow?Perhaps...Hestoodwatgherdisappeardow.Assheweashrillderisiveyell;shestarted，anditseemedasifshenearlyfell.Sheclutchedtosaveherself，theycsfalling.Shelhtatthem，angry.Harrysaid，facetiously:“Betterbethoseslipperyladders，love.”

TomktosaveherfromStasheotknowit.Shevanished，frowning.Tomwasfullht，becauseheknewherangerwasfortheothers，notforhim.

[23]“Rollonsomerain，”

saidStaer，lookingattheblueeveningsky.

[24]daywascloudless，aofinishtheworkiheyfeltexcluded，shutibasementfittiheholidayatmosphereofLondowave.Atluheyeair，butwhilethemarriedcouples，andthemeninshirt-sleevesorvests，werethere，shewasheronherusualpatchofrooforwhereshehadbeeheyall，evenHarry，clamberedabout，betwees，overparapets，thehotleadsstingingtheirfiherewasnotasigookofftheirshirtsasaheirchests，feelisweatyamentionthewoman.ButTomfeltaloneagain.Lastnightshehadhimi:itwasbigandhadfittedetsahapaddedwhiteleatherhead-board.Sheworeablaegligeeandherkiomthiedhisthroatasherememberedit.Hefeltshehadbetrayedhimbyhere.

[25]Andagaiheyclimbedup，butstilltherewasnothingtobeseeaingthatifitwasashotasthistomorrowhewasn’tgoingtoworkandthat’salltherewastoit.Buttheywereallthereday.Byteurewasinthemiddlesevewaseightylongbeforenooheforemantosayitossibletoworkohatheat;buttheforemansaidtherewasnothingelsehecouldputthemon，andthey’dhaveto.Atmiddaytheystoodsilent，watgtheskylightonherroofopenandthensheslediegown，holdingabundleofbla.Shelookedatthem，gravely，thehepartoftheroofwhereshewashiddeomleased.Hefeltshewasmorehiswhehermen’tseeher.Theyhadtakesahemba，fortheyfeltthesunbruisingtheirflesh.“Shemusthavethehideofarhino，”

saidStauggingatgutteriheystoppedwork，andsatintheshade，movingaroundbehiaetowaterayelloboxoppositethem.Shewasmiddle-aged，wearingafloweredsummerdress.Staoher:“Weneedadrihem.”

Shesmiledandsaid:“Betterdropdowntothepubquick，it’llbeamiheyexgedpleasantries，ahemwithasmileanda>

[26]“NotlikeLadyGodiva，”

saidStanley.“Shegiveusabitofadasmile.”

[27]“Youdidn’twhistleather，”

saidT.

[28]“Listentohim，”

saidStanley，“youdidn’twhistle，then?”

[29]Buttheboyfeltasifhehadn’twhistled，asifonlyHarryandStanleyhad.Helawastimetoknocketleftbehindandsomehowmakehiswayovertothewomaherreportsaidthehotspellwasduetobreak，sohehadtomovequickly.Buttherewasnogleft.Theothertwodecidedtoknockoffworkatfour，becausetheywereexhausted.Astheywentdown，Tomquicklyclimbedaparapetandhoistedhimselfhigherbypulliupaey.Hecaughtaglimpseonherbaeesup，eyesclosed，abrownwomanlollinginthesun.Heslippedandclattereddown，asStanleylookedforinformation:“She’sgonedown，”

hesaid.HefeltasifhehadprotectedherfromStahatshemustbegratefultohim.Hecouldfeelthebohewomanandhimself.

[30]heystoodaroundonthelaheroof，relubupihewomanwhohadlentHarrytheblaahemacupoftea.Theyacceptedgratefully，andsataroundMrs.Pritchett’skithourorso，g.Shewasmarriedtoa.Asmartblonde，ofaboutthirty，shehadahehandsomesharp-faley;aeasedeachotherwhileHarrysatidulgent，thoughhisexpressioahewasmarried.AndyouenviousofStanley’seaseioo，thatStaingoffwithMrs.Pritchettlefthisromahewomanontheroofsafeandintact.

[31]“Ithoughttheysaidtheheatwave’dbreak，”

saidStanley，sulleimeapproatheyreallywouldhavetoclimbupi.

[32]“Youdohen?”

askedMrs.Pritchett.

[33]“Allrightforsome，”

saidStahingtodobutlieaboutasifitthere.Doup?”

[34]“Wentuponce，”

saidMrs.Pritchett.“Butit’sadirtyplaceupthere，andit’stoohot.”

“Quiterighttoo，”

saidStanley.

[35]Theup，leavingtheeatlittleflatandthefriendlyMrs.Pritchett.

[36]Assoonastheywereuptheysawher.Thethreemeher，resentfulathereaseinthispunishingsun.ThenHarrysaid，becauseoftheexpressiononStanley’sfaeoopretendtowork，atleast.”

[37]Theyhadtowrehthatranbesideaparapetoutofitsbed，sothattheycouldreplaleytookitinhistwohands，tugged，swore，stoodup.“Fuckit，”

hesaid，andsatdownunderaey.Helitacigarette.“Fuckthem，”

hesaid.“Whatdotheythinkweare，lizards?I’vegotblistersallovermyhands.”

Thenhejumpedupaheroofsandstoodwithhisba.Heputhisfihersideofhismouthaashrillwhistle.TomandHarrysquatted，notlookiher，watghim.Theycouldjustseethewomahebeginningsofherbrowaledagaiampingwithhisfeet，andwhistledandyelledahewoman，hisfagscarlet.Heseemedquitemad，ashestampedandwhistled，whilethewomandidnotmove，shedidnotmoveamuscle.

[38]“Barmy，”

saidTom.