Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-10-03
The Cuine Mutiny
By Herman Wouk

A~6AAy 0A~A C1AA4 AOkubG1.
;. Willie sat on the little hard sea-
for i've hours, talking to May o.
listening to her sing. When they
came into her squalid room bacl
lat the hotel. it was q quarter Il
three. Willie was suppressinf
yawns. and his eyes smarted
Without word they took of theil
coats and kissed hungrily ans
wildly for q few minutes. He
forehead. her hands. felt hot t.
Willie's lips, but he went on kiss.
ing her anyway. At last with 6
common impulse. they slowed ane
stopped. She looked him full II
1.-THE face. her eyes shining in thu
dim light of the floor lamp.
Willie. we're all washed up
aren't we?"
It is the worst question In the
world. Willie didn't have to an.
swer. The answer was on hi,
miserable face. May said. "Ther
why are we doing this?"
You're right, as usual. I am q
swine. Let's STOP"
mo. I still love to kiss you
unfortunately" And she kissed
him again. several times. But the
spoken words had snapped the
sweetness. They sat up. and Willie
went to the armchair.
May. what can I say? You're
the most wonderful girl I'll ever
know"
strangely enough. that's the
truth. For you, I am. Only
you're too young. or you love your
mother too much or something. u
She rose and went to her closet
and changed into her bathrobe.
Then she faced him, her hands
deep in the pockets of her robe.
There was tremor Of uncertainty
and pain about her eyes and
mouth. ITS all quite definite.
suppose?"
Eyes. May"
"You kiss as though you love
me. Explain that"
Willie was unable to say that
he loved Mays mouth but not
enough to drag her through life
with him-though that would
have been putting it in the
simplest terms. II don't know
what love is. May. It's q word.
You'll always be the image of
desire for me. That's q fact. but
there's more to life than that.
don't think we'd be happy to-
gether. Not because Of any lack
in you. Call me q snobbish prig
and let it go at that. Everything
that's wrong between Us Is wrong
with me"
'Is it because I'm poor or dumb
or Catholic or what? Can't you
put it in words. so I'll know?"
Shame and Embarrassment.
There is only one way to get of
this particular kind of griddle.
Willie looked at the floor and said
nothing, while long seconds of
silence licked off. Every second
brought another stab Of hot
shame and embarrassment, and
his self-respect gushed out Of the
wounds. May managed to say at
last, in an unembittered tone.
though q shaky one, well, all
right. Willie. It must be q load
on your mind. anyway" She
opened . drawer in a peeling
dirty bureau and took out a bottle
and q pillbox. I'm going down
the hall to doctor myself. I won't
be long. Want to waltz"
When she came back her eyes
were red. and with her makeup
removed. she was very pale. She
smiled slightly. Give me a cigar
cite. dear. I haven't dared to
smoke all day. thought my throat
would close up" She took an ash
tray to the bed and lay back
against the cushions with a sigh
l"Ah. that tastes wonderful"
They talked some more, not
much. She came to the door with
him and kissed him affectionate-
ly. you're very, very cookbook
ing. all the same" she whispered.
"1'll call you tomorrow, May
Keep we'll" He rang for the ele-
vator. She stood in the doorway
looking at him. When the eleva-
tor door was opened by a Negro
in shirt sleeves. she suddenly said
will I see you any more?"
Sure. I'll talk to you tomor-
row. Good night"
Goodbye, Willie"
He did not call her the next
day, nor the day after that. mol
the day after that. He went tc
matinees with his mother, to din
ner with his mother, to shows
at night with his mother; he Wis
tied the family with his mother
When his mother urged him tt
go out by himself he glumly de-
clined.
Sunday night Willie was in hi:
room, dressing to go to the opera
His eye fell on his wrist watch
and he realized that in IL hour.
he would be on an airplane, re-
turning to the Game and thu
court-martial. His arm reached
around stiffly. like a lever in ar
automatic photograph and picked
lup the telephone. He called thu
IWoodley.
May? How are you? IT.
Willie"
Hello. dear! I'd given vol
up"
I'm going back tomorrow morn.
ing. I'd like to talk to you"
I'm working tonight. Willie
MAY I come to the club aroune
!. midnight"
"All right"
: Mother" Willie said as the,
came out Of the lobby of the oper;
house to the lushy street. do 70,
mind il I 60 on the town by mysel
: for a whileo TIL SOC vo,, ho ri