the notebook-恋恋笔记本(英文版)-第21章

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ch　as　she　raises　her　hazy　eyes　to　mine。　She　pulls　my　hand　towards　her。　〃You're　wonderful。。。〃　she　says　softly；　and　at　that　moment　she　falls　in　love　with　me；　too；　this　I　know；　for　I　have　seen　the　signs　a　thousand　times。

She　says　nothing　else　right　away；　she　doesn't　have　to；　and　she　gives　me　a　look　from　another　lifetime　that　makes　me　whole　again。　I　smile　back；　with　as　much　passion　as　I　can　muster；　and　we　stare　at　each　other　with　the　feelings　inside　us　rolling　like　ocean　waves。　I　look　about　the　room；　then　back　at　Allie；　and　the　way　she's　looking　at　me　makes　me　warm。　And　suddenly　I　feel　young　again。　I'm　no　longer　cold　or　aching；　or　hunched　over　or　almost　blind　with　cataracts。　I'm　strong　and　proud　and　the　luckiest　man　alive；　and　I　keep　on　feeling　that　way　for　a　long　time。

By　the　time　the　candles　have　burned　down　a　third；　I　am　ready　to　break　the　silence。　I　say；　〃I　love　you　deeply　and　I　hope　you　know　that。〃

〃Of　course　I　do；〃　she　says。　〃I've　always　loved　you；　Noah。〃

Noah；　I　hear　again。　The　word　echoes　in　my　head。　Noah　。　。　。　Noah。　She　knows；　I　think　to　myself；　she　knows　who　I　am　。　。　。

She　knows。　。　。　。　Such　a　tiny　thing；　this　knowledge；　but　for　me　it　is　a　gift　from　God；　and　I　feel　our　lifetime　together；　holding　her；　loving　her；　and　being　with　her　through　the　best　years　of　my　life。

She　murmurs；　〃Noah　。　。　。　my　sweet　Noah　。。。”

And　I；　who　could　not　accept　the　doctors'　words；　have　triumphed　again；　at　least　for　a　moment。　I　give　up　the　pretence　of　mystery；　and　I　kiss　her　hand　and　bring　it　to　my　cheek　and　whisper　in　her　ear：　〃You　are　the　greatest　thing　that　has　ever　happened　to　me。〃

　　　　〃Oh　。　。　。　Noah；〃　she　says　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　〃I　love　you；　too。〃

IF　ONLY　IT　would　end　like　this；　I　would　be　a　happy　man。

But　it　won't。　Of　this　I'm　sure；　for　as　time　slips　by　I　begin　to　see　the　signs　of　concern　in　her　face。

〃What's　wrong？〃　I　ask；　and　her　answer　es　softly。

〃I'm　so　afraid。　I'm　afraid　of　forgetting　you　again。　It　isn't　fair　。　。　。　I　just　can't　bear　to　give　this　up。〃　Her　voice　breaks　as　she　finishes；　but　I　don't　know　what　to　say。　I　know　the　evening　is　ing　to　an　end　and　there　is　nothing　I　can　do　to　stop　the　inevitable。　In　this　I　am　a　failure。

I　finally　tell　her：　〃I'll　never　leave　you。　What　we　have　is　for　ever。〃

She　knows　this　is　all　I　can　do；　for　neither　of　us　wants　empty　promises。

The　crickets　serenade　us；　and　we　begin　to　pick　at　our　dinner。　Neither　one　of　us　is　hungry；　but　I　lead　by　example　and　she　follows　me。　She　takes　small　bites　and　chews　a　long　time；　but　I　am　glad　to　see　her　eat。　She　has　lost　too　much　weight　in　the　past　three　months。

After　dinner；　I　bee　afraid　for　I　know　the　bell　has　tolled　this　evening。　The　sun　has　long　since　set　and　the　thief　is　about　to　e；　and　there　is　nothing　I　can　do　to　stop　it。　So　I　stare　at　her　and　wait　and　live　a　lifetime　in　these　last　remaining　moments。

　　　　The　clock　ticks。

Nothing。

　I　take　her　in　my　arms　and　we　hold　each　other。

Nothing。

I　feel　her　tremble　and　I　whisper　in　her　ear。

Nothing。

I　tell　her　for　the　last　time　this　evening　that　I　love　her。

And　the　thief　es。

It　always　amazes　me　how　quickly　it　happens。　Even　now；　after　all　this　time。　For　as　she　holds　me；　she　begins　to　blink　rapidly　and　shake　her　head。　Then；　turning　towards　the　corner　of　the　room；　she　stares　for　a　long　time；　concern　etched　on　her　face。

No！　my　mind　screams。　Not　yet！　Not　now　。　。　。　not　when　we're　so　close！　Not　tonight！　Any　night　but　tonight。　。　。　。　Please！　I　can't　take　it　again！　It　isn't　fair　。　。　It　isn't　fair　。　。　。

But　once　again；　it　is　to　no　avail。

〃Those　people；〃　she　finally　says；　pointing；　〃are　staring　at　me。　Please　make　them　stop。〃

The　gnomes。　A　pit　rises　in　my　stomach；　hard　and　full。　My　mouth　goes　dry　and　I　feel　my　heart　pounding。　It　is　over；　I　know。　This；　the　evening　confusion　that　affects　my　wife；　is　the　hardest　part　of　all。　For　when　it　es；　she　is　gone；　and　sometimes　I　wonder　whether　she　and　I　will　ever　love　again。

〃There's　no　one　there；　Allie；〃　I　say；　trying　to　fend　off　the　inevitable。

She　doesn't　believe　me。　〃They're　staring　at　me。　You　can't　see　them？〃

〃No；〃　I　say；　and　she　thinks　for　a　moment。

〃Well；　they're　right　there；〃　she　says；　〃and　they're　staring　at　me。〃

With　that；　she　begins　to　talk　to　herself；　and　moments　later；　when　I　try　to　fort　her；　she　flinches　with　wide　eyes。

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　cries　in　panic；　her　face　being　whiter。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　She　backs　away　from　me；　her　hands　in　a　defensive　position；　and　then　she　says　the　most　heartbreaking　words　of　all。　〃Go　away！　Stay　away　from　me！〃　She　is　pushing　the　gnomes　away　from　her；　terrified；　oblivious　of　my　presence。

I　stand　and　cross　the　room　to　her　bed。　I　am　weak　now；　my　legs　ache；　and　there　is　a　strange　pain　in　my　side。　It　is　a　struggle　to　press　the　button　to　call　the　nurses；　for　my　fingers　are　throbbing　and　seem　frozen　together；　but　I　finally　succeed。　They　will　be　here　soon　now；　I　know；　and　I　wait　for　them。

I　sit　by　the　bed　with　an　aching　back　and　start　to　cry　as　I　pick　up　the　notebook。　I　am　tired　now；　so　I　sit；　alone　and　apart　from　my　wife。　And　when　the　nurses　e　in　they　see　two　people　they　must　fort。　A　woman　shaking　in　fear　and　the　old　man　who　loves　her　more　deeply　than　life　itself　crying　softly　in　the　corner；　his　face　in　his　hands。

BY　THE　following　week；　my　life　had　pretty　much　returned　to　normal。　Or　at　least　as　normal　as　my　life　could　be。　Reading　to　Allie；　who　was　unable　to　recognize　me　at　any　time；　reading　to　others；　wandering　the　halls。　Lying　awake　at　night　and　sitting　by　my　heater　in　the　morning。　I　found　a　strange　fort　in　the　predictability　of　my　life。

On　a　cool；　foggy　morning　eight　days　after　she　and　I　had　spent　our　day　together；　I　woke　early；　as　is　my　custom；　and　pottered　around　my　desk；　alternately　looking　at　photographs　and　reading　letters　written　many　years　before。　At　least　I　tried　to。　I　couldn't　concentrate　too　well　because　I　had　a　headache；　so　I　put　them　aside　and　went　to　sit　in　my　chair　by　the　window　to　watch　the　sun　e　up。　Allie　would　be　awake　in　a　couple　of　hours；　I　knew；　and　I　wanted　to　be　refreshed；　for　reading　all　day　would　only　make　my　head　hurt　more。

I　closed　my　eyes　for　a　few　minutes　then；　opening　them；　I　watched　my　old　friend；　the　creek；　roll　by　my　window。　Unlike　Allie　I　had　been　given　a　room　where　I　could　see　it；　and　it　has　never　failed　to　inspire　me。　It　is　a　contradiction　this　creek—a　hundred　thousand　years　old　but　renewed　with　each　rainfall。　It　is　life；　I　think；　to　watch　the　water。　A　man　can　learn　so　many　things。

It　happened　as　I　sat　in　the　chair；　just　as　the　sun　peeped　over　the　horizon。　My　hand；　I　noticed；　started　to　tingle；　something　it　had　never　done　before。　I　started　to　lift　it；　but　I　was　forced　to　stop　when　my　head　pounded　again；　this　time　hard；　almost　as　if　I　had　been　hit　in　the　head　with　a　hammer。　I　closed　my　eyes　tightly。　My　hand　stopped　tingling　and　began　to　go　numb；　as　if　my　nerves　had　been　severed　somewhere　on　my　lower　arm。　A　shooting　pain　rocked　my　head　and　seemed　to　flow　down　my　neck　and　into　every　cell　of　my　body；　like　a　tidal　wave；　crushing　and　wasting　everything　in　its　path。

I　lost　my　sight　and　I　heard　what　sounded　like　a　train　roaring　inches　from　my　head；　and　I　knew　that　I　was　having　a　stroke。　The　pain　coursed　through　my　body　like　a　lightning　bolt；　and　in　my　last　remaining　moments　of　consciousness　I　pictured　Allie；　lying　in　her　bed；　waiting　for　the　story　I　would　never　read；　lost　and　confused；　pletely　and　totally　unable　to　help　herself。

I　WAS　UNCONSCIOUS　on　and　off　for　days；　and　in　those　moments　when　I　was　awake　I　found　myself　hooked　to　machines；　two　bags　of　fluid　hanging　near　the　bed。　I　could　hear　the　faint　hum　of　machines；　sometimes　making　sounds　I　could　not　recognize；　and　found　myself　lulled　to　never…never　land　time　and　time　again。

I　could　see　the　concern　in　the　doctors'　faces　as　they　scanned　the　charts　and　adjusted　the　machines。　Grim　faces　would　prelude　their　predictions—〃loss　of　speech；　loss　of　movement；　paralysis。〃　Another　chart　notation；　another　beep　of　a　strange　machine；　and　they'd　leave；　never　knowing　I　heard　every　word。　I　tried　not　to　think　of　these　things　afterwards；　but　instead　concentrated　on　Allie；　bringing　a　picture　of　her　to　my　mind　whenever　I　could。　I　tried　to　feel　her　touch；　hear　her　voice；　and　when　I　did　tears　would　fill　my　eyes　because　I　didn't　know　if　I　would　be　able　to　hold　her　again。　This　was　not　how　I'd　imagined　it　would　end。　I'd　always　assumed　I　would　go　last。

I　drifted　in　and　out　of　consciousness　for　days　until　another　foggy　morning　when　my　promise　to　Allie　spurred　my　body　once　again。　I　opened　my　eyes　and　saw　a　room　full　of　flowers；　and　their　scent　motivated　me　further。　I　looked　for　the　buzzer；　struggled　to　press　it；　and　a　nurse　arrived　thirty　seconds　later；　followed　closely　by　Dr。　Barnwell。

〃I'm　thirsty；〃　I　said　with　a　raspy　voice；　and　Dr。　Barnwell　smiled　broadly。

〃Wele　back；〃　he　said；　〃I　knew　you'd　make　it。〃

TWO　WEEKS　LATER　I　am　able　to　leave　the　hospital；　though　I　am　only　half　a　man　now。　The　right　side　of　my　body　is　weaker　than　the　left。　This；　they　tell　me；　is　good　news；　for　the　paralysis　could　have　been　total。　Sometimes；　it　seems；　I　am　surrounded　by　optimists。

The　bad　news　is　that　my　hands　prevent　me　from　using　either　my　cane　or　wheelchair；　so　I　must　march　now　to　my　own　unique