if.thespywholovedme-第14章

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h　costumed　chimps〃）；　〃Gaslight　Village〃　（〃Genuine　1890　gas…lighting）；　and　〃Storytown　USA　〃　a　terrifying　babyland　nightmare　which　I　need　not　describe。　It　was　here　that　I　fled　away　from　the　horrible　mainstream　that　Route　9　had　bee；　and　took　to　the　dusty　side　road　through　the　forest　that　was　to　lead　me　to　The　Dreamy　Pines　Motor　Court　and　to　the　armchair　where　i　have　been　sitting　remembering　just　exactly　how　I　happened　to　get　here。
　　
　Part　Two：　Them
　Seven：　〃e　into　My　Parlor。。。〃
　
　THE　rain　was　hammering　down　just　as　hard；　its　steady　roar　providing　a　background　to　the　gurgling　torrents　from　the　downspouts　at　the　four　corners　of　the　building。　I　looked　forward　to　bed。　How　soundly　I　would　sleep　between　the　sheets　in　the　spotless　little　cabin…those　percale　sheets　that　featured　in　the　advertisements　for　the　motel！　How　luxurious　the　Elliott　Frey　beds；　Magee　custom…designed　carpets；　Philco　television　and　air…conditioning；　Icemagic　ice…makers；　Acrilan　blankets　and　Simmons　Vivant　furniture。　（〃Our　phenolic　laminate　tops　and　drawers　are　immune　to　cigarette　burns；　alcohol　stains〃）…in　fact　all　these　refinements　of　modern　motel　luxury　down　to　Acrylite　shower　enclosures；　Olsonite　Pearlescent　toilet　seats；　and　Delsey　〃bathroom　tissue；〃　otherwise　toilet　paper　（〃in　modern　colors　to　harmonize　with　contemporary　decor〃）　that　would　be　mine；　and　mine　alone；　tonight！
　Despite　all　these　gracious　trimmings；　plus　a　beautiful　site；　it　seemed　that　The　Dreamy　Pines　was　in　a　bad　way；　and；　when　I　had　e　upon　it　two　weeks　before；　there　were　only　two　overnighters　in　the　whole　place　and　not　a　single　reservation　for　the　last　fortnight　of　the　season。
　Mrs。　Phancey；　an　iron…gray　woman　with　bitter；　mistrustful　eyes　and　a　grim　slit　of　a　mouth；　was　at　the　desk　when　I　came　in　that　evening。　She　had　looked　sharply　at　me；　a　lone　girl；　and　at　my　meager　saddlebags；　and；　when　I　pushed　the　Vespa　over　to　Number　9；　she　followed　me　with　my　card　in　her　hand　to　check　that　I　had　not　entered　a　false　vehicle　license。　Her　husband；　Jed；　was　more　genial；　but　I　soon　understood　why　when　the　back　of　his　hand　brushed　against　my　breast　as；　later　in　the　cafeteria；　he　put　the　coffee　in　front　of　me。　Apparently　he　doubled　as　handyman　and　short…order　cook　and；　while　his　pale　brown　eyes　moved　over　me　like　slugs；　he　plained　whiningly　about　how　much　there　was　to　do　around　the　place　getting　it　ready　for　closing　date　and　constantly　being　called　away　from　some　job　to　fry　eggs　for　parties　of　transients。　It　seemed　they　were　the　managers　for　the　owner。　He　lived　in　Troy。　A　Mr。　Sanguinetti。　〃Big　shot。　Owns　plenty　property　down　on　Cohoes　Road。　Riverfront　property。　And　the　Trojan　Horse…roadhouse　on　Route　9；　outside　Albany。　Maybe　you　know　the　joint？〃　When　I　said　I　didn't；　Mr。　Phancey　looked　sly。　〃You　ever　want　some　fun；　you　go　along　to　The　Horse。　Better　not　go　alone；　though。　Pretty　gal　like　you　could　get　herself　roughed　up。　After　the　fifteenth；　when　I　get　away　from　here；　you　could　give　me　a　call。　Phancey's　the　name。　In　the　phone　book。　Be　glad　to　escort　you；　show　you　a　good　time。〃　I　thanked　him；　but　said　I　was　just　passing　through　the　district　on　my　way　south。　Could　I　have　a　couple　of　fried　eggs；　sunny…side　up；　and　bacon？
　But　Mr。　Phancey　wouldn't　leave　me　alone。　While　I　ate；　he　came　and　sat　at　my　little　table　and　told　me　some　of　his　dull　life…story　and；　in　between　episodes；　slipped　in　questions　about　me　and　my　plans…what　parents　I　had；　didn't　I　mind　being　so　far　from　home；　did　I　have　any　friends　in　the　States？　and　so　on…innocuous　questions；　put；　it　seemed　to　me；　with　normal　curiosity。　He　was　after　all　around　forty…five；　old　enough　to　be　my　father；　and　though　he　was　obviously　a　duty　old　man；　they　were　a　mon　enough　breed；　and　anyway　Mrs。　Phancey　was　keeping　an　eye　on　us　from　the　desk　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。
　Mr。　Phancey　finally　left　me　and　went　over　to　his　wife　and；　while　I　smoked　a　cigarette　and　finished　my　second　cup　of　coffee　（〃No　charge；　miss。　pliments　of　The　Dreamy　Pines〃）；　I　heard　them　talking　in　a　low　voice　over　something　that；　because　of　an　occasional　chuckle；　seemed　to　give　them　satisfaction。　Finally　Mrs。　Phancey　came　over；　clucking　in　a　motherly　fashion　about　my　adventurous　plans　（〃My；　oh；　my！　What　will　you　modern　girls　be　doing　next？〃）；　and　then　she　sat　down　and；　looking　as　winsome　as　she　knew　how；　said　why　didn't　I　stop　over　for　a　few　days　and　have　a　rest　and　earn　myself　a　handful　of　dollars　into　the　bargain？　It　seemed　their　receptionist　had　walked　out　twenty…four　hours　before　and；　what　with　the　housekeeping　and　tidying　up　before　they　closed　the　place　for　the　season；　they　would　have　no　time　to　man　the　desk。　Would　I　care　to　take　on　the　job　of　receptionist　for　the　final　two　weeks…full　board　and　thirty　dollars　a　week？
　Now　it　happened　that　I　could　do　very　well　with　those　sixty　dollars　and　some　free　food　and　lodging。　I　had　overspent　at　least　fifty　dollars　on　my　tourist　spree；　and　this　would　just　about　square　my　books。　I　didn't　much　care　for　the　Phanceys；　but　I　told　myself　that　they　were　no　worse　than　the　sort　of　people　I　had　expected　to　meet　on　my　travels。　Besides；　this　was　the　first　job　I　had　been　offered　and　I　was　rather　curious　to　see　how　I　would　make　out。　Perhaps；　too；　they　would　give　me　a　reference　at　the　end　of　my　time；　and　this　might　help　with　other　motel　jobs　on　my　way　south。　So；　after　a　bit　of　polite　probing；　I　said　the　idea　would　be　fine。　The　Phanceys　seemed　very　pleased；　and　Millicent；　as　she　had　now　bee；　showed　me　the　registration　system；　told　me　to　watch　out　for　people　with　little　luggage　and　big　station　wagons；　and　took　me　on　a　quick　tour　of　the　establishment。
　The　business　about　the　station　wagons　opened　my　eyes　to　the　seamy　side　of　the　motel　business。　It　seemed　that　there　were　people；　particularly　young　couples　just　married　and　in　process　of　setting　up　house；　who　would　check　in　at　some　lonely　motel；　carrying　at　least　the　minimum　〃passport〃　of　a　single　suitcase。　This　suitcase　would　in　fact　contain　nothing　but　a　full　set　of　precision　tools；　together　with　false　license　plates　for　their　roomy　station　wagon　that　would　be　parked　in　the　carport　alongside　their　cabin　door。　After　locking　themselves　in　and　waiting　for　the　lights　to　go　out　in　the　office；　the　couple　would　set　to　work　on　inconspicuous　things　like　loosening　the　screws　of　the　bathroom　fixtures；　testing　the　anchoring　of　the　TV　set；　and　so　on。　Once　the　management　had　gone　to　bed；　they　would　really　get　down　to　it；　making　neat　piles　of　bedding；　towels；　and　shower　curtains；　dismantling　light…fixtures；　bed…frames；　toilet　seats；　and　even　the　Johns　themselves　if　they　had　plumbing　knowledge。　They　worked　in　darkness　of　course；　with　pencil　flashlights；　and；　when　everything　was　ready；　say　around　two　in　the　morning；　they　would　quietly　carry　everything　through　the　door　into　the　carport　and　pile　it　into　the　station　wagon。　The　last　job　would　be　to　roll　up　the　carpets　and　use　them；　the　reverse　side　up；　as　tarpaulins　to　cover　the　contents　of　the　station　wagon。　Then　change　the　plates　and　softly　away　with　their　new　bedroom　suite　all　ready　to　lay　out　in　their　unfurnished　flat　many　miles　away　in　another　state！
　Two　or　three　hauls　like　that　would　also　look　after　the　living　room　and　spare　bedroom；　and　they　would　be　set　up　for　life。　If　they　had　a　garden；　or　a　front　porch；　a　few　midnight　forays　around　the　rich　out…of…town　〃swimming…pool〃　residences　would　take　care　of　the　outdoor　furniture；　children's　heavy　playthings；　perhaps　even　the　lawnmower　and　sprinklers。
　Mrs。　Phancey　said　that　motels　had　no　defense　against　this　sort　of　attack。　Everything　was　screwed　down　that　could　be　screwed　down；　and　marked　with　the　name　of　the　motel。　The　only　hope　was　to　smell　the　marauders　when　they　registered　and　then　either　turn　them　away　or　sit　up　all　night　with　a　shotgun。　In　cities；　motels　had　other　problems…prostitutes　who　set　up　shop；　murderers　who　left　corpses　in　the　shower；　and　occasional　holdups　for　the　money　in　the　cash　register。　But　I　was　not　to　worry。　Just　call　for　Jed　if　I　smelled　trouble。　He　could　act　real　tough　and　he　had　a　gun。　And；　with　this　cold　fort；　I　was　left　to　ponder　on　the　darker　side　of　the　motel　industry。
　Of　course　it　all　turned　out　perfectly　all　right　and　the　job　was　no　problem。　In　fact　there　was　so　little　to　do　that　I　did　rather　wond