cb.damnationgame-第52章
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the men and few women who haunted these hushed enclaves were here to enjoy themselves they showed no sign of it。 This was work； hard； serious work。 There were some quiet exchanges on the stairs and in the corridors…and of course calls from the tables； otherwise the interior was almost reverentially subdued。
He sauntered from room to room； standing on the fringe of one game then another； familiarizing himself with the etiquette of the place。 Nobody gave him more than a glance； he fitted into this obsessive's paradise too well。
Anticipation of the moment when he eventually sat down to join a game exhilarated him； he indulged it a while longer。 He had all night to enjoy； after all； and he knew only too well that the money in his pocket would disappear in minutes if he wasn't careful。 He went into the bar； ordered a whisky and water； and scanned his fellow drinkers。 They were all here for the same reason： to pit their wits against chance。 Most drank alone； psyching themselves up for the games ahead。 Later； when fortunes had been won； there might be dancing on the tables； an impromptu striptease from a drunken mistress。 But it was early yet。
The waiter appeared。 A young man； twenty at most； with a mustache that looked drawn on； he'd already achieved that mixture of obsequiousness and superiority that marked his profession。
〃I'm sorry； sir…〃 he said。
Marty's stomach lurched。 Was somebody going to call his bluff？
〃Yes？〃 〃Scotch or bourbon； sir？〃 〃Oh。 Er 。 。 。 Scotch。〃 〃Very well； sir。〃 〃Bring it to the table。〃 〃Where will you be； sir？〃 〃Roulette。〃 The waiter withdrew。 Marty went to the cashier and bought eight hundred pounds of chips； then went into the roulette room。
He'd never been much of a card…player。 It required techniques that he'd always been too bored to learn； and much as he admired the skill of great players； that very skill blurred the essential confrontation。 A good cardplayer used luck； a great one rode it。 But roulette； though it too had its systems and its techniques； was a purer game。 Nothing had the glamor of the spinning wheel： its numbers blurring； the ball rattling as it lodged and jumped again。
He sat down at the table between a highly perfumed Arab who spoke only French； and an American。 Neither said a word to him： there were no weles or farewells here。 All the niceties of human intercourse were sacrificed to the matter at hand。
It was an odd disease。 Its symptoms were like infatuation…palpitations； sleeplessness。 Its only certain cure； death。 On one or two occasions he'd caught sight of himself in a casino bar mirror or in the glass of the cashier's booth； and met a hunted； hungry look。 But nothing…not self…disgust； not the disparagement of friends…nothing had ever quite rooted out the appetite。
The waiter brought the drink to his elbow； its ice clinking。 Marty tipped him heavily。
There was a spin of the wheel； though Marty had joined the table too late to place money。 All eyes were fixed on the circling numbers 。 。 。
It was an hour or more before Marty left the table； and then only to relieve his bladder before returning to his seat。 Players came and went。 The American； indulging the aquiline youth who acpanied him； had left the decisions to his panion； and lost a small fortune before retiring。 Marty's reserves were running low。 He'd won； and lost； and won； then lost and lost and lost。 The defeats didn't distress him overmuch。 It wasn't his money； and as Whitehead had often observed； there was plenty more where that came from。 With enough chips left for one more bet of any consequence； he withdrew from the table for a breather。 He'd sometimes found that he could change his luck by retiring from the field for a few minutes and returning with new focus。
As he got up from his seat； his eyes full of numbers； somebody walked past the door of the roulette room and glanced in before moving on to another game。 Fleeting seconds were enough for recognition。
When Marty'd last met that face it had been ill…shaven and waxen with pain； lit by the floods along the Sanctuary fence。 Now Mamoulian was transformed。 No longer the derelict； cornered and anguished。 Marty found himself walking toward the door like a man hypnotized。 The waiter was at his side…〃Another drink； sir？〃…but the inquiry went ignored as Marty stepped out of the roulette room and into the corridor。 Contrary feeling ran in him： he was half…afraid to confirm his sighting of the man； yet curiously excited that the man was here。 It was no coincidence； surely。 Perhaps Toy was with him。 Perhaps the whole mystery would unravel here and now。 He caught sight of Mamoulian walking into the baccarat room。 A particularly fierce match was going on there； and spectators had drifted in to watch its closing stages。 The room was full； players from other tables had deserted their own games to enjoy the battle at hand。 Even the waiters were lingering on the periphery trying to catch a glimpse。
Mamoulian threaded his way through the crowd to get a better view； his thin gray figure parting the throng。 Having found himself a vantage point he stood； light shining up from the baize onto his pale face。 The wounded hand was lodged in his jacket pocket； out of sight； the wide brow was clear of the least expression。 Marty watched him for upward of five minutes。 Not once did the European's eyes flicker from the game in front of him。 He was like a piece of porcelain： a glazed fa？ade onto which a nonchalant artisan had scrawled a few lines。 The eyes pressed into the clay were incapable； it seemed； of anything but that relentless stare。 Yet there was power in the man。 It was uncanny to see how people kept clear of him； cramming themselves into knots rather than press too close to him at the tableside。
Across the room； Marty caught sight of the pen…mustache waiter。 He pushed his way between the spectators to where the young man stood。
〃A word；〃 he whispered。
〃Yes； sir？〃 〃That man。 In the gray suit。〃 The waiter glanced toward the table； then back to Marty 〃Mr。 Mamoulian。〃 〃Yes。 What do you know about him？〃 The waiter gave Marty a reproving look。
〃I'm sorry； sir。 We're not at liberty to discuss members。〃 He turned on his heel and went into the corridor。 Marty followed。 It was empty。 Downstairs； the girl on the desk…not the same he'd spoken with…was giggling with the coat…check clerk。
〃Wait a moment。〃 When the waiter looked back； Marty was producing his wallet； still amply enough filled to present a decent bribe。 The other man stared at the notes with undisguised greed。
〃I just want to ask a few questions。 I don't need the number of his bank account。〃 〃I don't know it anyway。〃 The waiter smirked。 〃Are you police？〃 〃I'm just interested in Mr。 Mamoulian；〃 Marty said； proffering fifty pounds in tens。 〃Some bare essentials。〃 The waiter snatched the money and pocketed it with the speed of a practiced bribee。
〃Ask away；〃 he said。
〃Is he a regular here？〃 〃A couple of times a month。〃 〃To play？〃 The waiter frowned。
〃Now you mention it I don't think I've ever seen him actually play。〃 〃Just to watch； then？〃 〃Well； I can't be sure。 But I think if he did play I'd have seen him by now。 Strange。 Still； we have a few members who do that。〃 〃And does he have any friends？ People he arrives with； leaves with？〃 〃Not that I remember。 He used to be quite pally with a Greek woman who used to e in。 Always won a fortune。 Never failed。〃 That was the gambler's equivalent of the fisherman's tale； the story of the player with a system so flawless it never faltered。 Marty had heard it a hundred times； always the friend of a friend； a mythical somebody whom you never got to meet face…to…face。 And yet； when he thought of Mamoulian's face； so calculating in its supreme indifference； he could almost imagine the fiction real。
〃Why are you so interested in him？〃 the waiter asked。
〃I have an odd feeling about him。〃 〃You're not the only one。〃 〃What do you mean？〃 〃He's never said or done anything to me； you understand；〃 the waiter explained。 〃He always tips well； though God knows all he ever drinks is distilled water。 But we had one fellow came here； this is a couple of years ago now； he was American； over f
