alow-swungjaguarsweptaroundthehillinfrontofmeandsloweddownsoasnottobathemeinthegranitedustfromthehalfmileofneglectedpavingattheentrancetoidlevalley.itseemedtheywanteditleftthatwaytodiscouragethesundaydriversspoiledbydriftingalongonsuperhighways.icaughtaglimpseofabrightscarfandapairofsungoggles.ahandwavedatmecasually,neighbortoneighbor.thenthedustslidacrosstheroadandaddeditselftothewhitefilmalreadywellspreadoverthescrubandthesunbakedgrass.theniwasaroundtheoutcropandthepavingstartedupinpropershapeandeverythingwassmoothandcaredfor.liveoaksclusteredtowardstheroad,asiftheywerecurioustoseewhowentby,andsparrowswithrosyheadshoppedaboutpeckingatthingsonlyasparrowwouldthinkworthpeckingat.

thentherewereafewcottonwoodsbutnoeucalyptus.thenathickgrowthofcarolinapoplarsscreeningawhitehouse.thenagirlwalkingahorsealongtheshoulderoftheroad.shehadlevisonandaloudshirtandshewaschewingonatwig.thehorselookedhotbutnotlatheredandthegirlwascrooningtohimgently.beyondafieldstonewallagardenerwasguidingapowerlawnmoweroverahugeundulatinglawnthatendedfarbackintheporticoofawilliamsburgcolonialmansion,thelargedeluxesize.somewheresomeonewasplayingleft-handedexercisesonagrandpiano.

thenallthiswheeledawayandtheglistenofthelakeshowedhotandbrightandibegantowatchnumbersongateposts.ihadseenthewades’houseonlyonceandinthedark.itwasn’tasbigasithadlookedbynight.thedrivewaywasfullofcars,soiparkedonthesideoftheroadandwalkedin.amexicanbutlerinawhitecoatopenedthedoorforme.hewasaslenderneatgood-lookingmexicanandhiscoatfittedhimelegantlyandhelookedlikeamexicanwhowasgettingfiftyaweekandnotkillinghimselfwithhardwork.

hesaid:「buenastardes,señor,」andgrinnedasifhehadputoneover.「sunombredeusted,porfavor?」

「marlowe,」isaid,「andwhoareyoutryingtoupstage,candy?wetalkedonthephone,remember?」

hegrinnedandiwentin.itwasthesameoldcocktailparty,everybodytalkingtooloud,nobodylistening,everybodyhangingonfordearlifetoamugofthejuice,eyesverybright,cheeksflushedorpaleandsweatyaccordingtotheamountofalcoholconsumedandthecapacityoftheinpidualtohandleit.theneileenwadematerializedbesidemeinapalebluesomethingwhichdidhernoharm.shehadaglassinherhandbutitdidn’tlookasifitwasmorethanaprop.

「i’msogladyoucouldcome,」shesaidgravely.「rogerwantstoseeyouinhisstudy.hehatescocktailparties.he’sworking.」

「withthisracketgoingon?」

「itneverseemstobotherhim.candywillgetyouadrink—orifyou’drathergotothebar—」

「i’lldothat,」isaid.「sorryabouttheothernight.」

shesmiled.「ithinkyouapologizedalready.itwasnothing.」

「thehellitwasnothing.」

shekeptthesmilelongenoughtonodandturnandwalkaway.ispottedthebaroverinthecornerbysomeverylargefrenchwindows.itwasoneofthosethingsyoupusharound.iwashalfwayacrosstheroom,tryingnottobumpanybody,whenavoicesaid:「oh,mr.marlowe.」

iturnedandsawmrs.loringonacouchbesideaprissy-lookingmaninrimlesscheaterswithasmearonhischinthatmighthavebeenagoatee.shehadadrinkinherhandandlookedbored.hesatstillwithhisarmsfoldedandscowled.

iwentoverthere.shesmiledatmeandgavemeherhand.「thisismyhusband,dr.loring.mr.philipmarlowe,edward.」

theguywiththegoateegavemeabrieflookandastillbriefernod.hedidn’tmoveotherwise.heseemedtobesavinghisenergyforbetterthings.

「edwardisverytired,」lindaloringsaid.「edwardisalwaysverytired.」

「doctorsoftenare,」isaid.「canigetyouadrink,mrs.loring?oryou,doctor?」

「she’shadenough,」themansaidwithoutlookingateitherofus.「idon’tdrink.themoreiseeofpeoplewhodo,themoregladiamthatidon’t.」

「comeback,littlesheba,」mrs.loringsaiddreamily.

heswungaroundanddidatake.igotawayfromthereandmadeittothebar.inthecompanyofherhusbandlindaloringseemedlikeadifferentperson.therewasanedgetohervoiceandasneerinherexpressionwhichshehadn’tusedonmeevenwhenshewasangry.

candywasbehindthebar.heaskedmewhatiwoulddrink.

「nothingrightnow,thanks.mr.wadewantstoseeme.」

「esmuyoccupado,señor.verybusy.」

ididn’tthinkiwasgoingtolikecandy.whenijustlookedathimheadded:「butigosee.depronto,señor.」

hethreadedhiswaydelicatelythroughthemobandwasbackinnotimeatall.「okay,chum,let’sgo,」hesaidcheerfully.

ifollowedhimacrosstheroomthelongwayofthehouse.heopenedadoor,iwentthrough,heshutitbehindme,andalotofthenoisewasdimmed.itwasacornerroom,bigandcoolandquiet,withfrenchwindowsandrosesoutsideandanairconditionersetinawindowtooneside.icouldseethelake,andicouldseewadelyingflatoutonalongblondleathercouch.abigbleachedwooddeskhadatypewriteronitandtherewasapileofyellowpaperbesidethetypewriter.

「goodofyoutocome,marlowe,」hesaidlazily.「parkyourself.didyouhaveadrinkortwo?」

「notyet.」isatdownandlookedathim.hestilllookedabitpaleandpinched.「how’stheworkgoing?」

「fine,exceptthatigettiredtooquick.pityafour-daydrunkissopainfultogetover.ioftendomybestworkafterone.inmyracketit’ssoeasytotightenupandgetallstiffandwooden.thenthestuffisnogood.whenit’sgooditcomeseasy.anythingyouhavereadorheardtothecontraryisalotofmishmash?」

「dependswhothewriteris,maybe,」isaid.「itdidn’tcomeeasytoflaubert,andhisstuffisgood.」

「okay,」wadesaid,sittingup.「soyouhavereadflaubert,sothatmakesyouanintellectual,acritic,asavantoftheliteraryworld.」herubbedhisforehead.「i’monthewagonandihateit.ihateeverybodywithadrinkinhishand.i’vegottogooutthereandsmileatthosecreeps.everydamnoneofthemknowsi’manalcoholic.sotheywonderwhati’mrunningawayfrom.somefreudianbastardhasmadethatacommonplace.everyten-year-oldkidknowsitbynow.ifihadaten-year-oldkid,whichgodforbid,thebratwouldbeaskingme,‘whatareyourunningawayfromwhenyougetdrunk,daddy?’」

「thewayigotit,allthiswasratherrecent,」isaid.