17

house. This was an old villa backed by tall trees. In the shadows of a side alley a young man with a mackintosh over his white pyjamas was wringing his hands. The street lights were going out in alternate order, the odd numbers first. Along the pavement in front of the villa her obese husband, in a rumpled black suit and tartan booties with clasps, was walking a striped cat on an overlong leash. She made for the front door.

17

这是一幢古老的乡间别墅，背后有茂密的参天大树。在一条僻静小巷的阴暗处，一位内穿白色睡衣、外披雨衣的年轻小伙子在不停地绞扭自己的双手。路灯交替着熄灭，奇数的在先。她肥胖的丈夫身穿一件皱巴巴的黑色西服，脚蹬一双带鞋襻的格子呢软鞋，牵着一根加长的皮带，沿着别墅前的便道在遛一只条纹猫。她朝前门走去。