关注眼前人［二］.docVIP

关注眼前人［二］ 　　格琳斯?格尔特斯奇 / 文 　　夏艺玲 编译 　　 　　3 　　“You left it in the lift,” he said. “May I sit down?” 　　His voice was soft. Cultivated. What could I say? The tables were all pretty full so I nodded. He said bon app it and began to eat. I’d always thought he picked at his food. But as I watched, I noticed that he selected small pieces, speared them and moved them carefully to his mouth. 　　“Have you been there?” 　　“Been where?” I was totally dazed. From dropping my book and banging my head and everything. 　　“Australia, New Zealand.” 　　I stared at him and thought again of what Mark had said about me reminding him of someone. An Australian? Maybe an ex-girlfriend or wife? 　　“Not such a strange question,” he said. “You’re old enough to have travelled there. And Katherine Mansfield, Janet Frame, are most likely in the book.” 　　His smile crinkled up his eyes. 　　“No, I haven’t and yes, they are,” I said. 　　That’s how it started. He asked me a question, nodded when I spoke and then asked another. I was off, talking about reading, books and all that stuff I love. 　　Days later Malcolm passed our table with his tray and spontaneously I said a seat was free. Mark stared at me and I felt a rush of heat to my cheeks. 　　After that, Malcolm often sat with us and he and I discussed a lot of things. We spoke a little about ourselves too. I told him how Mom had brought me up on her own at the start of the Hippie Era. He said he had married during that time but divorced a few years later. Mark asked me how come Malcolm and I always had so much to talk about. 　　“He’s easy to talk to. And he reads a lot.” 　　“You two got so much to say, I don’t get a chance to open my mouth all lunch-time.” 　　“You do. You shove food in.” 　　One lunchtime Malcom asked me if I’d like to go to a reading with him. 　　“Um. Don’t know.” 　　“Amelia Turner. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize last year.” 　　I wanted very much to go. But although I no longer thought Malcolm quite so weird, I wasn’t sure