cw.imarriedadeadman-第25章
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en。
〃Seneca 382；〃 he read from the notebook。 He put it away again。 His hand made a lazy curve between them。 In the stricken silence that followed he suggested after awhile； casually： 〃Lean up against that chair so you don't fall； you don't seem very steady on your feet； and I don't want to have to carry you bodily inside in front of all those people。〃
She put her hands to the top of the chair…back and stood quiet； head inclined。
The rose…amber haze in the open doorway down at the center of the terrace blotted out for a moment； and Bill was standing there looking for her。
〃Patrice； this is our dance。〃
Georgesson rose for a second from the balustrade in sketchy etiquette； immediately sank back against it。
She made her way toward him； the blue pall of the terrace covering her uncertainty of step； and went inside with him。 His arms took charge of her from that point on； so that she no longer had to be on her own。
〃You were both standing there like statues；〃 he said。 〃He can't be very good pany。〃
She lurched against him in the tendril…like twists of the rumba； her head dropped to rest on his shoulder。
〃He isn't very good pany；〃 she agreed sickly。
33
The phone…call came at a fiendishly unpropitious moment。
He'd timed it well。 He couldn't have timed it better if he'd been able to look through the walls of the house and watch their movements on the inside。 The two men in the family were out。 She'd just finished putting Hughie to sleep。 She and Mother Hazzard were both up on the second floor； separately。 Which meant that she was the only one fully eligible to answer。
She knew at the first instant of hearing it who it was； what it was。 She knew too； that she'd been expecting it all day； that she'd known it was ing； it was surely ing。
She stood there rooted； unable to move。 Maybe it would stop if she didn't go near it； maybe he would tire。 But then it would ring again some other time。
Mother Hazzard opened the door of her room and looked out。
Patrice had swiftly opened her own door； was at the head of the stairs； before she'd fully emerged。
〃I'll get it on this phone； dear； if you're busy。〃
〃No； never mind； Mother； I was just going downstairs； anyway； so I'll answer it there。〃
She knew his voice right away。 She hadn't heard it for over two years； until just last night； and yet it was again as familiar to her as if she'd been hearing it steadily for months past。 Fear quickens the memory。
He was as pleasantly aloof at first as any casual caller on the telephone。 〃Is this the younger Mrs。 Hazzard？ Is this Patrice Hazzard？〃
〃This is she。〃
〃I suppose you know； this is Georgesson。〃
She did know； but she didn't answer that。
〃Are you…where you can be heard？〃
〃I'm not in the habit of answering questions like that。 I'll hang up the receiver。〃
Nothing could seem to make him lose his equanimity。 〃Don't do that； Patrice；〃 he said urbanely。 〃I'll ring back again。 That'll make it worse。 They'll begin wondering who it is keeps on calling so repeatedly。 Or； eventually； someone else will answer…you can't stay there by the phone all evening…and I'll give my name if I have to and ask for you。〃 He waited a minute for this to sink in。 〃Don't you see； it's better for you this way。〃
She sighed a little； in suppressed fury。
〃We can't talk very much over the phone。 I think it's better not to； anyway。 I'm talking from McClellan's Drugstore； a few blocks from you。 My car's just around the corner from there； where it can't be seen。 On the left side of Pomeroy Street； just down from the crossing。 Can you walk down that far for five or ten minutes？ I won't keep you long。〃
She tried to match the brittle formality of his voice with her own。 〃I most certainly can not。〃
〃Of course you can。 You need cod…liver…oil capsules for your baby； from McClellan's。 Or you feel like a soda； for yourself。 I've seen you stop in there more than once； in the evening。〃
He waited。
〃Shall I call back？ Would you rather think it over awhile？〃
He waited again。
〃Don't do that；〃 she said reluctantly； at last。
She could tell he understood： her meaning had been a positive and not a negative one。
She hung up。
She went upstairs again。
Mother Hazzard didn't ask her。 They weren't inquisitive that way； in this house。 But the door of her room was open。 Patrice couldn't bring herself to reenter her own without at least a passing reference。 Guilty conscience； this Soon？ she wondered bitingly。
〃That was a Steve Georgesson； Mother；〃 she called in。 〃Bill and I ran into him there last night He wanted to know how we'd enjoyed ourselves。〃
〃Well； that was real thoughtful of him； wasn't it？〃 Then she added； 〃He must be a decent sort； to do that。〃
Decent； Patrice thought dismally； easing the door closed after her。
She came out of her room again in about ten minutes' time。 Mother Hazzard's door was closed now。 She could have gone on down the stairs unquestioned。 Again she couldn't do it。
She went over and knocked lightly； to attract attention。
〃Mother； I'm going to take a walk down to the drugstore and back。 Hughie's out of his talc。 And I'd like a breath of air。 I'll be back in five minutes。〃
〃Go ahead； dear。 I'll say goodnight to you now； in case I'm asleep by the time you're in again。〃
She rested her outstretched hand helplessly against the door for a minute。 She felt like saying； Mother； don't let me go。 Forbid me。 Keep me here。
She turned away and went down the stairs。 It was her own battle； and no proxies were allowed。
She stopped beside the car； on darkened Pomeroy Street。
〃Sit in here； Patrice；〃 he said amiably。 He unlatched the door for her； from where he sat； and even palmed the leather cushion patronizingly。
She settled herself on the far side of the seat。 Her eyes snapped refusal of the cigarette he was trying to offer her。
〃We can be seen。〃
〃Turn this way； toward me。 No one'！！ notice you。 Keep your back to the street。〃
〃This can't go on。 Now once and for all； for the first time and the last； what is it you want of me； what is this about？〃
〃Look； Patrice； there doesn't have to be anything unpleasant about this。 You seem to be building it up to yourself that way； in your own mind。 I have no such… It's all in the way you look at it。 I don't see that there has to be any change in the way things were going along…before last night。 You were the only one knew before。 Now you and I are the only ones know。 It ends there。 That is； if you want it to。〃
〃You didn't bring me out here to tell me that。〃
He went off at a tangent。 Or what seemed to be a tangent。 〃I've never amounted to…as much as I'd hoped； I suppose。 I mean； I've never gotten as far as I should。 As I once expected to。 There are lots of us like that。 Every once in awhile I find myself in difficulties； every now and then I get into a tight squeeze。 Little card…games with the boys。 This and that You know how it is。〃 He laughed deprecatingly。 〃It's been going on for years。 It's nothing new。 But I was wondering if you'd care to do me a favor…this time。〃
〃You're asking me for money。〃
She almost felt nauseated。 She turned her face away。
〃I didn't think there were people like you outside of…outside of penitentiaries。〃
He laughed in good…natured tolerance。 〃You're in unusual circumstances。 That attracts 'people like me。' If you weren't； you still wouldn't think there were any； you wouldn't know any different。〃
〃Suppose I go to them now and tell them of this conversation we've just been having； of my own accord。 My brother…in…law would go looking for you and beat you within an inch of your life。〃
〃We'll let the relationship stand unchallenged。 I wonder why women put such undue faith in a beating…up？ Maybe because they're not used to violence themselves。 A beating doesn't mean much to a man。 Half an hour after it's over； he's as good as he was before。〃
〃You should know；〃 she murmured。
He tapped a finger to the points of three others。 〃There are three alternatives。 You go to them and tell them。 Or I go to them and tell them。 Or we remain in status quo。 By which I mean； you do me a favor； and then we drop the whole thing； nothing further is said。 But there isn't any fourt
