ateleveno’clockiwassittinginthethirdboothontheright-handsideasyougoinfromthedining-roomannex.ihadmybackagainstthewallandicouldseeanyonewhocameinorwentout.itwasaclearmorning,nosmog,nohighfogeven,andthesundazzledthesurfaceoftheswimmingpoolwhichbeganjustoutsidetheplateglasswallofthebarandstretchedtothefarendofthediningroom.agirlinawhitesharkskinsuitandalusciousfigurewasclimbingtheladdertothehighboard.iwatchedthebandofwhitethatshowedbetweenthetanofherthighsandthesuit.iwatcheditcarnally.thenshewasoutofsight,cutoffbythedeepoverhangoftheroof.amomentlaterisawherflashdowninaoneandahalf.spraycamehighenoughtocatchthesunandmakerainbowsthatwerealmostasprettyasthegirl.thenshecameuptheladderandunstrappedherwhitehelmetandshookherbleachjobloose.shewobbledherbottomovertoasmallwhitetableandsatdownbesidealumberjackinwhitedrillpantsanddarkglassesandatansoevenlydarkthathecouldn’thavebeenanythingbutthehiredmanaroundthepool.hereachedoverandpattedherthigh.sheopenedamouthlikeafirebucketandlaughed.thatterminatedmyinterestinher.icouldn’thearthelaughbuttheholeinherfacewhensheunzipperedherteethwasallineeded.

thebarwasprettyempty.threeboothsdownacoupleofsharpiesweresellingeachotherpiecesoftwentiethcentury-fox,usingdouble-armgesturesinsteadofmoney.theyhadatelephoneonthetablebetweenthemandeverytwoorthreeminutestheywouldplaythematchgametoseewhocalledzanuckwithahotidea.theywereyoung,dark,eagerandfullofvitality.theyputasmuchmuscularactivityintoatelephoneconversationasiwouldputintocarryingafatmanupfourflightsofstairs.therewasasadfellowoveronabarstooltalkingtothebartender,whowaspolishingaglassandlisteningwiththatplasticsmilepeoplewearwhentheyaretryingnottoscream.thecustomerwasmiddle-aged,handsomelydressed,anddrunk.hewantedtotalkandhecouldn’thavestoppedevenifhehadn’treallywantedtotalk.hewaspoliteandfriendlyandwheniheardhimhedidn’tseemtoslurhiswordsmuch,butyouknewthathegotuponthebottleandonlyletgoofitwhenhefellasleepatnight.hewouldbelikethatfortherestofhislifeandthatwaswhathislifewas.youwouldneverknowhowhegotthatwaybecauseevenifhetoldyouitwouldnotbethetruth.attheverybestadistortedmemoryofthetruthasheknewit.thereisasadmanlikethatineveryquietbarintheworld.

ilookedatmywatchandthishigh-poweredpublishermanwasalreadytwentyminuteslate.iwouldwaithalfanhourandtheniwouldleave.itneverpaystoletthecustomermakealltherules.ifhecanpushyouaround,hewillassumeotherpeoplecantoo,andthatisnotwhathehiresyoufor.andrightnowididn’tneedtheworkbadlyenoughtoletsomefatheadfrombackeastusemeforahorse-holder,someexecutivecharacterinapaneledofficeontheeighty-fifthfloor,witharowofpushbuttonsandanintercomandasecretaryinahattiecarnegiecareergirl’sspecialandapairofthosebigbeautifulpromisingeyes.thiswasthekindofoperatorwhowouldtellyoutobethereatninesharpandifyouweren’tsittingquietlywithapleasedsmileonyourpanwhenhefloatedintwohourslateronadoublegibson,hewouldhaveaparoxysmofoutragedexecutiveabilitywhichwouldnecessitatefiveweeksatacapulcobeforehegotbackthehoponhishighhardone.

theoldbarwaitercamedriftingbyandglancedsoftlyatmyweakscotchandwater.ishookmyheadandhebobbedhiswhitethatch,andrightthenadreamwalkedin.itseemedtomeforaninstantthattherewasnosoundinthebar,thatthesharpiesstoppedsharpingandthedrunkonthestoolstoppedburblingaway,anditwaslikejustaftertheconductortapsonhismusicstandandraiseshisarmsandholdsthempoised.

shewasslimandquitetallinawhitelinentailormadewithablackandwhitepolka-dottedscarfaroundherthroat.herhairwasthepalegoldofafairyprincess.therewasasmallhatonitintowhichthepalegoldhairnestledlikeabirdinitsnest.hereyeswerecornflowerblue,ararecolor,andthelasheswerelongandalmosttoopale.shereachedthetableacrossthewayandwaspullingoffawhitegauntletedgloveandtheoldwaiterhadthetablepulledoutinawaynowaitereverwillpullatableoutforme.shesatdownandslippedtheglovesunderthestrapofherbagandthankedhimwithasmilesogentle,soexquisitelypure,thathewasdamnnearparalyzedbyit.shesaidsomethingtohiminaverylowvoice.hehurriedaway,bendingforward.therewasaguywhoreallyhadamissioninlife.

istared.shecaughtmestaring.sheliftedherglancehalfaninchandiwasn’tthereanymore.butwhereveriwasiwasholdingmybreath.

thereareblondesandblondesanditisalmostajokewordnowadays.allblondeshavetheirpoints,exceptperhapsthemetalliconeswhoareasblondasazuluunderthebleachandastodispositionassoftasasidewalk.thereisthesmallcuteblondewhocheepsandtwitters,andthebigstatuesqueblondewhostraight-armsyouwithanice-blueglare.thereistheblondewhogivesyoutheup-from-underlookandsmellslovelyandshimmersandhangsonyourarmandisalwaysveryverytiredwhenyoutakeherhome.shemakesthathelplessgestureandhasthatgoddamnedheadacheandyouwouldliketoslugherexceptthatyouaregladyoufoundoutabouttheheadachebeforeyouinvestedtoomuchtimeandmoneyandhopeinher.becausetheheadachewillalwaysbethere,aweaponthatneverwearsoutandisasdeadlyasthebravo’srapierorlucrezia’spoisonvial.

thereisthesoftandwillingandalcoholicblondewhodoesn’tcarewhatshewearsaslongasitisminkorwhereshegoesaslongasitisthestarlightroofandthereisplentyofdrychampagne.thereisthesmallperkyblondewhoisalittlepalandwantstopayherownwayandisfullofsunshineandcommonsenseandknowsjudofromthegroundupandcantossatruckdriveroverhershoulderwithoutmissingmorethanonesentenceoutoftheeditorialinthesaturdayreview.thereisthepale,paleblondewithanemiaofsomenon-fatalbutincurabletype.sheisverylanguidandveryshadowyandshespeakssoftlyoutofnowhereandyoucan’tlayafingeronherbecauseinthefirstplaceyoudon’twanttoandinthesecondplacesheisreadingthewastelandordanteintheoriginal,orkafkaorkierkegaardorstudyingprovençal.sheadoresmusicandwhenthenewyorkphilharmonicisplayinghindemithshecantellyouwhichoneofthesixbassviolscameinaquarterofabeattoolate.iheartoscaninicanalso.thatmakestwoofthem.

andlastlythereisthegorgeousshowpiecewhowilloutlastthreekingpinracketeersandthenmarryacoupleofmillionairesatamillionaheadandendupwithapalerosevillaatcapantibes,analfa-romeotowncarcompletewithpilotandco-pilot,andastableofshopwornaristocrats,allofwhomshewilltreatwiththeaffectionateabsentmindednessofanelderlydukesayinggoodnighttohisbutler.

thedreamacrossthewaywasnoneofthese,notevenofthatkindofworld.shewasunclassifiable,asremoteandclearasmountainwater,aselusiveasitscolor.iwasstillstaringwhenavoiceclosetomyelbowsaid:

「i’mshockinglylate.iapologize.youmustblameitonthis.myname’showardspencer.you’remarlowe,ofcourse.」

iturnedmyheadandlookedathim.hewasmiddle-aged,ratherplump,dressedasifhedidn’tgiveanythoughttoit,butwellshavedandwiththinhairsmoothedbackcarefullyoveraheadthatwaswidebetweentheears.heworeaflashydouble-breastedvest,thesortofthingyouhardlyeverseeincaliforniaexceptperhapsonavisitingbostonian.hisglasseswererimlessandhewaspattingashabbyolddogofabriefcasewhichwasevidentlythe「this.」

「threebrandnewbook-lengthmanuscripts.fiction.itwouldbeembarrassingtolosethembeforewehaveachancetorejectthem.」hemadeasignaltotheoldwaiterwhohadjuststeppedbackfromplacingatallgreensomethingorotherinfrontofthedream.「ihaveaweaknessforginandorange.asillysortofdrinkreally.willyoujoinme?good.」

inoddedandtheoldwaiterdriftedaway.

pointingtothebriefcaseisaid:「howdoyouknowyouaregoingtorejectthem?」

「iftheywereanygood,theywouldn’tbedroppedatmyhotelbythewritersinperson.somenewyorkagentwouldhavethem.」

「thenwhytakethematall?」

「partlynottohurtfeelings.partlythethousand-to-onechanceallpublisherslivefor.butmostlyyou’reatacocktailpartyandgetintroducedtoallsortsofpeople,andsomeofthemhavenovelswrittenandyouarejustliquoredupenoughtobebenevolentandfullofloveforthehumanrace,soyousayyou’dlovetoseethescript.itisthendroppedatyourhotelwithsuchsickeningspeedthatyouareforcedtogothroughthemotionsofreadingit.butidon’tsupposeyouaremuchinterestedinpublishersandtheirproblems.」

thewaiterbroughtthedrinks.spencergrabbedforhisandtookahealthyswig.hewasn’tnoticingthegoldengirlacrosstheway.ihadallhisattention.hewasagood-contactman.

「ifit’spartofthejob,」isaid.「icanreadabookonceinawhile.」

「oneofourmostimportantauthorslivesaroundhere,」hesaidcasually.「maybeyou’vereadhisstuff.rogerwade.」

「uh-huh.」

「iseeyourpoint.」hesmiledsadly.「youdon’tcareforhistoricalromances.buttheysellbrutally.」

「idon’thaveanypoint,mr.spencer.ilookedatoneofhisbooksonce.ithoughtitwastripe.isthatthewrongthingformetosay?」

hegrinned.「ohno.therearemanypeoplewhoagreewithyou.butthepointisatthemomentthathe’sanautomaticbestseller.andeverypublisherhastohaveacouplewiththewaycostsarenow.」

ilookedacrossatthegoldengirl.shehadfinishedherlimeadeorwhateveritwasandwasglancingatamicroscopicwristwatch.thebarwasfillingupalittle,butnotyetnoisy.thetwosharpieswerestillwavingtheirhandsandthesolodrinkeronthebarstoolhadacoupleofpalswithhim.ilookedbackathowardspencer.

「somethingtodowithyourproblem?」iaskedhim.「thisfellowwade,imean.」

henodded.hewasgivingmeacarefulonceover.「tellmealittleaboutyourself,mr.marlowe.thatis,ifyoudon’tfindtherequestobjectionable.」

「whatsortofthing?i’malicensedprivateinvestigatorandhavebeenforquiteawhile.i’malonewolf,unmarried,gettingmiddle-aged,andnotrich.i’vebeeninjailmorethanonceandidon’tdoporcebusiness.ilikeliquorandwomenandchessandafewotherthings.thecopsdon’tlikemetoowell,butiknowacoupleigetalongwith.i’manativeson,borninsantarosa,bothparentsdead,nobrothersorsisters,andwhenigetknockedoffinadarkalleysometime,ifithappens,asitcouldtoanyoneinmybusiness,andtoplentyofpeopleinanybusinessornobusinessatallthesedays,nobodywillfeelthatthebottomhasdroppedoutofhisorherlife.」

「isee,」hesaid.「butallthatdoesn’texactlytellmewhatiwanttoknow.」

ifinishedtheginandorange.ididn’tlikeit.igrinnedathim.「ileftoutoneitem,mr.spencer.ihaveaportraitofmadisoninmypocket.」

「aportraitofmadison?i’mafraididon’t—.」

「afive-thousand-dollarbill,」isaid.「alwayscarryit.myluckypiece.」

「goodgod,」hesaidinahushedvoice.「isn’tthatterriblydangerous?」

「whowasitsaidthatbeyondacertainpointalldangersareequal?」

「ithinkitwaswalterbagehot.hewastalkingaboutasteeplejack.」thenhegrinned.「sorry,butiamapublisher.you’reallright,marlowe.i’lltakeachanceonyou.ifididn’tyouwouldtellmetogotohell.right?」

igrinnedbackathim.hecalledthewaiterandorderedanotherpairofdrinks.

「hereitis,」hesaidcarefully.「weareinbadtroubleoverrogerwade.hecan’tfinishabook.he’slosinghisgripandthere’ssomethingbehindit.themanseemstobegoingtopieces.wildfitsofdrinkingandtemper.everyonceinawhilehedisappearsfordaysonend.notverylongagohethrewhiswifedownstairsandputherinthehospitalwithfivebrokenribs.there’snotroublebetweenthemintheusualsense,noneatall.themanjustgoesnutswhenhedrinks.」spencerleanedbackandlookedatmegloomily.「wehavetohavethatbookfinished.weneeditbadly.toacertainextentmyjobdependsonit.butweneedmorethanthat.wewanttosaveaveryablewriterwhoiscapableofmuchbetterthingsthanhehaseverdone.somethingisverywrong.thistriphewon’tevenseeme.irealizethissoundslikeajobforapsychiatrist.mrs.wadedisagrees.sheisconvincedthatheisperfectlysanebutthatsomethingisworryinghimtodeath.ablackmailer,forinstance.thewadeshavebeenmarriedfiveyears.somethingfromhispastmayhavecaughtupwithhim.itmightevenbe—justasawildguess—afatalhit-and-runaccidentandsomeonehasthegoodsonhim.wedon’tknowwhatitis.wewanttoknow.andwearewillingtopaywelltocorrectthetrouble.ifitturnsouttobeamedicalmatter,well—that’sthat.ifnot,therehastobeananswer.andinthemeantimemrs.wadehastobeprotected.hemightkillherthenexttime.youneverknow.」

thesecondroundofdrinkscame.ileftmineuntouchedandwatchedhimgobblehalfofhisinoneswallow.ilitacigaretteandjuststaredathim.

「youdon’twantadetective,」isaid.「youwantamagician.whatthehellcouldido?ifihappenedtobethereatexactlytherighttime,andifheisn’ttootoughformetohandle,imightknockhimoutandputhimtobed.buti’dhavetobethere.it’sahundredtooneagainst.youknowthat.」

「he’saboutyoursize,」spencersaid,「buthe’snotinyourcondition.andyoucouldbethereallthetime.」

「hardly.anddrunksarecunning.he’dbecertaintopickatimewheniwasn’taroundtothrowhiswingding.i’mnotinthemarketforajobasamalenurse.」

「amalenursewouldn’tbeanyuse.rogerwadeisnotthekindofmantoacceptone.heisaverytalentedguywhohasbeenjarredloosefromhisself-control.hehasmadetoomuchmoneywritingjunkforhalfwits.buttheonlysalvationforawriteristowrite.ifthereisanythinggoodinhim,itwillcomeout.」

「okay,i’msoldonhim,」isaidwearily.「he’sterrific.alsohe’sdamndangerous.hehasaguiltysecretandhetriestodrownitinalcohol.it’snotmykindofproblem,mr.spencer.」

「isee.」helookedathiswristwatchwithaworriedfrownthatknottedhisfaceandmadeitlookolderandsmaller.「well,youcan’tblamemefortrying.」

hereachedforhisfatbriefcase.ilookedacrossatthegoldengirl.shewasgettingreadytoleave.thewhitehairedwaiterwashoveringoverherwiththecheck.shegavehimsomemoneyandalovelysmileandhelookedasifhehadshakenhandswithgod.shetouchedupherlipsandputherwhitegauntletsonandthewaiterpulledthetablehalfwayacrosstheroomforhertostrollout.

iglancedatspencer.hewasfrowningdownattheemptyglassonthetableedge.hehadthebriefcaseonhisknees.

「look,」isaid.「i’llgoseethemanandtrytosizehimup,ifyouwantmeto.i’lltalktohiswife.butmyguessishe’llthrowmeoutofthehouse.」

avoicethatwasnotspencer’ssaid:「no,mr.marlowe,idon’tthinkhewoulddothat.onthecontraryithinkhemightlikeyou.」

ilookedupintothepairofvioleteyes.shewasstandingattheendofthetable.igotupandcantedmyselfagainstthebackoftheboothinthatawkwardwayyouhavetostandwhenyoucan’tslideout.

「pleasedon’tgetup,」shesaidinavoicelikethestufftheyusetolinesummercloudswith.「iknowioweyouanapology,butitseemedimportantformetohaveachancetoobserveyoubeforeiintroducedmyself.iameileenwade.」

spencersaidgrumpily:「he’snotinterested,eileen.」

shesmiledgently.「idisagree.」

ipulledmyselftogether.ihadbeenstandingthereoffbalancewithmymouthopenandmebreathingthroughitlikeasweetgirlgraduate.thiswasreallyadish.seencloseupshewasalmostparalyzing.

「ididn’tsayiwasn’tinterested,mrs.wade.whatisaidormeanttosaywasthatididn’tthinkicoulddoanygood,anditmightbeahellofamistakeformetotry.itmightdoalotofharm.」