threedaysbeforechristmasigotacashier’scheckonalasvegasbankfor$100.anotewrittenonhotelpapercamewithit.hethankedme,wishedmeamerrychristmasandallkindsofluckandsaidhehopedtoseemeagainsoon.thekickwasinapostscript.「sylviaandiarestartingasecondhoneymoon.shesayspleasedon’tbesoreatherforwantingtotryagain.」

icaughttherestofitinoneofthosesnobcolumnsinthesocietysectionofthepaper.idon’treadthemoften,onlywhenirunoutofthingstodislike.

「yourcorrespondentisallflutteryatthenewsthatterryandsylvialennoxhaverehitchedatlasvegas,thedears.she’stheyoungerdaughterofmultimillionaireharlanpotterofsanfranciscoandpebblebeach,ofcourse.sylviaishavingmarcelandjeanneduhauxredecoratetheentiremansioninencinofrombasementtoroofinthemostdevastatinglyderniercri.curtwesterheym,sylvia’slastbutone,mydears,gaveherthelittleeighteen-roomshackforaweddingpresent,youmayremember.andwhateverhappenedtocurt,youask?ordoyou?st.tropezhastheanswer,andpermanentlyihear.alsoacertainvery,veryblue-bloodedfrenchduchesswithtwoperfectlyadorablechildren.andwhatdoesharlanpotterthinkoftheremarriage,youmayalsoask?onecanonlyguess.mr.potterisonepersonwhobutnevergivesaninterview.howexclusivecanyougetdarlings?」

ithrewthepaperintothecornerandturnedonthetvset.afterthesocietypagedogvomiteventhewrestlerslookedgood.butthefactswereprobablyright.onthesocietypagetheybetterbe.

ihadamentalpictureofthekindofeighteen-roomshackthatwouldgowithafewofthepottermillions,nottomentiondecorationsbyduhauxinthelastsubphallicsymbolism.butihadnomentalpictureatallofterrylennoxloafingaroundoneoftheswimmingpoolsinbermudashortsandphoningthebutlerbyr/ttoicethechampagneandgetthegrousetoasting.therewasnoreasonwhyishouldhave.iftheguywantedtobesomebody’swoollybear,itwasnoskinoffmyteeth.ijustdidn’twanttoseehimagain.butiknewiwould—ifonlyonaccountofhisgoddamngold-platedpigskinsuitcase.

itwasfiveo’clockofawetmarcheveningwhenhewalkedintomydown-at-heelsbrainemporium.helookedchanged.older,verysoberandsevereandbeautifullycalm.helookedlikeaguywhohadlearnedtorollwithapunch.heworeanoyster-whiteraincoatandglovesandnohatandhiswhitehairwasassmoothasabird’sbreast.

「let’sgotosomequietbarandhaveadrink,」hesaid,asifhehadbeenintenminutesbefore.「ifyouhavethetime,thatis.」

wedidn’tshakehands.weneverdid.englishmendon’tshakehandsallthetimelikeamericansandalthoughhewasn’tenglishhehadsomeofthemannerisms.

isaid:「let’sgobymyplaceandpickupyourfancysuitcase.itkindofworriesme.」

heshookhishead.「itwouldbekindofyoutokeepitforme.」

「why?」

「ijustfeelthatway.doyoumind?it’sasortoflinkwithatimewheniwasn’tano-goodwaster.」

「nutstothat,」isaid.「butit’syourbusiness.」

「ifitbothersyoubecauseyouthinkitmightbestolen—」

「that’syourbusinesstoo.let’sgogetthatdrink.」

wewenttovictor’s.hedrovemeinarust-coloredjupiter-jowettwithaflimsycanvasraintopunderwhichtherewasonlyjustroomforthetwoofus.ithadpaleleatherupholsteryandwhatlookedlikesilverfittings.i’mnottoofussyaboutcars,butthedamnthingdidmakemymouthwateralittle.hesaiditwoulddosixty-fiveinsecond.ithadasquattylittlegearshiftthatbarelycameuptohisknee.

「fourspeeds,」hesaid.「theyhaven’tinventedanautomaticshiftthatwillworkforoneofthesejobsyet.youdon’treallyneedone.youcanstartitinthirdevenuphillandthat’sashighasyoucanshiftintrafficanyway.」

「weddingpresent?」

「justacasual‘ihappenedtoseethisgadgetinawindow’sortofpresent.i’maverypamperedguy.」

「nice,」isaid.「ifthere’snopricetag.」

heglancedatmequicklyandthenputhiseyesbackonthewetpavement.doublewipersswishedgentlyoverthelittlewindscreen.「pricetag?there’salwaysapricetag,chum.youthinki’mnothappymaybe?」

「sorry,iwasoutofline.」

「i’mrich.whothehellwantstobehappy?」therewasabitternessinhisvoicethatwasnewtome.

「how’syourdrinking?」

「perfectlyelegant,oldtop.forsomestrangereasoniseemtobeabletohandlethestuff.butyouneverknow,doyou?」

「perhapsyouwereneverreallyadrunk.」

wesatinacornerofthebaratvictor’sanddrankgimlets.「theydon’tknowhowtomakethemhere,」hesaid.「whattheycallagimletisjustsomelimeorlemonjuiceandginwithadashofsugarandbitters.arealgimletishalfginandhalfrose’slimejuiceandnothingelse.itbeatsmartinishollow.」

「iwasneverfussyaboutdrinks.howdidyougetonwithrandystarr?downmystreethe’scalledatoughnumber.」

heleanedbackandlookedthoughtful.「iguessheis.iguesstheyallare.butitdoesn’tshowonhim.icouldnameyouacoupleofladsinthesameracketinhollywoodthatactthepart.randydoesn’tbother.inlasvegashe’salegitimatebusinessman.youlookhimupnexttimeyou’rethere.he’llbeyourpal.」

「nottoolikely.idon’tlikehoodlums.」

「that’sjustaword,marlowe.wehavethatkindofworld.twowarsgaveittousandwearegoingtokeepit.randyandiandanotherfellowwereinajamonce.itmadeasortofbondbetweenus.」

「thenwhydidn’tyouaskhimforhelpwhenyouneededit?」