「you’reapoorman.」

「howwouldyouknow?」

hepickedthebillupandstretcheditbetweenhisthinfingersandslippeditcasuallyintoaninsidepocket.hebithislipwiththeverywhiteteethyoucanhavewhenyouhaveabrownskin.

「icouldn’ttellyouanymorethanididthatmorningyoudrovemetotijuana.igaveyouachancetocallthepoliceandturnmein.」

「i’mnotsoreatyou.you’rejustthatkindofguy.foralongtimeicouldn’tfigureyouatall.youhadnicewaysandnicequalities,buttherewassomethingwrong.youhadstandardsandyouliveduptothem,buttheywerepersonal.theyhadnorelationtoanykindofethicsorscruples.youwereaniceguybecauseyouhadanicenature.butyouwerejustashappywithmugsorhoodlumsaswithhonestmen.providedthehoodlumsspokefairlygoodenglishandhadfairlyacceptabletablemanners.you’reamoraldefeatist.ithinkmaybethewardiditandagainithinkmaybe-youwerebornthatway.」

「idon’tgetit,」hesaid.「ireallydon’t.i’mtryingtopayyoubackandyouwon’tletme.icouldn’thavetoldyouanymorethanidid.youwouldn’thavestoodforit.」

「that’sasniceathingaswaseversaidtome.」

「i’mgladyoulikesomethingaboutme.igotinabadjam.ihappenedtoknowthesortofpeoplewhoknowhowtodealwithbadjams.theyowedmeforanincidentthathappenedlongagointhewar.probablytheonlytimeinmylifeieverdidtherightthingquicklikeamouse.andwhenineededthem,theydelivered.andforfree.you’renottheonlyguyintheworldthathasnopricetag,marlowe.」

heleanedacrossthedeskandsnappedatoneofmycigarettes.therewasanunevenflushonhisfaceunderthedeeptan.thescarsshowedupagainstit.iwatchedhimspringafancygascartridgelighterloosefromapocketandlightthecigarette.igotawhiffofperfumefromhim.

「youboughtalotofme,terry.forasmileandanodandawaveofthehandandafewquietdrinksinaquietbarhereandthere.itwasnicewhileitlasted.solong,amigo.iwon’tsaygoodbye.isaidittoyouwhenitmeantsomething.isaiditwhenitwassadandlonelyandfinal.」

「icamebacktoolate,」hesaid.「theseplasticjobstaketime.」

「youwouldn’thavecomeatallifihadn’tsmokedyouout.」

therewassuddenlyaglintoftearsinhiseyes.heputhisdarkglassesbackonquickly.

「iwasn’tsureaboutit,」hesaid.「ihadn’tmadeupmymind.theydidn’twantmetotellyouanything.ijusthadn’tmadeupmymind.」

「don’tworryaboutit,terry.there’salwayssomebodyaroundtodoitforyou.」

「iwasinthecommandos,bud.theydon’ttakeyouifyou’rejustapieceoffluff.igotbadlyhurtanditwasn’tanyfunwiththosenazidoctors.itdidsomethingtome.」

「iknowallthat,terry.you’reaverysweetguyinalotofways.i’mnotjudgingyou.ineverdid.it’sjustthatyou’renothereanymore.you’relonggone.you’vegotniceclothesandperfumeandyou’reaselegantasafifty-dollarwhore.」

「that’sjustanact,」hesaidalmostdesperately.

「yougetakickoutofit,don’tyou?」

hismouthdroppedinasoursmile.heshruggedanexpressiveenergeticlatinshrug.

「ofcourse.anactisallthereis.thereisn’tanythingelse.inhere—」hetappedhischestwiththelighter—「thereisn’tanything.i’vehadit,marlowe.ihaditlongago.well—iguessthatwindsthingsup.」

hestoodup.istoodup.heputoutaleanhand.ishookit.

「solong,señormaioranos.nicetohaveknownyou—howeverbriefly.」

「goodbye.」

heturnedandwalkedacrossthefloorandout.iwatchedthedoorclose.ilistenedtohisstepsgoingawaydowntheimitationmarblecorridor.afterawhiletheygotfaint,thentheygotsilent.ikeptonlisteninganyway.whatfor?didiwanthimtostopsuddenlyandturnandcomebackandtalkmeoutofthewayifelt?well,hedidn’t.thatwasthelastisawofhim.

ineversawanyofthemagain—exceptthecops.nowayhasyetbeeninventedtosaygoodbyetothem.