hr.thecarpetbaggers-第134部分

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y　of　1944。
　No　more　dreams；　no　more　big　deals；　no　more　struggles　and　plans　to　build　a　giant　monument　of　incorporation　that　would　span　the　earth；　linked　by　thin　and　gossamer　strands　of　celluloid。　They　had　e　to　a　final　stop　for　him；　just　as　they　had　for　a　thousand　others；　in　the　crashing；　thundering　fire　of　an　early　Italian　morning。
　The　dreams　had　stopped　for　her；　too。　The　whisper　of　love　in　the　night；　the　creaking　of　the　floor　beneath　the　footsteps　on　the　other　side　of　the　bed；　the　excitement　and　warmth　of　shared　confidences　and　plans　for　tomorrow。
　For　once；　Rosa　was　grateful　for　her　work。　It　used　her　mind　and　taxed　her　energy　and　consumed　her　with　the　day…to…day　responsibilities。　In　　time；　the　hurt　was　pushed　back　into　the　corner　recesses　of　her　mind；　to　be　felt　only　when　she　was　alone。
　Then；　bit　by　bit；　the　understanding　came　to　her；　as　it　always　must　to　the　survivors；　that　only　a　part　of　the　dreams　had　been　buried　with　him。　His　son　was　growing　and　one　day；　as　she　saw　him　running　across　the　green　lawn　in　the　front　of　their　home；　she　heard　the　birds　begin　to　sing　again。　She　looked　up　at　the　blue　sky；　at　the　white　sun　above　her　head；　and　knew　that　once　again　she　was　a　living；　breathing　human　being　with　the　full；　rich　blood　of　life　in　her　body。　And　the　guilt　that　had　been　in　her；　because　she　had　remained　while　he　had　gone；　disappeared。
　It　all　happened　that　day　after　she　read　Jennie's　letter。　It　was　addressed　to　her　in　a　small；　feminine　script　that　she　did　not　recognize。　At　first；　she　thought　it　another　solicitation　when　she　saw　the　imprimatur　on　the　letterhead。
　
　？
　
　Sisters　of　Mercy
Burlingame；　California
　October　10；　1944
　DEAR　ROSA；
　It　is　with　some　trepidation　and　yet　with　the　knowledge　that　you　will　respect　my　confidence　that　I　take　my　pen　in　hand　to　write。　I　do　not　seek　to　reopen　wounds　which　by　this　time　have　already　partly　healed　but　it　is　only　a　few　days　ago　that　I　learned　of　your　loss　and　wanted　to　extend　to　you　and　little　Bernie　my　sympathy　and　prayers。
　David　was　a　fine　man　and　a　genuinely　kind　human　being。　All　of　us　who　knew　him　will　miss　him。　I　mention　him　in　my　prayers　each　day　and　I　am　forted　by　the　words　of　Our　Lord　and　Saviour：　〃I　am　the　resurrection　and　the　life；　he　who　believes　in　me；　even　if　he　die；　shall　live；　and　whoever　lives　and　believes　in　me　shall　never　die。〃
　Sincerely　yours　in　J。　C。
　SISTER　M。　THOMAS
　（JENNIE　DENTON）
　
　It　was　then；　when　Rosa　went　outside　to　call　her　son　in　from　his　play；　that　she　heard　the　birds　singing。　The　next　weekend；　she　drove　to　Burlingame　to　visit　Jennie。
　There　were　tiny　white　puffballs　of　clouds　in　the　blue　sky　as　Rosa　turned　her　car　into　the　wide　driveway　that　led　to　the　Mother　House。　It　was　a　Saturday　afternoon　and　there　were　many　automobiles　parked　there　already。　She　pulled　into　an　open　space　some　distance　from　the　sprawling　building。
　She　sat　in　the　car　and　lit　a　cigarette。　She　felt　a　doubt　creeping　through　her。　Perhaps　she　shouldn't　have　e。　Jennie　might　not　want　to　see　her；　wouldn't　want　to　be　reminded　of　that　world　she'd　left　behind。　It　was　pure　impulse　that　she　had　followed　in　driving　here　and　she　couldn't　blame　Jennie　if　she　refused　to　see　her。
　She　remembered　the　morning　after　the　engagement　party。　When　Jennie　hadn't　shown　up　at　the　studio；　no　one　had　thought　very　much　about　it。　And　David；　who'd　been　trying　to　reach　Jonas　at　the　plant　in　Burbank；　told　her　that　he　couldn't　locate　him；　either。
　When　the　next　day　and　the　day　after　that　had　passed　and　there　was　still　no　word　from　Jennie；　the　studio　really　began　to　worry。　Jonas　had　finally　been　located　in　Canada　at　the　new　factory　and　David　called　him　there。　His　voice　had　been　very　curt　over　the　telephone　as　he　told　David　that　the　last　time　he'd　seen　Jennie　was　when　he　left　her　home　the　night　of　the　party。
　David　immediately　called　Rosa　and　suggested　she　run　out　to　Jennie's　house。　When　she　got　there；　the　Mexican　servant　came　to　the　door。　〃Is　Miss　Denton　in？〃
　〃Se？orita；　she　not　in。〃
　〃Do　you　know　where　she　is？〃　Rosa　asked。　〃It's　very　important　that　I　get　in　touch　with　her。〃
　The　servant　shook　her　head。　〃The　se？orita　go　away。　She　not　say　where。〃
　Deliberately　Rosa　walked　past　her　into　the　house。　There　were　packed　boxes　all　along　the　hallway。　On　the　side　of　one　was　stenciled　Bekins；　Moving　&　Storage。　The　servant　saw　the　surprise　on　her　face。　〃The　se？orita　tell　me　to　close　the　house　and　go　away；　too。〃
　Rosa　didn't　wait　until　she　got　home；　but　called　David　from　the　first　pay　telephone　she　came　to。　He　said　he'd　try　to　speak　to　Jonas　again。
　〃Did　you　reach　Jonas？〃　she　asked；　as　soon　as　he　came　in　the　door　that　evening。
　〃Yes。　He　told　me　to　close　down　Aphrodite　and　have　Pierce　thrown　off　the　lot。　When　I　said　we　might　wind　up　with　a　lawsuit；　he　told　me　to　tell　Dan　that　if　he　wanted　to　start　anything；　Jonas　would　spend　his　last　dollar　to　break　him。〃
　〃But　what　about　Jennie？〃
　〃If　she　doesn't　show　up　by　the　end　of　the　week；　Jonas　told　me　to　have　her　put　on　the　suspended　list　and　stop　her　salary。〃
　〃And　their　engagement？〃
　〃Jonas　didn't　say；　but　I　guess　that's　over；　too。　When　I　asked　him　if　we　should　prepare　a　statement　for　the　press；　he　told　me　to　tell　them　nothing　and　hung　up。〃
　〃Poor　Jennie。　I　wonder　where　she　is？〃
　Now　Rosa　knew。　She　got　out　of　the　car　and　started　to　walk　slowly　toward　the　Mother　House。
　
　Sister　M。　Thomas　sat　quietly　in　her　small　room；　reading　her　Bible。　A　soft　knock　came　at　the　door。　She　got　to　her　feet；　the　Bible　still　in　her　hand；　and　opened　it。　The　light　from　the　window　in　the　hall　outside　her　room　turned　her　white　novice's　veil　a　soft　silver。　〃Yes；　sister？〃
　〃There's　a　visitor　to　see　you；　sister。　A　Mrs。　David　Woolf。　She's　in　the　visitors'　room　downstairs。〃
　Sister　Thomas　hesitated　a　moment；　then　spoke。　Her　voice　was　calm　and　quiet。　〃Thank　you；　sister。　Please　tell　Mrs。　Woolf　that　I　shall　be　down　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　The　nun　bowed　her　head　and　started　down　the　corridor　as　Sister　Thomas　closed　the　door。　For　a　moment；　she　leaned　her　back　against　it；　weak　and　breathless。　She　had　not　expected　Rosa　to　e。　She　drew　herself　up　and　crossed　the　small　room　to　kneel　before　the　crucifix　on　the　bare　wall　near　her　bed。　She　clasped　her　hands　in　prayer。　It　was　as　if　it　were　only　yesterday　that　she　had　e　here；　that　she　was　still　the　frightened　girl　who　had　spent　all　her　life　trying　to　hide　from　herself　her　love　for　God。
　She　remembered　the　kind　voice　of　the　Mother　Superior　as　she　had　knelt　before　her；　weeping；　her　head　in　the　soft　material　across　the　Mother　Superior's　lap。　She　felt　once　again　the　gentle　touch　of　the　stroking　fingers　on　her　head。
　〃Do　not　weep；　my　child。　And　do　not　fear。　The　path　that　leads　to　Our　Lord　may　be　most　grievous　and　difficult　but　Jesus　Christ；　Our　Saviour；　refuses　none　who　truly　seeks　Him。〃
　〃But；　Reverend　Mother；　I　have　sinned。〃
　〃Who　among　us　is　without　sin？〃　the　Reverend　Mother　said　softly。　〃If　you　take　your　sins　to　Him　who　takes　all　sins　to　Himself　to　share；　and　convince　Him　with　your　penitence；　He　will　grant　you　His　holy　forgiveness　and　you　will　be　wele　in　His　house。〃
　She　looked　up　at　the　Reverend　Mother　through　her　tears。　〃Then；　I　may　stay？〃
　The　Mother　Superior　smiled　down　at　her。　〃Of　course　you　may　stay；　my　child。〃
　
　Rosa　rose　from　the　chair　as　Sister　Thomas　came　into　the　visitors'　room。　〃Jennie？〃　she　said　tentatively。　〃Sister　Thomas；　I　mean。〃
　〃Rosa；　how　good　it　is　to　see　you。〃
　Rosa　looked　at　her。　The　wide…set　gray　eyes　and　lovely　face　belonged　to　Jennie；　but　the　calm　serenity　that　glowed　beneath　the　novice's　white　veil　came　from　Sister　Thomas。　Suddenly；　she　knew　that　the　face　she　was　looking　at　was　the　same　face　she　had　once　seen　on　the　screen；　enlarged　a　thousand　times　and　filled　with　the　same　love　as　when　the　Magdalen　had　stretched　forth　her　hand　to　touch　the　hem　of　her　Saviour's　gown。
　〃Jennie！〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃Suddenly；　I'm　so　happy　that　I　just　want　to　hug　you。〃
　Sister　Thomas　held　out　her　arms。
　Later；　they　strolled　the　quiet　paths　around　the　grounds　in　the　afternoon　sunlight　and　when　they　came　to　the　top　of　a　hill；　they　paused　there；　looking　down　into　the　green　valley　below　them。
　〃His　beauty　is　everywhere；〃　Sister　Thomas　said　softly；　turning　to　her　friend；　〃I　have　found　my　place　in　His　house。〃
　Rosa　looked　at　her。　〃How　long　do　you　remain　in　the　novitiate？〃
　〃Two　years。　Until　next　May。〃
　〃And　what　do　you　do　then？〃　Rosa　questioned。
　〃If　I　prove　worthy　of　His　grace；　I　take　the　black　veil　and　go　forth　in　the　path　of　the　Founding　Mother；　to　bring　His　mercy　to　all　who　may　need　it。〃
　She　looked　into　Rosa's　eyes　and　once　again　Rosa　saw　the　deep…lying　pool　of　serenity　within　them。　〃And　I　am　more　fortunate　than　most；〃　Sister　Thomas　added　humbly。　〃He　has　already　trained　me　in　His　work。　My　years　in　the　hospital　will　help　me　wherever　I　may　be　sent；　for　it　is　in　this　area　I　can　best　serve。〃
　
　JONAS　…　1945
　…
　Book　Nine
　
　1
　
　OUTSIDE；　THE　WHITE…HOT　MID…JULY　SUN　BEAT　DOWN　ON　THE　NEVADA　AIR　STRIP；　BUT　HERE　IN　THE　GENERAL'S　OFFICE；　THE　OVERWORKED　AIR…CONDITIONER　WHIRRED　AND　KEPT　THE　TEMPERATURE　DOWN　TO　AN　EVEN　EIGHTY　DEGREES。　I　looked　at　Morrissey；　then　across　the　table　to　the　General　and　his　staff。
　〃That's　the　story；　gentlemen；〃　I　said。　〃The　CA…JET　X。P。　sho