【时间旅行者的妻子】77

 Since you haven’t actually gotten married yet, I suppose we would have to say that you are my girlfriend.”

　Clare puts her hand someplace it probably shouldn’t be. “I’d rather be your mistress.”

　“You’re sixteen, Clare.” I gently remove her hand, and stroke her face.

　“That’s old enough. Ugh, your hands are all wet.” Clare turns on the overhead light and I am startled to see that her face and dress are streaked¹ with blood. I look at my palms and they are sticky and red. “Henry! What’s wrong?”

　“I don’t know.” I lick my right palm and four deep crescent-shaped cuts appear in a row. I laugh. “It’s from my fingernails. When you were driving without the headlights.”

　Clare snaps off the overhead light and we are sitting in the dark again. The cicadas sing with all their might. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

　“Yeah, you did. But usually I feel safe when you’re driving. It’s just—”

　“What?”

　“I was in a car accident when I was a kid, and I don’t like to ride in cars.”

　“Oh—I’m sorry.”

　“‘S okay. Hey, what time is it?”

　“Oh my God.” Clare flips² the light on. 12:12. “I’m late. And how can I walk in all bloody³ like this?” She looks so distraught that I want to laugh.

　“Here.” I rub my left palm across her upper lip and under her nose. “You have a nosebleed.”

　“Okay.” She starts the car, flips on the headlights, and eases back onto the road. “Etta’s going to freak when she sees me.”

　“Etta? What about your parents?”

　“Mama’s probably asleep by now, and it’s Daddy’s poker⁴ night.” Clare opens the gate and we pass through.

　“If my kid was out with the car the day after she got her license⁵ I would be sitting next to the front door with a stopwatch.” Clare stops the car out of sight of the house.

　“Do we have kids?”

　“Sorry, that’s classified.”

　“I’m gonna apply for that one under the Freedom of Information Act.”

　“Be my guest.” I kiss her carefully, so as not to disturb the faux nosebleed. “Let me know what you find out.” I open the car door. “Good luck with Etta.”

　“Good night.”

　“Night.” I get out and close the door as quietly as possible. 

1 streaked   

adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹

参考例句：

• The children streaked off as fast as they could. 孩子们拔脚飞跑 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• His face was pale and streaked with dirt. 他脸色苍白，脸上有一道道的污痕。 来自辞典例句

2 flips   

轻弹( flip的第三人称单数 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥

参考例句：

• Larry flips on the TV while he is on vacation in Budapest. 赖瑞在布达佩斯渡假时，打开电视收看节目。
• He flips through a book before making a decision. 他在决定买下一本书前总要先草草翻阅一下。

3 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

4 poker   

n.扑克；vt.烙制

参考例句：

• He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。
• I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

5 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。