whenthecarstoppedoutfrontandthedooropenediwentoutandstoodatthetopofthestepstocalldown.butthemiddle-agedcoloreddriverwasholdingthedoorforhertogetout.thenhefollowedherupthestepscarryingasmallovernightcase.soijustwaited.

shereachedthetopandturnedtothedriver:「mr.marlowewilldrivemetomyhotel,amos.thankyouforeverything.i’llcallyouinthemorning.」

「yes,mrs.loring.mayiaskmr.marloweaquestion?」

「certainly,amos.」

heputtheovernightcasedowninsidethedoorandshewentinpastmeandleftus.

「‘igrowold...igrowold...ishallwearthebottomsofmytrousersrolled.’whatdoesthatmean,mr.marlowe?」

「notabloodything.itjustsoundsgood.」

hesmiled.「thatisfromthe‘lovesongofj.alfredprufrock.’here’sanotherone.‘intheroomthewomencomeandgo/talkingofmichaelangelo.’doesthatsuggestanythingtoyou,sir?」

「yeah—itsuggeststomethattheguydidn’tknowverymuchaboutwomen.」

「mysentimentsexactly,sir.nonethelessiadmiret.s.eliotverymuch.」

「didyousay‘nonetheless’?」

「why,yesidid.mr.marlowe.isthatincorrect?」

「no,butdon’tsayitinfrontofamillionaire.hemightthinkyouweregivinghimthehotfoot.」

hesmiledsadly.「ishouldn’tdreamofit.haveyouhadanaccident,sir?」

「nope.itwasplannedthatway.goodnight,amos.」

「goodnight,sir.」

hewentbackdownthestepsandiwentbackintothehouse.lindaloringwasstandinginthemiddleofthelivingroomlookingaroundher.

「amosisagraduateofhowarduniversity,」shesaid.「youdon’tliveinaverysafeplace—forsuchanunsafeman,doyou?」

「therearen’tanysafeplaces.」

「yourpoorface.whodidthattoyou?」

「mendymenendez.」

「whatdidyoudotohim?」

「nothingmuch.kickedhimatimeortwo.hewalkedintoatrap.he’sonhiswaytonevadainthecompanyofthreeorfourtoughnevadadeputies.forgethim.」

shesatdownonthedavenport.

「whatwouldyouliketodrink?」iasked.igotacigaretteboxandhelditouttoher.shesaidshedidn’twanttosmoke.shesaidanythingwoulddotodrink.

「ithoughtofchampagne,」isaid.「ihaven’tanyicebucket,butit’scold.i’vebeensavingitforyears.twobottles.cordonrouge.iguessit’sgood.i’mnojudge.」

「savingitforwhat?」sheasked.

「foryou.」

shesmiled,butshewasstillstaringatmyface.「you’reallcut.」shereachedherfingersupandtouchedmycheeklightly.「savingitforme?that’snotverylikely.it’sonlyacoupleofmonthssincewemet.」

「theniwassavingituntilwemet.i’llgogetit.」ipickedupherovernightbagandstartedacrosstheroomwithit.

「justwhereareyougoingwiththat?」sheaskedsharply.

「it’sanovernightbag,isn’tit?」

「putitdownandcomebackhere.」

ididthat.hereyeswerebrightandatthesametimetheyweresleepy.

「thisissomethingnew,」shesaidslowly.「somethingquitenew.」

「inwhatway?」

「you’veneverlaidafingeronme.nopasses,nosuggestiveremarks,nopawing,nonothing.ithoughtyouweretough,sarcastic,mean,andcold.」

「iguessiam—attimes.」

「nowi’mhereandisupposewithoutpreamble,afterwehavehadareasonablequantityofchampagneyouplantograbmeandthrowmeonthebed.isthatit?」

「frankly,」isaid,「somesuchideadidstiratthebackofmymind.」

「i’mflattered,butsupposeidon’twantitthatway?ilikeyou.ilikeyouverymuch.butitdoesn’tfollowthatiwanttogotobedwithyou.aren’tyouratherjumpingatconclusions—justbecauseihappentobringanovernightbagwithme?」

「couldbeimadeanerror,」isaid.iwentandgotherovernightbagandputitbackbythefrontdoor.「i’llgetthechampagne.」

「ididn’tmeantohurtyourfeelings.perhapsyouwouldrathersavethechampagneforsomemoreauspiciousoccasion.」