Над пропастью во ржи

           "Tybalt."

           "That’sright.Tybalt,"Isaid—Ialwaysforgetthatguy’sname."ItwasRomeo’sfault.ImeanIlikedhimthebestintheplay,oldMercutio.Idon’tknow.AllthoseMontaguesandCapulets,they’reallright—especiallyJuliet—butMercutio,hewas—it’shardtoexplain.Hewasverysmartandentertainingandall.Thethingis,itdrivesmecrazyifsomebodygetskilled—especiallysomebodyverysmartandentertainingandall—andit’ssomebodyelse’sfault.RomeoandJuliet,atleastitwastheirownfault."

           "Whatschooldoyougoto?"sheaskedme.SheprobablywantedtogetoffthesubjectofRomeoandJuliet.

           ItoldherPencey,andshe’dheardofit.Shesaiditwasaverygoodschool.Iletitpass,though.Thentheotherone,theonethattaughthistoryandgovernment,saidthey’dbetterberunningalong.Itooktheircheckoffthem,buttheywouldn’tletmepayit.Theonewiththeglassesmademegiveitbacktoher.

           "You’vebeenmorethangenerous,"shesaid."You’reaverysweetboy."Shecertainlywasnice.SheremindedmealittlebitofoldErnestMorrow’smother,theoneImetonthetrain.Whenshesmiled,mostly."We’veenjoyedtalkingtoyousomuch,"shesaid.

           IsaidI’denjoyedtalkingtothemalot,too.Imeantit,too.I’dhaveenjoyeditevenmorethough,Ithink,ifIhadn’tbeensortofafraid,thewholetimeIwastalkingtothem,thatthey’dallofasuddentrytofindoutifIwasaCatholic.Catholicsarealwaystryingtofindoutifyou’reaCatholic.