Text A A Woman on a Roof（第1页）

TextAAWomanonaRoof

DorisLessing

[1]Itwasdurisun，thatJuhreemeworkontheroof，wheretheleadsgotsohottheyhadtheideawateronto。Butthewatersteamed，theheymakejokesaboutgettinganeggfromsomewomasusuopoachitfortheirdiossibletotouchthegutteringtheywererepladtheyspeculatedaboutwhatworkmendidinregularlyhottries。Perhapstheyshouldborrowkitgloveswiththeegg?Theywereallabitdizzy，heheat;aheirdstoodsidebysidesqueezioafootwidepatchofshadeagainstaey，carefultokeeptheirfeetihicksodbootsoutofthesun。Therewasafineviewacrossseveralacresofroofs。Notfaroffamansatinadeckchairreadingtheheysawher，betweefiftyyardsaway。Shelayfaabrowheycouldseethetoppartofher:blackhair，aflushedsolidback，armsspreadout。“She’sstarknaked，”saidStanley，soundingannoyed。

[2]Harry，theoldest，amanofaboutforty-five，said:“Lookslikeit。”

[3]Youeen，saidnothing，buthewasexdgrinning。

[4]Stanleysaid:“Someoherifshedoesn’twatchout。”

[5]“Shethinksnoohisheadallwaystoseemore。

[6]Atthispointthewoman，stilllyihertbehindhershoulderswiththeendsofasthem，tieditbehindherbadsatup。Sheworearedscarftiedarousandbriefredbikinipants。Thisbeidayofthesue，flushismoking，anddidnotlookupwheawolfwhistle。Harrysaid:“Smallthingsamusesmallmihewaybacktotheirpartoftheroof，butitwassg。Harrysaid:“Wait，I’mgupsomeshade，”anddisappeareddowintothebuilding。Nowthathe’dgoomwepoiopeeratthewoman。Shehadmoved，andalltheycouldseeweretwopitheblaledahelegsdidnotmove。Harrycamebackwithablaandshouted:“eon，then。”Hesouedwiththem。TheyclamberedbaaoStaaboutyourmissus?”Stanleywasnewlymarried，aboutthreemonths。Stanleysaid，jeering:“Whataboutmymissus?”—preservinghisiomsaidnothing，buthismindwasfullofthenearlynakedwthebla，whichhehadborrowedfromafriendlywomandownstairs，fromthestemofatelevisiooarowofey-pots。Thisshadefellacrossthepieceofguttertheyhadtoreplace。Buttheshadekeptmovioadjustthebla，andnresswasmade。Atlastsomeoftheheatlefttheroof，andtheyworkedfast，makingupforlosttime。FirstStaom，madeatriptotheeoseethewoman。“She’sonherbaleysaid，addiwhisheoldermaly。Tom’sreportwasthatshehadwasalie。Hewahehadseentohimself:hehadcaughtheridowleredpantsoverherhips，tilltheywerehanasmalltriangle。Shewasonherback，fullyvisible，glisteningwithoil。

&m，assoonastheycameup，theywenttolook。Shewasalreadythere，fasspreadout，helittleredpaurnedbrow。Yesterdayshewasasd-whitewoman，todaysheomaawhistle。Sheliftedherhead，startled，asifshe’dbeenasleep，araightoveratthem。Thesunwasinhereyes，shebliared，thenshedrain。Atthisgestureofiheyallthree，StaomandoldHarry，letoutwhistlesandyells。Harrywasdoingitinparodyoftheyoungermen，makingfuhewasalsoangry。Theywereallangrybecauseofherutterihethreemenwatgher。

[8]“Bitch，”saidStanley。

[9]“Sheshouldaskusover，”saidTom，snig。

[10]Harryreselfaanley:“Ifshe’smarried，heroldmanwould。”

[11]“Christ，”saidStauously，“ifmywifelayaboutlikethat，foreveryoosee，I’dsoonstopher。”

[12]Harrysaid，smiling:“Howdoyouknosshe’ssuthisverymoment?”

[13]“Notaotonourroof。”ThesafetyofhiswifeputStaoagoodhumor，aowork。Buttodayitwashotterthaerday;aimesohersuggestedtheyshouldtellMatthew，theforeman，andasktoleavetheroofuwavewasover。Buttheydidn’t。Therewasworktobedoofthebigblockofflats，butupheretheyfeltfree，olevelfromordinaryhumanityshutihebuildings。Alotmorepeoplecameoutohatday，foranhouratmidday。Somemarriedcouplessatsidebysideindeckchairs，thewomeoglessahemehreddeningshoulders。

[14]Thewomanstayedo，turningherselfoverandterwhattheydid。Wheofetchmorescrews，Stanleysaid:“eon。”Herroofbelooadifferentsystemofroofs，separatedfromtheirsatobyabouttwemeantasgoher，edgingalos，gtoeys，whiletheirbigbootsslippedahered，butatlasttheystoodonasmallsquareprojegrooflhtdownather，close。Shesatsmabook。Tomthoughtshelookedlikeapaziheblueskybehindherachedout。Behieatworkonanewbuildinginitsblackarmacrossroofsiomimagiworkonthee，adjustioswingoverandpickherupandswingherbackacrosstheskytodrophernearhim。

[15]Theywhistled。Shelookedupatthem，ote，theain，theywerefurious。Or，rather，Stanleywas。Hissuedfacewassteashewhistledagainandagain，tryingtomakeherlookup。YoungTomstoppedwhistlioodbesideStaed，grinniasifheweresayingtothewoman:Don’tassociatemewithhim，frinologetiighthehadthoughtoftheunknownwoma，andshehadbeehhim。Thistendernesshewasrememberiedhisfeetbythejeering，whistlingStanley，aheihybrownwomaoff，withthegapthatpluhestreetbetweehoughtitwasromantic，itwaslikebeinghighontwohilltops。ButtherewasashoutfromHarry，andtheyclamberedbaley’sfacewashard，reallyalookingathimandwonderedwhyhehatedthewomansomuch，forbynowhelovedher。

[16]Theyplayedtheirlittlegameswiththeblaryingtotrapshadetowainitwasnotuntilnearlyfourthattheycouldworkseriously，andtheywereexhausted，allthreeofthem。Theyweregrumblingabouttheweatherbynow。Stanleywasinathhlybadhumor。Wheheirroutioseethewomaheypackedupfortheday，shearentlyasleep，fa，herbaakedsaveforthescarlettriaocks。“I’vegotagoodmihertothepolice，”saidStanley，andHarrysaid:“What’seatingyou?Whatharm’sshedoing?”“Itellyou，ifshewasmywife!”

[17]“Butsheisn’t，isshe?”TomkHarry，likehimself，wasuaion。Hewasnormallyasharpyoungman，quickathiswalotofjokes，goodpany。

[18]“Perhapsitwillbeorro>

[19]“Butitwasn’t;itwashotter，ifanything，aherforecastsaidthegoodweatherwouldlast。Assoonastheywereontheroof，HarryweoseeifthewomaomkreventStanleygoing，toputoffhisbadhumrownup，aboythesameageasTom，arustedaohim。

[20]Harrycamebadsaid:“She’snotthere。”

[21]“Ibetheroldmanhasputhisfootdown，”saidStanley，andHarryandTomcaughteachother’seyesandsmiledbehindtheyoungmarriedman’sback。

[22]Harrysuggestedtheyshouldgetpermissiontoworki，ahatday。ButbefupStanleysaid:“Let’shaveabreathoffreshair。”AgainHarryandTomsmiledateachotherastheyfollototheroof，TomithathewastheretoproteStawasaboutfive-thirty，andacalm，fullsunlightlayovertheroofs。ThegreatestillswungitsblaOxfordStreettoabovetheirheads。Shewasherewasaflutterofwhitefrombehindaparapet，aoodup，iedressing-gown。Shehadbeenthereallday，probably，butochofroof，tohidefromthem。Stawhistle;hesaidnothing，butwatchedthewomaocollectpapers，books，cigarettes，theoverherarm。Tomwasthinkihere，I’dgooverandsay。。。what?Butheknewfromhisnightlydreamsofherthatshewaskindandfriendly。Perhapsshewouldaskhimdow?Perhaps。。。Hestoodwatgherdisappeardow。Assheweashrillderisiveyell;shestarted，anditseemedasifshenearlyfell。Sheclutchedtosaveherself，theycsfalling。Shelhtatthem，angry。Harrysaid，facetiously:“Betterbethoseslipperyladders，love。”TomktosaveherfromStasheotknowit。Shevanished，frowning。Tomwasfullht，becauseheknewherangerwasfortheothers，notforhim。

[23]“Rollonsomerain，”saidStaer，lookingattheblueeveningsky。

[24]daywascloudless，aofinishtheworkiheyfeltexcluded，shutibasementfittiheholidayatmosphereofLondowave。Atluheyeair，butwhilethemarriedcouples，andthemeninshirt-sleevesorvests，werethere，shewasheronherusualpatchofrooforwhereshehadbeeheyall，evenHarry，clamberedabout，betwees，overparapets，thehotleadsstingingtheirfiherewasnotasigookofftheirshirtsasaheirchests，feelisweatyamentionthewoman。ButTomfeltaloneagain。Lastnightshehadhimi:itwasbigandhadfittedetsahapaddedwhiteleatherhead-board。Sheworeablaegligeeandherkiomthiedhisthroatasherememberedit。Hefeltshehadbetrayedhimbyhere。

[25]Andagaiheyclimbedup，butstilltherewasnothingtobeseeaingthatifitwasashotasthistomorrowhewasn’tgoingtoworkandthat’salltherewastoit。Buttheywereallthereday。Byteurewasinthemiddlesevewaseightylongbeforenooheforemantosayitossibletoworkohatheat;buttheforemansaidtherewasnothingelsehecouldputthemon，andthey’dhaveto。Atmiddaytheystoodsilent，watgtheskylightonherroofopenandthensheslediegown，holdingabundleofbla。Shelookedatthem，gravely，thehepartoftheroofwhereshewashiddeomleased。Hefeltshewasmorehiswhehermen’tseeher。Theyhadtakesahemba，fortheyfeltthesunbruisingtheirflesh。“Shemusthavethehideofarhino，”saidStauggingatgutteriheystoppedwork，andsatintheshade，movingaroundbehiaetowaterayelloboxoppositethem。Shewasmiddle-aged，wearingafloweredsummerdress。Staoher:“Weneedadrihem。”Shesmiledandsaid:“Betterdropdowntothepubquick，it’llbeamiheyexgedpleasantries，ahemwithasmileanda>

[26]“NotlikeLadyGodiva，”saidStanley。“Shegiveusabitofadasmile。”

[27]“Youdidn’twhistleather，”saidT。

[28]“Listentohim，”saidStanley，“youdidn’twhistle，then?”

[29]Buttheboyfeltasifhehadn’twhistled，asifonlyHarryandStanleyhad。Helawastimetoknocketleftbehindandsomehowmakehiswayovertothewomaherreportsaidthehotspellwasduetobreak，sohehadtomovequickly。Buttherewasnogleft。Theothertwodecidedtoknockoffworkatfour，becausetheywereexhausted。Astheywentdown，Tomquicklyclimbedaparapetandhoistedhimselfhigherbypulliupaey。Hecaughtaglimpseonherbaeesup，eyesclosed，abrownwomanlollinginthesun。Heslippedandclattereddown，asStanleylookedforinformation:“She’sgonedown，”hesaid。HefeltasifhehadprotectedherfromStahatshemustbegratefultohim。Hecouldfeelthebohewomanandhimself。

[30]heystoodaroundonthelaheroof，relubupihewomanwhohadlentHarrytheblaahemacupoftea。Theyacceptedgratefully，andsataroundMrs。Pritchett’skithourorso，g。Shewasmarriedtoa。Asmartblonde，ofaboutthirty，shehadahehandsomesharp-faley;aeasedeachotherwhileHarrysatidulgent，thoughhisexpressioahewasmarried。AndyouenviousofStanley’seaseioo，thatStaingoffwithMrs。Pritchettlefthisromahewomanontheroofsafeandintact。