dclegg.purity-第2部分

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orbid　way　her　mind　would　pick　over　my　birth　and　early　years。
　〃I'm　so　sorry　that　you　turned　out　this　way；〃　she　said；　once；　her　hands　going　up　to　her　face。　〃I'm　happy　you're　so　smart。　Not　like　your　father。　But　this　madness　that　es　over　you。。。〃
　I　remained　silent；　letting　her　have　her　feelings。　I　didn't　understand　then　to　what　she　referred　…　I　was　not　mad。　I　took　the　ferry　to　go　to　school　over　on　the　mainland　and　did　quite　well　in　school。　The　ferry　takes　an　hour　and　a　half　in　the　winter；　and　only　runs　twice　a　day　…　for　school　hours；　since　Outerbridge　had　no　school　of　its　own。　Thus；　I　spent　many　nights　with　my　Aunt　Susan　in　Rhode　Island；　and　learned　more　about　my　mother's　mother　than　I　had　ever　wanted　to　know。　I　also　managed　…　through　my　cousin　Davy　…　to　make　friends　off…island；　friends　who　believed　I　was　like　them。　And　I　had　a　lot　of　friends　as　a　child。　Although　I　was　not　considered　handsome　at　first　…　at　least　by　my　mother　who　found　my　hair　to　be　too　ominous　in　some　way；　my　eyes　too　blue　and　perhaps　too　sharp；　my　manner　arrogant　（even　as　an　eight…year…old；　she'd　called　me　that）　…　I　began　learning　the　secret　of　athletics　early；　and　applied　myself　to　molding　my　body　the　same　way　I　went　about　molding　my　mind：　I　studied　and　read　and　found　the　boys　who　seemed　to　know　what　they　were　doing；　and　I　gravitated　towards　them。　I　learned　what　they　knew　by　nature。　I　was　uncoordinated　in　most　sports；　until　I　realized　that；　as　in　all　things；　it　was　about　breathing。
　This　is　one　of　the　secrets　of　life：　it's　all　about　breathing。
　5
　Voices　in　the　dark：
　〃It's　all　right；　I　know　you。　I　know　what　we　both　want。〃
　〃Shut　up。　Just　shut　up。〃
　〃e　here。　e　here。　Let　me　help　you。　It's　all　right。　It　feels　good。〃
　〃No；　not　like　this。　No。〃
　〃I've　been　so　lonely。〃
　〃Oh。〃
　〃Wanting　this。〃
　〃Oh。〃
　〃Since　the　first　time　I　saw　you。〃
　〃Oh。〃
　6
　Have　you　ever　felt　that　you　would　do　anything　to　be　with　someone？
　I　almost　feel　sorry　for　you；　if　you　haven't。
　7
　The　purity　of　life　is　in　the　secrets　…　they're　simple；　they　say　everything；　they　are　there　for　anyone；　but　we　must　wake　up　to　the　purity　first　in　order　to　understand　the　secrets。
　My　pursuit　of　physical　excellence　began　early。　I　tackled　solitary　athletics　since　this　seemed　best　for　my　character。　They　were　also　cheaper。　My　family　was　poor　…　have　I　mentioned　that？　Not　poor　poor。　Not　〃out　in　the　street　with　no　food〃　poor；　but　poor　nonetheless。　My　mother's　first　husband　had　been　rich；　but　had　been　a　gambler。　My　mother　…　I　should　call　her　Boston；　for　that's　what　my　father　called　her　even　though　her　name　was　Helen　…　had　been　the　fifth　daughter　in　a　wealthy　family　who　had　married　well　the　first　time　around。
　But　that　man　…　someone　I　had　never　in　my　life　heard　of　beyond　knowing　he　existed　…　apparently　lost　all　his　and　Helen's　money；　and　soon　she　found　my　father；　a　good　man　one　would　suppose；　who　began　his　work　life　as　a　groundskeeper　at　the　Smithsonian　Museum　in　Washington；　DC；　but　ended　up　working　as　a　gardener　for　rich　folk。　It　paid　well　enough　…　like　I　said；　we　weren't　poor　poor。
　My　father　probably　would've　had　more　money；　but　he　had　a　sister　who　was　dying　…　for　years　…　down　in　Annapolis；　Maryland；　and　he　was　her　only　support。　So；　according　to　my　mother；　half　of　his　ine　went　to　her　uping。　〃She　has　the　longest…lived　cancer　I've　ever　heard　of；〃　she'd　say；　sometimes　right　in　front　of　him。
　Of　course；　this　wasn't　all　there　was　to　it；　but　if　I　tell　you　all　the　secrets　of　the　world　at　once；　you'll　either　be　dazzled　or　overwhelmed；　and　there's　no　point　in　making　it　all　explode　right　now。　You'll　want　to　know　why　breathing　is　one　of　the　secrets　of　life。
　All　right；　do　you　know　how　breathing　is　voluntary？　I've　heard　that　people　with　dementia　sometimes　end　up　forgetting　how　to　breathe。　That's　a　terrible　way　to　die；　although　one　would　suppose　that　any　method　of　dying　would　be　awful。　Well；　breathing　is　the　essential　ponent　of　acplishing　anything。
　I　observed　this　early　…　I　was　on　the　school　bus；　and　I　noticed　a　little　girl　next　to　me　who　was　terrified　of　an　uping　test　we　were　about　to　take。　She　would；　in　fact；　stop　breathing　for　seconds　at　a　time。　I　began　to　count　her　breaths；　and　I　saw　that　for　every　four　I　took；　she　took　one。　I　suggested　to　her　that　she　try　just　concentrating　on　her　breathing。　After　a　bit　of　persuasion；　she　did。　It　didn't　seem　to　work。　I　withdrew　my　father's　pocketwatch　…　the　one　I'd　stolen　（yes；　I　stole　things　regularly　around　the　house。　I　have　reasons；　none　of　which　you　want　to　know。）　I　had　learned　a　bit　about　hypnosis；　so　I　asked　her　to　stare　long　and　hard　at　the　brass　of　the　watch　as　the　sunlight　reflected　on　it。　She　asked　me　if　I'd　be　putting　her　under。　I　told　her　no。　This　was；　after　all；　just　suggestion；　nothing　more。　I　would　suggest　something　to　her　and　would　hope　that　her　mind　would　accept　it。　Of　course；　I　was　a　child。　I　didn't　say　it　that　way。　I　said　it　in　some　little　boy　way。　But　eventually；　staring　at　the　watch　so　much　that　her　eyes　teared　up；　I　began　to　help　modulate　her　breathing。　By　the　time　we　reached　school；　she　wasn't　half　as　upset　anymore　about　the　test。
　I　began　asking　the　other　boys　…　the　older　ones　who　were　good　at　softball　and　running　…　what　their　secrets　were。　To　get　their　secrets；　I　entertained　them　with　my　modest　ventriloquism　skills　…　I　could　do　bird　calls　and　the　sounds　of　crickets　and　even　get　a　brief　sentence　out　without　moving　my　lips。
　Boys　like　entertainment　…　so　they　opened　up　and　told　me　about　athletics　and　sports。
　They　all　said　screwy　things；　but　what　I　noticed　were　two　solid　answers：
　breathing　and　imagination。
　They　made　sure　that　they　breathed　through　everything。　They　also　imagined　that　they　would　win。
　This　was　a　huge　revelation　to　me；　since　I　had　never　felt　that　I　could　win　anything。　I　realized　that　these　other　boys　were　winners　in　athletics　because　they　in　fact　believed　they　were　…　whether　from　coaches；　friends；　family　or　whomever　…　and　because　they　did　not　stop　breathing。　They　used　their　breathing　…　without　even　knowing　it　…　to　help　keep　their　bodies　working。
　All　right；　that　sounds　simplistic。　But　I　believe　that　the　simplest　things　can　lead　to　the　strongest　results。
　So；　I　began　working　on　breathing。
　This　was　not　merely　inhaling　and　exhaling；　but　swimming　at　the　beach　in　the　icy　spring　and　holding　my　breath　under　water。　After　all；　if　I　were　going　to　be　lord　of　my　own　breath；　I　needed　to　master　everything　about　it；　didn't　I？　I　wasn't　sure　that　I'd　ever　be　a　great　breath…holder；　because　I　never　seemed　able　to　go　much　beyond　a　minute。　I　was　holding　on　too　much　to　my　fear　of　dying。
　This　is　one　of　the　first　lessons　about　breathing　…　if　you　have　breath　within　your　lungs；　you　will　not　die。　Death　es　once　there　is　no　more　breath。
　Again；　simple。　Again；　true。
　〃Owen；〃　my　mother　said；　pinning　the　laundry　up　outside　the　cottage　that　the　Montgomery's　housed　us　in。　〃What　in　god's　name　are　you　doing？〃
　I　had　e　up　after　logging　in　a　minute…and…a…half　beneath　the　water；　right　at　the　rocky　ledge。　I　had　just　leaned　over　and　thrust　my　face　underwater。
　I　was　eleven　at　the　time。　I　tried　to　explain　to　her　the　principle　behind　my　experiment；　but　she　did　not　seem　to　understand。　However；　within　a　few　short　months；　I　had　bee　best　friends　to　the　captain　of　the　swim　team　in　seventh　grade；　and　by　fall；　I　was　running　cross　country。　I　would　never　be　the　best　…　this　was　not　my　goal　after　all。　I　would　be　a　winner。
　In　fact；　I　knew　I　would　close　in　on　this　with　each　sport　or　endeavor　I　tried　…　the　other　kids　were　lazy。　Life　and　their　families　made　them　that　way。　I　did　not　intend　to　let　a　day　go　which　I　could　not　claim　as　my　own。　I　was　going　to　own　life　in　a　way　that　neither　of　my　parents　ever　had。
　Academics　slipped　in　my　middle　school　years　…　but　not　enough　for　anyone　to　notice。　I　read　studiously；　and　never　for　enjoyment；　but　to　understand　systems　of　thought　that　the　world　was　trying　to　push　at　us。　I　learned　quickly　that　an　A＋　in　school　sometimes　meant　a　D…　in　life；　and　that　in　fact　equal　effort　had　to　be　made　to　excel　in　both　spheres。　Breathing　helped。
　When　I　felt　overwhelmed　by　it　all；　I　practiced　my　breathing　again。　Even　in　December；　when　the　island　was　desolate　and　the　water　was　cold　enough　to　drown；　I　would　leap　into　the　sea　and　stay　beneath　the　water　for　as　long　as　I　could；　I　would；　if　possible；　use　the　Montgomery's　indoor　swimming　pool　for　my　morning　workout　which　began　at　six　a。m。
　8
　That　was　the　wonderful　thing　about　the　Montgomery's　place：
　They　were　usually　gone　all　winter　unless　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Montgomery　were　fighting；　or　Mr。　Montgomery　had　gone　off　with　one　of　his　mistresses　and　Mrs。　M　was　so　angry　she　came　to　the　island　for　a　blisteringly　cold　February。　I　used　to　see　Mrs。　M　in　those　cold　Februarys；　and　I　ran　errands　in　town　for　her　because　she　spent　too　much　time　staring　at　the　walls　or　sitting　along　the　indoor　pool　while　I　did　laps。　She　enjoyed　letting　me　swim　there；　and　she　sometimes　even　got　in　and　did　laps；　too。　Once；　when　I　was　twelve；　Mrs。　M　told　me；　〃You're　turning　into　quite　the　handsome　boy；　Owen　Crites。〃　She　was　in　good　shape　for　a　woman　of　forty；　and　there　were　times　when　I　was　with　her　that　she　reminded　me　so　much　of　Jenna　it　was　almost　like　having　Jenna　there　with　me。
　When　I　watched　her　back；　as　she　got　out　of　the　pool；　bathing　cap　on；　her　narrow　waist；　the　way　the　water　beaded　upon　her　skin　…　it　was　like　seeing　Jenna　for　a　moment。　This　made　me　happy。　Jenna　meant　a　lot　to　me。
　But　the　pool　…　dare　I　describe　it　now；　how　I　remember　it？　It　was　vast。
　It　was　Olympic　size。　I　could　do　real　laps　there　as　opposed　to　laps　at　the　beach　which　ended　with　a　summer　lifeguard　blowing　a　whistle　for　me　to　e　to　shore　before　I'd　gone　out　twenty　yards。　It　was　off　the　northern　wing　of　their　estate；　and　was　constructed　so　that　it　was　as　if　you　were　swimming　outside；　as　if　on　the　bluffs　over　the　Sound；　you　owned　the　world　as　you　went　back　and　forth；　breathing；　carefully　breathing　so　as　not　to　wear　out　too　fast。
　Because；　during　those　winters　when　the　M's　stayed　down　in　Manhattan；　my　father　and　mother　and　I　had　the　run　of　the　house；　I　could　swim　naked　in　the　pool；　and　rise　to　see　the　reflection　of　my　body　in　the　long　mirrors　that　were　in　the　small　locker　room　off　the　pool。　By　my　sophomore　year　in　high　school；　I