lrh.fortuneoffear-第7部分

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ashion　plates。　They　were；　strangely　enough；　quite　different　from　the　French。　It　was　not　that　they　were　less　bizarre；　it　was　not　that　the　models　had　any　more　meat　on　them；　it　was　not　that　the　（bleeping）　homos　had　been　any　less　industrious　in　trying　to　make　women　look　awful　and　thus　get　the　men　into　their　own　beds：　they　were　just　entirely　different。　The　American　gays　were　pushing　The　Marionette　Look。　The　magazine　was　even　full　of　little　side　sketches　showing　marionettes　with　their　legs　all　tangled　up　and　crossed　and　bending　the　wrong　way　and　the　strings　strangling　them。
　　　〃Dearie；　I　see　you're　studying　fashions。〃　A　new　voice。　Krak　looked　sideways　at　her　seat　panion。　The　speaker　was　a　blowzy　blonde　of　about　forty；　with　peroxided　hair。　〃I　can　see　it's　about　time！〃　She　smiled。　〃I'm　Mamie　Boomp；　heading　back　to　the　Big　Apple　and　bright　lights。　Who're　you？〃
　　　That's　what　I　like　about　American　travellers。　Very　direct。　No　beating　around　the　bush。
　　　〃I'm　supposed　to　be　Joy　Krackle；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃How　do　you　do？〃
　　　〃Well；　I'm　doing　quite　all　right；　thank　you；　after　a　star　tour　of　the　hot　spots　of　the　Middle　East。　I'm　a　famous　singer。　The　Arabs　loaded　me　with　loot　and　I'm　on　my　way　back　to　God's　Country　to　spend　it。　Jesus　Christ；　I　don't　think　I'll　get　in　another　bed　for　a　year！　But；　honey；　you　look　like　you　got　caught　in　a　camel　crash。〃
　　　〃Really？〃
　　　〃Yeah；　them　clothes；〃　said　Mamie　Boomp　with　a　contemptuous　wave　at　Krak's　cloak。　〃Where'd　you　get　such　rags？〃
　　　〃I　was　held　captive　for　three　years　in　a　fortress；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃They　stole　all　my　clothes。〃
　　　〃No　（bleep）？〃　said　Mamie。　〃Jesus　Christ；　them　（bleeped）　Arabs　will　do　anything。　Much　as　a　girl's　life　is　worth　to　leave　the　U。　S。　of　A。　these　days。　I　can　see　you　need　some　coaching　if　you　let　them　get　away　with　that！　You　got　to　keep　your　wits　about　you。　Same　thing　almost　happened　to　me　in　Morocco。　But　I　told　the　king；　I　said；　'Listen；　Buster；　if　you　don't　e　across　with　a　few　diamonds；　I'll　not　just　amputate　your　（bleeps）；　I'll　cut　off　your　American　aid。'　He　can't　exist　without　American　aid　so　he　just　filled　my　pockets　up　with　the　old　glitter　and　let　me　go。　Look；　here's　one　of　them　yet！〃
　　　She　showed　Krak　a　huge　diamond　ring；　nestling　amongst　many　others　on　her　puffy　hand。　〃Diamonds　are　a　girl's　best　friend；〃　she　added。
　　　〃Are　emeralds　and　rubies　also　very　valuable　on　this　planet？〃　said　the　Countess。
　　　〃You　said　it；　baby。　Mind　if　I　help　you　with　that　fashion　mag　and　show　you　what　really　puts　the　beasts　in　heat？〃
　　　Suddenly　a　chill　like　the　Arctic　wind　coursed　through　me。　I　abruptly　had　a　vivid　recollection！　The　Countess　Krak's　sudden　burst　of　affection！　The　pletely　out…of…character　kiss　on　my　cheek！
　　　Sleight　of　hand！　She　was　an　expert　at　it。　She　had　trained　magicians　by　the　score！　All　she　had　to　do　was　unhook　the　clasp　with　one　hand　and　catch　it　as　it　fell　into　the　other！
　　　Conviction！　The　Countess　Krak　had　the　emerald　locket！
　　　It　all　added　up。　She　had　made　sure　in　her　hypnotic　implant　that　I　would　let　her　take　away　anything　she　wanted！　She　had　been　so　concerned　about　her　appearance　when　she　first　met　Heller。
　　　I　knew　exactly　what　she　intended　to　do　now。　She　would　land　in　New　York。　She　would　buy　a　truckload　of　clothes。　And　she　would　pay　for　them　with　the　locket！　With　Utanc's　fifty…thousand…dollar　locket　that　I　could　not　hope　to　replace！
　　　Oh；　it　was　true　she　was　a　criminal！　I　immediately　believed　her　police　record　down　to　the　last　dot！　A　thief！

Chapter　5

　　　Torn　between　rage　and　despair；　I　was　an　unwilling　participant　in　that　flight。
　　　Fashions；　fashions；　fashions。　Clothes；　clothes；　clothes。　Up　the　snow…banked　Danube　far　below；　fashions；　fashions；　fashions　and　clothes；　clothes；　clothes。　Across　the　Alps　and　Germany　and　through　the　Brussels　change；　fashions；　fashions；　fashions　and　clothes；　clothes；　clothes。　Across　the　tip　of　England　and　above　Atlantic　storms；　fashions；　fashions；　fashions　and　clothes；　clothes；　clothes。　They　even　neglected　their　lunch…the　Countess　Krak　because　she　couldn't　figure　how　to　eat　it　and　Mamie　Boomp　because　she　was　getting　too　fat　and　could　no　longer　get　into　some　of　her　fashions；　fashions；　fashions　and　clothes；　clothes；　clothes。
　　　They　had　taken　time　out　now　and　then　to　exchange　theatrical　experiences。　They　had　both　been　on　the　stage。　And　I　also　had　to　suffer　through　some　items　from　Countess　Krak　that　would　have　been　flagrant　Code　breaks　if　Mamie　Boomp　had　not　gotten　the　idea　that　Atalanta　was　Atlantic　City　and　Voltar　was　a　place　just　outside　of　Peoria；　Illinois。
　　　At　length；　Mamie　said；　〃Now　that　we　have　got　it　all　laid　out　even　down　to　the　organdy　sea…green　negligees；　dearie；　I　still　get　the　sneaking　hunch　you're　not　entirely　happy　about　it。　You　got　some　problem　you　ain't　telling　Mamie？〃
　　　〃Well；　yes；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃I'm　going　to　meet　my　man；　you　see。　He's　been　on　this　planet　for　months　all　by　himself。　He's　the　handsomest；　most　gorgeous　man　you'd　ever　hope　to　see。　You　get　some　idea　when　I　tell　you　that　his　sister　is　considered　one　of　the　best…looking　women　in　the　whole　Confederacy。〃
　　　〃Ah；　yah；〃　said　Mamie　Boomp。　〃One　of　them　'you　all'　southern　belles。〃
　　　〃And　he's　considered　one　of　the　best…looking　officers　in　the　whole　Fleet。　For　months　he's　undoubtedly　been　waist　deep　in　the　most　beautiful　and　most　gorgeously　dressed　women　on　the　planet。〃
　　　〃Oho；　a　sailor；　eh？　Well；　I　don't　blame　you　for　worrying。　Them　Navy　officers　knock　'em　dead。　It's　the　uniform！〃
　　　〃And　that's　the　problem；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃If　I　show　up　looking　like　a　frump；　I'll　be　playing　way　at　the　back　of　the　orchestra　from　there　on　out。　He'll　ignore　me！〃
　　　〃I　get　it。　That　first　meeting　after　the　long　absence。　Jesus；　kid。　That　speeds　this　all　up。　I　thought　we　had　some　time。　You're　telling　me　you　got　to　do　it　all　in　a　couple　of　hours　before　you　meet　the　shore　boat。　Jesus；　that's　tough。　Even　a　perm　takes　longer　than　that！〃　She　thought　it　over；　shaking　her　head。　〃Jesus。　You　get　just　one　walk…on　and　you　have　to　knock　'em　from　the　orchestra　seats　right　out　into　the　lobby。　And　out　of　the　balcony　as　well！　Cripes；　that's　a　tough　spot！　No　soft　music　or　even　an　M。　C。　with　some　funny　jokes　to　give　it　a　buildup。〃　She　was　very　pensive；　rolling　her　diamonds　around　on　her　puffy　fingers。
　　　Suddenly　Mamie　dived　at　the　mound　of　fashion　magazines　on　the　floor。　She　got　out　one　called　Ultra　Ultra。　She　was　thumbing　through　the　ads。　She　came　to　the　double　centerspread　and　in　triumph　pushed　it　at　the　Countess　Krak。　〃There！　Bonbucks　Teller！　They're　too　rich　for　my　blood　but　they're　one　of　the　top　four　women's　stores　in　the　world。　And　they　got　branches；　see？〃　She　pointed　at　the　bottom　of　the　posh　display　ad。　〃There's　a　branch　right　at　JFK　Airport　where　we're　landing！　They　got　everything　and　they　are　fast。　There's　just　one　problem：　boy；　do　they　cost　the　do…re…mi…an　arm；　a　leg　and　your　head！　Have　you　got　the　loot；　Joy？　I　mean；　the　MONey。〃　She　made　the　money　motion　with　her　thumb　and　two　fingers。
　　　〃Money？〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃I've　got　that　all　figured　out。〃
　　　A　new　chill　took　me。　I　had　been　wondering　how　she　could　buy　so　many　five…dollar　magazines。　Almost　not　daring　to　look；　I　felt　in　my　pockets。
　　　My　fingers　encountered；　in　my　trousers；　the　sheaf　of　credit　cards。　I　took　them　out　and　put　them　back　as　a　pack：　thank　Gods；　I　still　had　that　fatal　deck。
　　　I　explored　further。　I　usually　kept　my　wallet　in　my　hip　pocket。　I　didn't　want　to　reach　for　it。　One's　supply　of　adrenalin　is　limited　to　a　finite　number　of　severe　shocks　and　when　it　is　gone　one　begins　to　faint。　I　risked　it。　My　wallet？
　　　IT　WAS　GONE！
　　　Oh；　my　Gods！　Her　sleight　of　hand　must　have　been　up　to　getting　the　wallet；　too！　The　whole　nine　hundred　dollars　I　had　taken　from　their　travel　money　was　missing！
　　　A　pickpocket！　The　lowest；　vilest　sort　of　criminal；　the　type　that　even　other　criminals　looked　down　upon！　Oh；　the　police　record　had　been　right！
　　　The　Countess　Krak　was　not　only　a　jewel　thief　of　wanted…poster　proportions；　she　was　also　a　Gods　（bleeped）　pickpocket！
　　　I　was　utterly　penniless　again！
　　　The　fatal　kiss　of　the　Countess　Krak！
　　　Rage　gave　way　t