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第9部分（第1页）

r；　of　home。　Now　I　wish　I　had。

The　door　opens　and　a　young　man　who　must　be　Cinna　enters。　Iˇm　taken　aback　by　how　normal　he　looks。　Most　of　the　stylists　they　interview　on　television　are　so　dyed；　stenciled；　and　surgically　altered　theyˇre　grotesque。　But　Cinnaˇs　closecropped　hair　appears　to　be　its　natural　shade　of　brown。　Heˇs　in　a　simple　black　shirt　and　pants。　The　only　concession　to　selfalteration　seems　to　be　metallic　gold　eyeliner　that　has　been　applied　with　a　light　hand。　It　brings　out　the　flecks　of　gold　in　his　green　eyes。　And；　despite　my　disgust　with　the　Capitol　and　their　hideous　fashions；　I　canˇt　help　thinking　how　attractive　it　looks。

¨Hello；　Katniss。　Iˇm　Cinna；　your　stylist；〃　he　says　in　a　quiet　voice　somewhat　lacking　in　the　Capitolˇs　affectations。

¨Hello；〃　I　venture　cautiously。

¨Just　give　me　a　moment；　all　right？〃　he　asks。　He　walks　around　my　naked　body；　not　touching　me；　but　taking　in　every　inch　of　it　with　his　eyes。　I　resist　the　impulse　to　cross　my　arms　over　my　chest。　¨Who　did　your　hair？〃

¨My　mother；〃　I　say。

¨Itˇs　beautiful。　Classic　really。　And　in　almost　perfect　balance　with　your　profile。　She　has　very　clever　fingers；〃　he　says。

I　had　expected　someone　flamboyant；　someone　older　trying　desperately　to　look　young；　someone　who　viewed　me　as　a　piece　of　meat　to　be　prepared　for　a　platter。　Cinna　has　met　none　of　these　expectations。

¨Youˇre　new；　arenˇt　you？　I　donˇt　think　Iˇve　seen　you　before；〃　I　say。　Most　of　the　stylists　are　familiar；　constants　in　the　everchanging　pool　of　tributes。　Some　have　been　around　my　whole　life。

¨Yes；　this　is　my　first　year　in　the　Games；〃　says　Cinna。

¨So　they　gave　you　District　Twelve；〃　I　say。　Newers　generally　end　up　with　us；　the　least　desirable　district。

¨I　asked　for　District　Twelve；〃　he　says　without　further　explanation。　¨Why　donˇt　you　put　on　your　robe　and　weˇll　have　a　chat。〃

Pulling　on　my　robe；　I　follow　him　through　a　door　into　a　sitting　room。　Two　red　couches　face　off　over　a　low　table。　Three　walls　are　blank；　the　fourth　is　entirely　glass；　providing　a　window　to　the　city。　I　can　see　by　the　light　that　it　must　be　around　noon；　although　the　sunny　sky　has　turned　overcast。　Cinna　invites　me　to　sit　on　one　of　the　couches　and　takes　his　place　across　from　me。　He　presses　a　button　on　the　side　of　the　table。　The　top　splits　and　from　below　rises　a　second　tabletop　that　holds　our　lunch。　Chicken　and　chunks　of　oranges　cooked　in　a　creamy　sauce　laid　on　a　bed　of　pearly　white　grain；　tiny　green　peas　and　onions；　rolls　shaped　like　flowers；　and　for　dessert；　a　pudding　the　color　of　honey。

I　try　to　imagine　assembling　this　meal　myself　back　home。　Chickens　are　too　expensive；　but　I　could　make　do　with　a　wild　turkey。　Iˇd　need　to　shoot　a　second　turkey　to　trade　for　an　orange。　Goatˇs　milk　would　have　to　substitute　for　cream。　We　can　grow　peas　in　the　garden。　Iˇd　have　to　get　wild　onions　from　the　woods。　I　donˇt　recognize　the　grain；　our　own　tessera　ration　cooks　down　to　an　unattractive　brown　mush。　Fancy　rolls　would　mean　another　trade　with　the　baker；　perhaps　for　two　or　three　squirrels。　As　for　the　pudding；　I　canˇt　even　guess　whatˇs　in　it。　Days　of　hunting　and　gathering　for　this　one　meal　and　even　then　it　would　be　a　poor　substitution　for　the　Capitol　version。

What　must　it　be　like；　I　wonder；　to　live　in　a　world　where　food　appears　at　the　press　of　a　button？　How　would　I　spend　the　hours　I　now　mit　to　bing　the　woods　for　sustenance　if　it　were　so　easy　to　e　by？　What　do　they　do　all　day；　these　people　in　the　Capitol；　besides　decorating　their　bodies　and　waiting　around　for　a　new　shipment　of　tributes　to　roll　in　and　die　for　their　entertainment？

I　look　up　and　find　Cinnaˇs　eyes　trained　on　mine。　¨How　despicable　we　must　seem　to　you；〃　he　says。

Has　he　seen　this　in　my　face　or　somehow　read　my　thoughts？　Heˇs　right；　though。　The　whole　rotten　lot　of　them　is　despicable。

¨No　matter；〃　says　Cinna。　¨So；　Katniss；　about　your　costume　for　the　opening　ceremonies。　My　partner；　Portia；　is　the　stylist　for　your　fellow　tribute；　Peeta。　And　our　current　thought　is　to　dress　you　in　plementary　costumes；〃　says　Cinna。　¨As　you　know；　itˇs　customary　to　reflect　the　flavor　of　the　district。〃

For　the　opening　ceremonies；　youˇre　supposed　to　wear　something　that　suggests　your　districtˇs　principal　industry。　District　11；　agriculture。　District　4；　fishing。　District　3；　factories。　This　means　that　ing　from　District　12；　Peeta　and　I　will　be　in　some　kind　of　coal　minerˇs　getup。　Since　the　baggy　minerˇs　jumpsuits　are　not　particularly　being；　our　tributes　usually　end　up　in　skimpy　outfits　and　hats　with　headlamps。　One　year；　our　tributes　were　stark　naked　and　covered　in　black　powder　to　represent　coal　dust。　Itˇs　always　dreadful　and　does　nothing　to　win　favor　with　the　crowd。　I　prepare　myself　for　the　worst。

¨So；　Iˇll　be　in　a　coal　miner　outfit？〃　I　ask；　hoping　it　wonˇt　be　indecent。

¨Not　exactly。　You　see；　Portia　and　I　think　that　coal　miner　thingˇs　very　overdone。　No　one　will　remember　you　in　that。　And　we　both　see　it　as　our　job　to　make　the　District　Twelve　tributes　unforgettable；〃　says　Cinna。

Iˇll　be　naked　for　sure；　I　think。

¨So　rather　than　focus　on　the　coal　mining　itself；　weˇre　going　to　focus　on　the　coal；〃　says　Cinna。　Naked　and　covered　in　black　dust；　I　think。　¨And　what　do　we　do　with　coal？　We　burn　it；〃　says　Cinna。

¨Youˇre　not　afraid　of　fire；　are　you；　Katniss？〃　He　sees　my　expression　and　grins。