line in the

raining.

rain dripped

water

slipped

it was

the from the palm trees.

stood in on the gravel paths.

the sea broke in a long

back…

again…in the rain.

rain and

to come up and break

pools

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

rain

rain

rain

rain

wate

r

wate

r

wate

r

wate

r wate

r

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

rain

rain

rain

rain

wate

r

wate

r

wate

r

wate

r wate

r

rain

ing

rain

ing

the american wife stood at the

window looking out

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

rain

rain

rain

rain

wate

r

wate

r

wate

r

wate

r wate

r

rain

ing

rain

ing

…right their window

cat was crouched

tables.

under

under

a

theone of

dripping

catcrouched

i’m going down and get

that kitty

“”

i’ll do it“ ”

no, i’ll get it.“ ”

don’t get wet,

“ ”he said.

the went on reading,propped up with the two

at the foot of the

lyingpillows

bed.

husband

the

wife

the

hotel owner stood up

and bowedto her as she

passed his office.

andwent downstairs

ow

ner

hote

l

she liked the way he

she liked the hotel-keeper.

the wife liked him.

she liked the deadly serious way he received any complaints.

she liked his dignity.

she liked the way he

she liked the way he felt about being a hotel-keeper.

she liked his old, heavy face and big hands.

wanted to serve her.

she liked the hotel-keeper.

wanted to serve her.

liking him she opened the door and looked out.

as she stood in the doorwayan behind her.umbrella opened

it was the maid…

she smiled, speaking italian.

you must not get wet,“ ”

of course,

the hotel-keeper had sent her.

the was there, washedtablebright green in the rain, butthe cat was gone.

!

(outside)

she went on up the stairs

george was reading again.

i wanted it so muchshe said.

i don’t know why i wanted it so much.

“ ,”

i wanted that poor kitty.

pillow

s

bed. lyinggeorge

i get so tired of it

“ ”

dro

ne

il pail padrone

stood up and bowed to her

the padrone made feelvery small and at the sametimereally important.

****

***** * her

i want to pull my hair back tight and smooth…

i want to have a kitty to sit on my lap and purr when i stroke her.

i want to eat at a table with my own silver and i want candles.

“”

“”

”

“

and it to be spri g and i w n to brush my hair ou in front of a mirror and want a kit y and i wa t some n w cl thes.

i want

ta t

e

it

o

“

”

n

n

oh, shut up and getsomething to read

“”

george said.

if i have long hair or any , can have a cat.“

anyway, i want a cat,

i want a cat.

i want a cat now.

she said,can’t

i ?

“ ”

”fun

[love]isn’t

not any of it.

fun

…anymore.

it isn’t any to be a

poor kittyout in the

rain

funrain

rain

rainra

in

rain

rain

rain

stood

someone at the door.knocked

avanti, george said.“ ”in the doorway th

emaid.

she held a big tortoise-shell …cat

the padrone asked me to bring this

for the signora.

excuse me,“

”for the signora.

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

ing

rain

rain

rain

rain

rain

wate

r

wate

r

wate

r

wate

r wate

r

rain

ing

rain

ing

catin the rain.

-the end-