hemingway, ernest - islands in the stream-第55章
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he bay that lay in the lee of the hills above Casablanca where the fishing smacks were anchored； where the gray gunboats of the Cuban navy lay； and where he knew his own ship was anchored； although he could not see her from here。 Across the bay he saw the ancient yellow church and the sprawl of the houses of Regla； pink； green； and yellow houses； and the storage tanks and the refinery chimneys of Belot and behind them the gray hills toward Coj？mar。
¨Do you see the ship？〃 the chauffeur asked。
¨Not from here。〃
Here they were to the windward of the smoking chimneys of the Electric Company and the morning was as bright and clean and the air as clear and new…washed as on the hills of the farm。 Everyone moving about the docks looked cold in the norther。
¨Letˇs go to the Floridita first；〃 Thomas Hudson said to the chauffeur。
¨We are only four blocks from the Embassy here。〃
¨Yes。 But I said I wished to go to the Floridita first。〃
¨As you wish。〃
They rode straight up into town and were out of the wind and； passing the warehouses and stores； Thomas Hudson smelled the odor of stored flour in sacks and flour dust； the smell of newly opened packing cases； the smell of roasting coffee that was a stronger sensation than a drink in the morning； and the lovely smell of the tobacco that came strongest just before the car turned to the right toward the Floridita。 This was one of the streets he loved but he did not like to walk along it in daylight because the sidewalks were too narrow and there was too much traffic and at night when there was no traffic they were not roasting the coffee and the windows of the storehouses were closed so you could not smell the tobacco。
¨It is closed；〃 the chauffeur said。 The iron shutters were still down on both sides of the caf？。
¨I thought it would be。 Go on down Obispo now to the Embassy。〃
This was the street he had walked down a thousand times in the daytime and in the night。 He did not like to ride down it because it was over so quickly but he could not justify himself delaying in reporting any longer and he drank the last of his drink and looked at the cars ahead； the people on the sidewalk； and the crossing traffic on the north and south streets； and saved the street for later when he could walk it。 The car stopped in front of the Embassy and Consulate building and he went in。
Inside you were supposed to fill out your name and address and the object of your visit at a table where a sad clerk with plucked eyebrows and a moustache across the extreme lower part of his upper lip looked up and pushed the paper toward him。 He did not look at it and went into the elevator。 The clerk shrugged his shoulders and smoothed his eyebrows。 Perhaps he had emphasized them a little too much。 Still they were cleaner and neater that way than wooly and bushy and they did go with his moustache。 He had； he believed； the narrowest moustache it was possible to achieve and still have a moustache。 Not even Errol Flynn had a narrower one； not even Pincho Guti？rrez； not even Jorge Negrete。 Still that son of a bitch Hudson had no right to walk in like that and ignore him。
¨What sort of maricones have you on the door now？〃 Thomas Hudson asked the elevator operator。
¨Thatˇs not a maric？n。 Thatˇs nothing。〃
¨Howˇs everything here？〃
¨Good。 Fine。 The same as always。〃
He got off at the fourth floor and walked down the hall。 He went in the middle door of the three and asked the Marine warrant officer at the desk if the Colonel was in。
¨He flew down to Guant？namo this morning。〃
¨When will he be back？〃
¨He said he might go to Haiti。〃
¨Is there anything for me？〃
¨Nothing with me。〃
¨Did he leave any message for me？〃
¨He said to tell you to stick around。〃
¨How was he feeling？〃
¨Awful。〃
¨How did he look？〃
¨Terrible。〃
¨Was he plugged at me？〃
¨I donˇt think so。 He just said to tell you to stick around。〃
¨Is there anything I ought to know？〃
¨I donˇt know。 Is there？〃
¨Cut it out。〃
¨Okay。 I suppose you had it pretty dusty。 But you werenˇt working for him in this office。 You get out to sea。 I donˇt give a goddam〃
¨Take it easy。〃
¨Are you staying out in the country？〃
¨Yes。 But Iˇm going to be in town today and tonight。〃
¨He wonˇt be back today or tonight。 Iˇll call you out in the country when he comes in。〃
¨Youˇre sure heˇs not plugged at me？〃
¨I know heˇs not plugged at you。 Whatˇs the matter？ Have you got a bad conscience？〃
¨No。 Is anybody else plugged at me？〃
¨As far as I know not even the Admiral is plugged at you。 Go on out and get drunk for me。〃
¨Iˇm going to get drunk for myself first。〃
¨Get drunk for me； too。〃
¨Whatˇs the matter？ Youˇre drunk every night； arenˇt you？〃
¨Thatˇs not enough。 How did Henderson do？〃
¨All right。 Why？〃
¨Nothing。〃
¨Why？〃
¨Nothing。 I just asked you。 You have any complaints？〃
¨We donˇt make complaints。〃
¨What a man。 What a leader。〃
¨We formulate charges。〃
¨You canˇt。 Youˇre a civilian。〃
¨Go to hell。〃
¨I donˇt have to。 Iˇm there now。〃
¨You call me as soon as he gets in。 And make my compliments to the Colonel and tell the Colonel I checked in。〃
¨Yes sir。〃
¨Whatˇs the sir for？〃
¨Politeness。〃
¨Goodbye； Mr。 Hollins。〃
¨Goodbye； Mr。 Hudson。 Listen。 Keep your people where you can find them in a hurry。〃
¨Thank you very much； Mr。 Hollins。〃
Down the hall a Lieutenant Commander that he knew came out of the code room。 His face was brown from golf and from the beach at Jaimanitas。 He looked healthy and his unhappiness did not show。 He was young and a very good Far East man。 Thomas Hudson had known him when he had had the motor car agency in Manila and a branch agency in Hong Kong。 He spoke Tagalog and good Cantonese。 Naturally he also spoke Spanish。 So he was in Havana。
¨Hi； Tommy；〃 he said。 ¨When did you get into town？〃
¨Last night。〃
¨How were the roads？〃
¨Moderately dusty。〃
¨Youˇll turn the goddamned car over some time。〃
¨Iˇm a careful driver。〃
¨You always were；〃 the Lieutenant Commander； whose name was Fred Archer； said。 He put his arm around Thomas Hudsonˇs shoulders。 ¨Let me feel of you。〃
¨Why？〃
¨You cheer me up。 It cheers me up when I feel of you。〃
¨Have you been over to eat at the Pac？fico？〃
¨Not for a couple of weeks。 Should we go？〃
¨Anytime。〃
¨I canˇt make lunch but we can eat there tonight。 Do you have anything for tonight？〃
¨No。 Just afterwards。〃
¨Me afterwards； too。 Where shall I meet you？ The Floridita？〃
¨Come on up there when the shop shuts。〃
¨Good。 I have to come back here afterwards。 So we canˇt get too drunk。〃
¨Donˇt tell me you bastards work nights now。〃
¨I do；〃 Archer said。 ¨It isnˇt a popular move。〃
¨Iˇm awfully glad to see you； Mr。 Freddy；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨You make me feel cheerful； too。〃
¨You donˇt have to feel cheerful；〃 Fred Archer said。 ¨Youˇve got it。〃
¨You mean Iˇve had it。〃
¨Youˇve had it。 And youˇve rehad it。 And youˇve rehad it doubled。〃
¨Not in spades。〃
¨Spades wonˇt be any use to you； brother。 And youˇve still got it。〃
¨Write it out for me sometime； Freddy。 Iˇd like to be able to read it early in the mornings。〃
¨You got a head in her yet？〃
¨No。 Where the head was is about thirty…five thousand dollars worth of junk I signed for。〃
¨I know。 I saw it in the safe。 What you signed。〃
¨Theyˇre goddamned careless then。〃
¨You can say that again。〃
¨Is everybody careless？〃
¨No。 And things are a lot better。 Really； Tommy。〃
¨Good；〃 said Thomas Hudson。 ¨Thatˇs the thought for today。〃
¨Donˇt you want to come in？ Thereˇs some new guys youˇd like。 Two really nice guys。 One of them really beat up。〃
¨No。 Do they know anything about the business？〃
¨No。 Of course not。 They just know youˇre out there and theyˇd like to meet you。 Youˇd like them。 Nice guys。〃
¨Letˇs meet them another time；〃 Thomas Hudson said。
¨Okay； chief；〃 Archer said。 ¨Iˇll come up to your place when the joi
