子浪小说

第31部分（第2页）

〃Go　on　inside　and　wash　your　damned　hands；〃　he　said；　stepping　back　and　taking　another　bite　of　his　Danish。　〃Jesus　Christ。〃

I　went　up　the　steps。　My　legs　were　shaking；　my　heart　pounding　like　an　engine　with　leaky　valves　and　shaky　old　pistons。　As　I　grasped　the　knob　that　would　let　me　into　the　kitchen　…　and　safety　…　Dolan　said：　〃If　you　tell　anyone　I　squeezed　your　po　old　wrist；　Paulie；　Ill　tell　them　youre　having　delusions。　Onset　of　senile　dementia；　likely。　And　you　know　theyll　believe　me。　If　there　are　bruises；　theyll　think　you　made　them　yourself。〃

Yes。　Those　things　were　true。　And　once　again；　it　could　have　been　Percy　Wetmore　saying　them；　a　Percy　that　had　somehow　stayed　young　and　mean　while　Id　grown　old　and　brittle。

〃Im　not　going　to　say　anything　to　anyone；〃　I　mutered。　〃Got　nothing　to　say。〃

〃Thats　right；　you　old　sweetie。〃　His　voice　light　and　mocking；　the　voice　of　a　lugoon　（to　use　Percys　word）　who　thought　he　was　going　to　be　young　forever。　〃And　Im　going　to　find　out　what　youre　up　to。　Im　going　to　make　it　my　business。　You　hear？〃

I　heard；　all　right；　but　wouldnt　give　him　the　satisfaction　of　saying　so。　I　went　in；　passed　through　the　kitchen　（I　could　now　smell　eggs　and　sausage　cooking；　but　no　longer　wanted　any）；　and　hung　the　poncho　back　up　on　its　hook。　Then　I　went　upstairs　to　my　room　…　resting　at　every　step；　giving　my　heart　time　to　slow　…　and　gathered　my　writing　materials　together。

I　went　down　to　the　solarium　and　was　just　sitting　at　the　little　table　by　the　windows　when　my　friend　Elaine　poked　her　head　in。　She　looked　tired；　and；　I　thought；　unwell。　Shed　bed　her　hair　out　but　was　still　in　her　robe。　We　old　sweeties　dont　stand　much　on　ceremony；　for　the　most　part；　we　cant　afford　to。

〃I　wont　disturb　you；〃　she　said；　〃I　see　youre　getting　set　to　write…〃

〃Dont　be　silly；〃　I　said。　〃Ive　got　more　time　than　Carters　got　liver　pills。　e　on　in。〃

She　did；　but　stood　by　the　door。　〃Its　just　that　I　couldnt　sleep　…　again　…　and　happened　to　be　looking　out　my　window　a　little　earlier　。。。　and　。。。〃

〃And　you　saw　Mr。　Dolan　and　me　having　our　pleasant　little　chat；〃　I　said。　I　hoped　seeing　was　all　shed　done；　that　her　window　had　been　closed　and　she　hadnt　heard　me　whining　to　be　let　go。

〃It　didnt　look　pleasant　and　it　didnt　look　friendly；〃　she　said。　〃Paul；　that　Mr。　Dolans　been　asking　around　about　you。　He　asked　me　about　you　…　last　week；　this　was。　I　didnt　think　much　about　it　then；　just　that　hes　got　himself　a　nasty　long　nose　for　other　peoples　business；　but　now　I　wonder。〃

〃Asking　about　me？〃　I　hoped　I　didnt　sound　as　uneasy　as　I　felt。　〃Asking　what？〃

〃Where　you　go　walking；　for　one　thing。　And　why　you　go　walking。〃

I　tried　to　laugh。　〃Theres　a　man　who　doesnt　believe　in　exercise；　that　much　is　clear。〃

〃He　thinks　youve　got　a　secret。〃　She　paused。　〃So　do　I。〃

I　opened　my　mouth　…　to　say　what；　I　dont　know　…　but　Elaine　raised　one　of　her　gnarled　but　oddly　beautiful　hands　before　I　could　get　a　single　word　out。　〃If　you　do；　I　dont　want　to　know　what　it　is；　Paul。　Your　business　is　your　business。　I　was　raised　to　think　that　way；　but　not　everyone　was。　Be　careful。　Thats　all　I　want　to　tell　you。　And　now　Ill　let　you　alone　to　do　your　work。〃

She　turned　to　go；　but　before　she　could　get　out　the　door；　I　called　her　name。　She　turned　back；　eyes　questioning。

〃When　I　finish　what　Im　writing…〃　I　began；　then　shook　my　head　a　little。　That　was　wrong。　〃If　I　finish　what　Im　writing；　would　you　read　it？〃

She　seemed　to　consider；　then　gave　me　the　sort　of　smile　a　man　could　easily　fall　in　love　with；　even　a　man　as　old　as　me。　〃That　would　be　my　honor。〃

〃Youd　better　wait　until　you　read　it　before　you　talk　about　honor；〃　I　said；　and　it　was　Delacroixs　death　I　was　thinking　of。

〃Ill　read　it；　though；〃　she　said。　〃Every　word。　I　promise。　But　you　have　to　finish　writing　it；　first。〃

She　left　me　to　it；　but　it　was　a　long　time　before　I　wrote　anything。　I　sat　staring　out　the　windows　for　almost　an　hour；　tapping　my　pen　against　the　side　of　the　table；　watching　the　gray　day　brighten　a　little　at　a　time；　thinking　about　Brad　Dolan；　who　calls　me　Paulie　and　never　tires　of　jokes　about　chinks　and　slopes　and　spicks　and　micks；　thinking　about　what　Elaine　Connelly　had　s

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