「getsomesleep.i’lltakecareofhim.icancallyouifineedyou.」

hefacedme.「youbettertakecareofhimgood,」hesaidinaquietvoice.「verygood.」

hewentoutoftheroom.iwentintothebathroomandgotawetwashclothandaheavytowel.iturnedwadeoveralittleandspreadthetowelonthepillowandwashedthebloodoffhisheadgentlysoasnottostartthebleedingagain.thenicouldseeasharpshallowcutabouttwoincheslong.itwasnothing.dr.loringhadbeenrightthatmuch.itwouldn’thavehurttostitchitbutitprobablywasnotreallynecessary.ifoundapairofscissorsandcutthehairawayenoughsothaticouldputonastripofadhesive.theniturnedhimonhisbackandwashedhisface.iguessthatwasamistake.

heopenedhiseyes.theywerevagueandunfocusedatfirst,thentheyclearedandhesawmestandingbesidethebed.hishandmovedandwentuptohisheadandfelttheadhesive.hislipsmumbledsomething,thenhisvoiceclearedupalso.

「whohitme?you?」hishandfeltfortheadhesive.

「nobodyhityou.youtookafall.」

「tookafall?when?where?」

「whereveryoutelephonedfrom.youcalledme.iheardyoufall.overthewire.」

「icalledyou?」hegrinnedslowly.「alwaysavailable,aren’tyou,fella?whattimeisit?」

「afterone」

「where’seileen?」

「gonetobed.shehaditrough.」

hethoughtthatoversilently.hiseyeswerefullofpain.「didi—」hestoppedandwinced.

「youdidn’ttouchherasfarasiknow.ifthat’swhatyoumean.youjustwanderedoutdoorsandpassedoutnearthefence.quittalking.gotosleep.」

「sleep,」hesaidquietlyandslowly,likeachildrecitingitslesson.「whatwouldthatbe?」

「maybeapillwouldhelp.gotany?」

「inthedrawer.nighttable.」

iopeneditandfoundaplasticbottlewithredcapsulesinit.seconal,1.5grains.prescriptionbydr.loring.thatnicedr.loring.mrs.rogerwade’sprescription.

ishooktwoofthemlooseandputthebottlebackandpouredaglassofwaterfromathermosjugonthenighttable.hesaidonecapsulewouldbeenough.hetookitanddranksomewaterandlaybackandstaredattheceilingagain.timepassed.isatinachairandwatchedhim.hedidn’tseemtogetsleepy.thenhesaidslowly:

「iremembersomething.domeafavor,marlowe.iwrotesomecrazystuffidon’twanteileentosee.it’sontopofthetypewriterunderthecover.tearitupforme,

「sure.thatallyouremember?」

「eileenisallright?positiveaboutthat?」

「yes.she’sjusttired.letitride,wade.stopthinking.ishouldn’thaveaskedyou.」

「stopthinking,themansays.」hisvoicewasalittledrowsynow.hewastalkingasiftohimself.「stopthinking,stopdreaming,stoploving,stophating.goodnight,sweetprince.i’lltakethatotherpill.」

igaveittohimwithsomemorewater.helaybackagain,thistimewithhisheadturnedsothathecouldseeme.「look,marlowe,iwrotesomestuffidon’twanteileen—」

「youtoldmealready.i’llattendtoitwhenyougotosleep.」

「oh.thanks.nicetohaveyouaround.verynice.」

anotherlongishpause.hiseyelidsweregettingheavy.

「everkillaman,marlowe?」

「yes.」

「nastyfeeling,isn’tit?」

「somepeoplelikeit.」

hiseyeswentshutalltheway.thentheyopenedagain,buttheylookedvague.「howcouldthey?」

ididn’tanswer.theeyelidscamedownagain,verygradually,likeaslowcurtaininthetheater.hebegantosnore.iwaitedalittlelonger.thenidimmedthelightintheroomandwentout.