244.英文正文（244）

therewasnotelescreen，buttheremustbehiddenmicrophones：besides，theycouldbeseen。itdidnotmatter，nothingmattered。theycouldhavelaindownonthegroundanddonethatiftheyhadwantedto。hisfleshfrozewithhorroratthethoughtofit。shemadenoresponsewhatevertotheclaspofhisarm；shedidnoteventrytodisengageherself。heknewnowwhathadchangedinher。herfacewassallower，andtherewasalongscar，partlyhiddenbythehair，acrossherforeheadandtemple；butthatwasnotthechange。itwasthatherwaisthadgrownthicker，and，inasurprisingway，hadstiffened。herememberedhowonce，aftertheexplosionofarocketbomb，hehadhelpedtodragacorpseoutofsomeruins，andhadbeenastonishednotonlybytheincredibleweightofthething，butbyitsrigidityandawkwardnesstohandle，whichmadeitseemmorelikestonethanflesh。herbodyfeltlikethat。itoccurredtohimthatthetextureofherskinwouldbequitedifferentfromwhatithadoncebeen。

hedidnotattempttokissher，nordidtheyspeak。astheywalkedbackacrossthegrass，shelookeddirectlyathimforthefirsttime。itwasonlyamomentaryglance，fullofcontemptanddislike。hewonderedwhetheritwasadislikethatcamepurelyoutofthepastorwhetheritwasinspiredalsobyhisbloatedfaceandthewaterthatthewindkeptsqueezingfromhiseyes。theysatdownontwoironchairs，sidebysidebutnottooclosetogether。hesawthatshewasabouttospeak。shemovedherclumsyshoeafewcentimetresanddeliberatelycrushedatwig。herfeetseemedtohavegrownbroader，henoticed。