200
PARTISAN REVIEW
the ramp , she took a final look and saw him standing stiffly behind
the glass. The angle of the sun was bothersome ; she took with her his
slim form, his hands still by his side , a shimmer of afternoon light for
a face .
"Well, why doesn't he come here for a visit?" asked Terry,
watching her closely. That, he decided, was the first thing any dim–
wit would have said : a rock of support?
She shook her head . "He can't. There's just not enough money."
She had pulled out a cigarette and seemed uncertain about what to
do with it. Finally she threw it down on the coffee table with a
grimace. "I'd given the damn things up . .. and now this! Terry, I
don't know what to do. It can't end like this. We
had
something. "
"I suppose you have to give it a chance . See if it survives . Look,
you've only been back three days. See if you get a letter."
"I'd better," she said , arching a brow .
"Good . Take it from there." She began to laugh, not her usual
full laugh but a paler, subdued version . "What's wrong?"
She shook her head again, still laughing. "A letter! What will I
do with a letter? He barely knows English! I don't know any Italian
except
Grazie.
When you're there in person it's different. You can get
things across, there's feeling, you can express it with your look.. . ."
She was toying with the cigarette again.
For a few moments he was silent, watching her and considering
various bits of advice that he at once discarded for their triteness.
The last thing she wanted to hear, no doubt , was a reminder of the
soothing effect of time, or the surprising power of love. He looked
away and gazed at the furniture . It was a small but comfortable and
elegant room, its composure disturbed by the bulky leather suitcase
still looming in the middle of the floor.
"I know I'm not making this all up," she said finally . "You can
tell when it's right. But why in God's name did it have to be
Rome?
What happens
now?"
"Well, don't worry too much about any letters. I can probably
help there, if you'd like . I should be able to give you at least a general
sense.... But that might get tricky." He gave a small smile. She
was looking at him, her lips slightly parted , as if in thought.
"That would really be nice," she said. "If you could do it, Terry,
I'd really appreciate it."
"You're sure you won't mind? After all, I'd be intruding."
"Look, you're a friend. And it would mean a lot to me."
The language of love . Dust off the dictionary. Keep a straight
