o？〃
… 〃Sure。 For contrast。 'Beauty and the Beast。'〃 …
She giggled and kissed his ear。 〃Goat； maybe。 Or a stallion。 Theodore； I needed to be baby…stretched to accept you。〃
〃I thought you said I felt like Brian？〃 …
〃But he is a stallion； too。 Let me go。〃
〃Pay tojl。〃
〃Oh； goodness； darling； don't do that now！ Or I'll be so shaky I won't be able to str…ike a match。〃
Standing and by the light on one candle； they studied each other。 Lazarus felt his breath grow short at the dazzling glory of her。 For most of two years A had been deprived of the
sweet joy of seeing a woman； and had not realized ho starv鏳 he had been for that great privilege。 Darling； can y guess how much this means to me？ Mama Maureen； has one ever told you how much more sweetly beautiful a fu~ blown woman is than a maiden？ Certainly your love breasts have held milk； that's； what they're for。 Why wou
…I want them to look like marble？…I don't！
She studied him just as closely； her face solemn； h nipples crinkled tightly。 Theodore…Lazarus my strange by will you guess that I suggested candlelight so that I cou see you？ A woman is not supposed to get hungry for su things…but I miss the sight； the naked sight； of my hu band 。。 and how in the Name of Satan and all His Fall~ Thrones I can last even till November without even seeii a man I do not know。 Alma Bixby told me that she ha never seen her husband without clothes。 How can a woma live like that？ Five children by a man she's never seen a over… Shocked her when I said that of course I had seen ir husband naked！
Theodore…Lazarus； you don't look like my Briney Bo：
your coloration is more like mine。 But； oh； how you fe like him； smell like him； talk like him； love like him！ Yo~ pretty thing is ing up high again。 Briney beloved； I'i going to have him once more； as hard as possible！…and I' tell you about it tomorrow night if you'll just ask me fc a new bedtime story 。 。 or if I must； I'll save it for you ti you get back。 You're as strange a man as h~ is 。 。 and jw the wise and tolerant husband your bawdy wife needs。 Thea cross my heart； dearest； I'll try my best to keep from it unt you e back from Over There…but if I can't； even； wit Father and eight children to guard me； I promise you so＇ emnly that I will never bed with anyone but a warrior； a ma to be proud of in every way。 Such as this strange man。
Lazarus； my love； are you really my descendant？ I do be lieve that you know when the war will be over and that m：
Briney will e … safely back to me。 Why； I am not sure… but since you told me； I have been free from worry for thi first time in many a lonely moon。 I hope the rest is true； too I want to believe in Tamara； and that she is descended fran me。 BuU don't want you to go away in only eight years！
That innocent little picture… If I had not feared shockinl you； I would have given you some real 〃French postcards' Briney has taken of me。 Will you be upset if I take a closei look？ I'll chance it。
Mrs。 Smith suddenly dropped to one knee； looked closely； then touched him。 She looked up。 〃Now？〃
〃Yes！〃 He picked her up； placed her on the bed。 Almost solemn1~' she helped him； then caught her breath as they joined。 〃Hard； Theodore！ This time don't … be gentle！〃
〃Yes； my beautiful one！〃 …
When their happy violence s； not talking； muning through touch and the light of one candle。
At last she said； 〃I must go； Theodore。 No； don't get up； just let me 'slide out。〃 She got up； picked up her wrap； blew out the candle； came back； leaned down and kissed him。 〃Thank you； Theodore…for everything。 But…e back to me； e back to me！〃
〃I will； I will！〃
Quickly and silently she was gone。
CODA
I
…Somewhere in France
Dear All my Family；
I am writing this in my pocket diary where it will stay until this war is over…not that it matters； you'll get it just as soon。 But I can't send a sealed letter now； much less one sealed into five envelopes。 Something called 〃censorship〃…which means that every letter is opened and read and anything that might interest the Boche is cut out。 Such as dates and places and designations of military units and probably what 1 had for breakfast。 （Beans and boiled pork and fried potatoes； with coffee that would dissolve a spoon。）
You see； I had this lovely ocean voyage as a guest of Uncle Sam and am now in the land of fine wines and beautiful women。 （The wine has been yin extremely ordinaire； and they seem to be hiding the beautiful women。 The best…looking one Fve seen had a slight mustache and very hairy legs； which I could have ignored had I not made the mistake of standing downwind。 Darlings； I am not sure the French take baths； at least in wartime。 But I'm in no position to criticize； a bath is a luxury。 Today； given a choice between a beautiful
… woman and a hot bath； I'd pick the bath…otherwise she wouldn't touch me。）
Don't worry that I am now in a 〃war zone。〃 That you've received this is proof that the war is over and I am okay。 But it's easier to write a letter than it is to put trivia into a diary every day。 〃War zone〃 is an exaggeration； this is 〃fixed warfare〃…meaning both sides are in the same fix： pinned down…and I am too far behind the lines to get hurt。 …
I am in charge of a unit called a 〃squad〃…eight men
…me and five other riflemen； plus an automatic rifleman
（the rifle； not the than； this war has no robot fighters） and an eighth man who carries ammunition for the automatic rifleman。 It's a corporal's job； and that's what I am； the promotion to sergeant I was expecting （in my last letter as dated from the United States） got lost in the shuffle when。 I was transferred to another outfit。
Being a corporal suits me。 it is the first time I've had men permanently assigned to me； time enough to get acquainted with each one； learn his strong points and weak ones； and how to handle him。 They are a fine bunch of men。 Only one is a problem； and it's not his fault； it results from the prejudices of the time。 His name is
F。X。 Dinkowski； and he is simultaneously the only Catholic and the only Jew in my squad…and； twins； if you've never heard of either one； ask Athene。 By ancestry he es from one religion； then he was brought up in another…and he has had the tough luck to be placed with country boys who have still a third religion and are not very tolerant。 …
Plus the additional misfortunes of being a city boy and having a voice that grates （even on me） and is clumsy； and when they pick on him （they do if I'm not right there）； it makes him more clumsy。 Truthfully he's not soldier material…but I wasn't asked。 So he's the ammunition carrier； the best I can do to balance my squad。 …
They call him 〃Dinky；〃 which is only mildly dispara… ging； but he hates it。 （I use… his full last name…I do with
all of them。 …For ritualistic reasons having to do ilitary organizations at this bere…&…now it is best to call a man by his family na