爱情与金钱之三LoveorMoney？Earlynextmorningthehousewasquiet.SuddenlytherewasacryfromtheroomnexttoRoger's,hismother'sroom.Rogeropenedhiseyesandlookedattheclock.Itwasnearlyseveno'clock.Hegotoutofbedandopenedthedoorquietly.Atthesametimethedoorofhismother'sroomopenedandDianecameout.Herfacewasverywhite.‘Roger!It'sMother!IbroughtacupofcoffeeforherandIfoundherdead.She'sdead…deadinherbed,’shecried.Rogerwentquicklytothedoorofhismother'sroomandlookedin.Thewindowwasopenbuttheroomwaswarm.Mollywasonthebed,onehandunderherhead.Rogerwentacrosstothebedandputhishandonherarm.Itwascold.Onthelittletablenexttothebedwasahotcupofcoffeeandanemptycup.‘I'mgoingtocallthedoctor,’Dianesaid.‘She'sdead,’Rogersaidslowly.Hisface,too,waswhite.‘Motherisdead!’Dianewalkedacrosstheroomtothedoor.‘I'mgoingtophonethedoctor,’shesaidagain.‘Waitaminute!’Rogercalled.‘Let'stellthefamilyfirst.’‘Family!NobodylovedMother!’Dianewentoutandrandownstairs.Rogerslowlywentdownstairsafterherandstoodbythetelephone.‘DrPratt,thisisDianeClarkson.It'smymothershe'sdead.Canyoucomequickly?’Dianeputthephonedown.‘Itisn'ttrue,Roger!Motherdead!Daddydiedlastwinter,andnowMother.’Dianebegantocry.‘Don'tcry,Diane,’Rogersaid.‘Let'sgoupstairsandtellUncleAlbertandJackie.’‘No!Youtellthem!NobodylovedMother.Youaren'tsorry.Lookatyou!Youwanthermoney.That'sall.’RogersuddenlywantedtohitDiane.‘Bequiet!’hesaid.‘Whataboutyou?Youdidn'tloveMother.Youwantedhermoney,too.Don'tforgetthat!’‘It'strue,’Dianesaid.‘Oh,Ican'tstayinthishouse.I'mgoingout.I'mgoingtotheriverwiththedogs.’‘No,’Rogersaid.‘Thedoctor'scomingandIwantyouhere.’Dianesaidnothing.Shewentintothekitchenandatoncethedogsgotupandcametoher.‘Beautifuldogs!DaddylovedyouandMotherlovedyou.NowI'mgoingtoloveyou.’Sheopenedthebackdoorandwentoutwiththedogs.Rogerdidnotmove.Hestoodbythetelephone.‘It'strue,’hethought.‘Iamhappyaboutthemoney.Ineededmoney,andnowI'mrich.Thingsaregoingtobeeasierformenow.ButMother…whydidn'tIlovehermore?Andnowshe'sdead.’Slowly,Rogerwentbackupstairs.HewantedtodressbeforeDrPrattarrived.DrPrattwasalittlefatmanwithoutmuchhair.HewasthefamilydoctorandheknewalltheClarksonfamilyverywell.HewentupstairsatonceandlookedatMolly'sbody.Helookedcare-fullyatthecupofcoffeeandtheemptycuponthetablenexttoherbed.‘I'msorry,Roger,’hesaid.‘WhereisDiane?Shephonedme.’‘Shewentoutwiththedogs,’Rogersaid.‘Shewasangrywithmeangrywitheveryone.’DrPrattsaidnothingforaminute.‘Thisisgoingtobeverydifficult.I'mgoingtophonethepolice,Roger.’‘Police!Why?What'swrong?’‘Idon'tknow.Yourmotherwasn'till.IsawheronThursdayandshewasverywell.Whydidshedie?Idon'tunderstand.Iwanttofindout.’Rogerwentacrosstothewindowandlookedoutatthegarden.Itwasabeautifulsummermorning.Theskywasblueandthegardenwasgreen.Itwasallveryquiet.Hismotherlovedthisgarden.ButTomBriggswantedthegarden.AndRogerwantedthegarden,too.Rogerfeltworseandworse.‘Yourmothertooksleepingtablets,’DrPrattsaid.‘Didyouknow?OnThursdayshehadanewbottleoftablets,butIcan'tfindithereinherroom.’‘Ididn'tknow,’Rogersaid.‘Verywell.Let'sgodownstairsandyoucanphonethepolice.’Rogerwentintothekitchenandmadesomecoffee.JustthenDianecameinwiththedogs.‘Roger,’shesaid.‘Look,I'msorry.Iwasangryandsaidsomeangrythings.’‘Itdoesn'tmatter,’Rogersaid.‘Hereyouare,havesomecoffee.DrPrattisphoningthepolice.DidyouknowMothertooksleepingtablets?Well,thebottleisnotinherroom.’‘What?Idon'tunderstand.’Dianetookthecoffeeandbegantodrink.Hereyeslookedbiganddark.JustthenDrPrattcameintothekitchen.‘They'recomingatonce,’hesaid.‘DianeI'msorryaboutyourmother.’‘DrPratt,Iwanttotellyouaboutlastnight.Everyonewasveryangry…’‘Bequiet!’Rogersaidquickly.‘Dianeneverthinksbeforesheopenshermouth,’hethoughtangrily.DianedidnotlookatRoger.‘LastnightMotherwenttobedearlybecauseeveryone…’‘Don'ttellme,’DrPrattsaid.‘Youcantellthepolice.’Roger'sfacewentred.Suddenlyhefeltafraid.‘Thepolicearegoingtotalktoeveryone,andaskquestions,’hethought.‘Andthey'regoingtowantanswers.It'sgoingtobeverydifficult.’Hefinishedhiscoffeeandstoodup.‘I'mgoingupstairs,’hesaid.‘I'mgoingtotellUncleAlbertandJackieaboutMother…andaboutthepolice.’
