Кошка под дождем

           TherewereonlytwoAmericansstoppingatthehotel.Theydidnotknowanyofthepeopletheypassedonthestairsontheirwaytoandfromtheirroom.Theirroomwasonthesecondfloorfacingthesea.Italsofacedthepublicgardenandthewarmonument.Therewerebigpalmsandgreenbenchesinthepublicgarden.Inthegoodweathertherewasalwaysanartistwithhiseasel.Artistslikedthewaythepalmsgrewandthebrightcolorsofthehotelsfacingthegardensandthesea.Italianscamefromalongwayofftolookupatthewarmonument.Itwasmadeofbronzeandglistenedintherain.Itwasraining.Theraindrippedfromthepalmtrees.Waterstoodinpoolsonthegravelpaths.Theseabrokeinalonglineintherainandslippedbackdownthebeachtocomeupandbreakagaininalonglineintherain.Themotorcarsweregonefromthesquarebythewarmonument.Acrossthesquareinthedoorwayofthecaféawaiterstoodlookingoutattheemptysquare.

           TheAmericanwifestoodatthewindowlookingout.Outsiderightundertheirwindowacatwascrouchedunderoneofthedrippinggreentables.Thecatwastryingtomakeherselfsocompactthatshewouldnotbedrippedon.

           ‘I’mgoingdownandgetthatkitty,’theAmericanwifesaid.

           ‘I’lldoit,’herhusbandofferedfromthebed.

           ‘No,I’llgetit.Thepoorkittyouttryingtokeepdryunderatable.’

           Thehusbandwentonreading,lyingproppedupwiththetwopillowsatthefootofthebed.

           ‘Don’tgetwet,’hesaid.