第7部分(第2/8 頁)

〃No；　I　think　I　want　to　travel。　I've　never　seen　much　of　the　world；　you　know。〃

〃I　should　think　not。　It　must　have　been　an　awful　life　for　you　cooped　up　here　all　these　years。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Katherine。　〃It　gave　me　a　lot　of　freedom。〃

She　caught　the　other's　gasp；　and　reddened　a　little。

〃It　must　sound　foolish　…　saying　that。　Of　course；　I　hadn't　much　freedom　in　the　downright　physical　sense　…〃

〃I　should　think　not；〃　breathed　Mrs　Harrison；　remembering　that　Katherine　had　seldom　had　that　useful　thing　as　a　〃day　off。〃

〃But；　in　a　way；　being　tied　physically　gives　you　lots　of　scope　mentally。　You're　always　free　to　think。　I've　had　a　lovely　feeling　always　of　mental　freedom。〃

Mrs　Harrison　shook　her　head。

〃I　can't　understand　that。〃

〃Oh！　you　would　if　you'd　been　in　my　place。　But；　all　the　same；　I　feel　I　want　a　change。　I　want　…　well；　I　want　things　to　happen。　Oh！　Not　to　me　…　I　don't　mean　that。　But　to　be　in　the　midst　of　things；　exciting　things　…　even　if　I'm　only　the　looker…on。　You　know；　things　don't　happen　in　St　Mary　Mead。〃

〃They　don't　indeed；〃　said　Mrs　Harrison；　with　fervour。

〃I　shall　go　to　London　first；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　have　to　see　the　solicitors；　anyway。　After　that；　I　shall　go　abroad；　I　think。〃

〃Very　nice。〃

〃But；　of　course；　first　of　all　…〃

〃Yes？〃

〃I　must　get　some　clothes。〃

〃Exactly　what　I　said　to　Arthur　this　morning；〃　cried　the　doctor's　wife。　〃You　know；　Katherine；　you　could　look　p