scoonts.theminotaur-第57部分

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　At　about　the　same　instant　that　Luis　Camacho　was　starting　his　car　to　return　to　his　office。　Toad　Tarkington　was　parking　at　the　Reno　hospital。　When　he　arrived　in　the　room；　Rita　was　sitting　in　a　chair　talking　with　Mrs。　Douglas；　her　roommate。　After　the　introductions　Toad　pulled　up　the　other　chair；　a　molded　plastic　job　made　for　a　smaller　bottom　than　his。
　〃When　are　they　going　to　let　you　go？〃　he　asked　as　he　tried　to　arrange　himself　fortably。
　〃Probably　tomorrow。　The　doctor　will　be　around　in　an　hour　or　so。〃
　〃And　you　get　a　good　night's　sleep？〃
　〃Not　really。〃　She　smiled　at　Mrs。　Douglas。　〃We　had　a　series　of　little　naps；　didn't　we？〃
　〃We　did。〃　Mrs。　Douglas　had　a　delicate　voice。　〃I　don't　sleep　much　anymore　anyway。〃　She　bit　on　her　lower　lip。
　〃Perhaps　we　should　go　for　a　little　walk；〃　Rita　suggested。　She　stood　and　made　sure　her　robe　belt　was　firmly　tied。　〃We'll　be　back　in　a　little　bit；　Mrs。　Douglas；〃
　〃Okay；　dear。〃
　Oat　in　the　hall　Toad　said；　〃I　see　you　fixed　your　hair。〃
　〃Wasn't　it　a　fright？　A　hospital　volunteer　helped　me　this　morning。　She　said　it　would　help　how　I　felt；　and　she　was　right。〃　She　walked　slowly　in　her　slippers；　her　hands　in　her　pockets。　〃Poor　Mrs。　Douglas。　Here　I've　been　so　concerned　about　my　little　half…acre　and　her　two　daughters　came　in　this　morning　and　told　her　she　has　to　go　to　a　nursing　home。　She's　very　upset。　Oh；　Toad；　it　was　terrible；　for　all　of　them。　They're　afraid　she'll　fall　again　with　no　one　there；　and　the　daughters　work；　with　families　of　their　own。〃
　Toad　made　a　sympathetic　noise。　He　had　never　given　the　problems　of　elderly　people　much　thought。　He　really　didn't　want　to　do　80　now　either。
　Rita　paused　for　a　drink　from　a　water　fountain；　then　turned　back　toward　her　room。　〃I　just　wanted　you　to　know　the　situation。　Now　well　go　back　and　cheer　her　up。〃
　Toad　put　his　hand　on　her　arm。　〃Whoa；　lady。　Let's　run　that　one　by　again。　Just　how　are　we　going　to　do　that？〃
　〃You　cheered　me　up　last　night。　You　make　me　feel　good　just　being　around　you。　You　can　do　the　same　with　her。〃
　Toad　looked　up　and　down　the　hall　for　help；　someone　or　something　to　rescue　him。　No　such　luck。　He　looked　again　at　Rita；　who　was　absorbing　every　twitch　of　his　facial　muscles。　〃Women　my　own　age　I　don't　understand。　Now　it's　true；　I've　picked　up　a　smattering　of　experience　here　and　there　with　the　gentle　sex；　but　eighty…year…old　ladies　with　busted　hips　are　pletely　out　of…〃
　〃You　can　do　it；〃　Rita　said　with　simple；　matter…of…fact　faith；　and　grasping　his　hand；　she　led　him　back　along　the　hallway。
　In　the　room　she　nudged　him　toward　the　chair　near　Mrs。　Douglas。　He　started　to　give　Rita　a　glare；　but　when　he　realized　Mrs。　Douglas　was　watching　him；　he　changed　it　to　a　smile。　It　came　out　as　a　silly；　nervous　smile。
　Women！　If　they　didn't　screw　there'd　be　a　bounty　on　'em。
　〃Rita　says　you're　facing　some　very　significant　changes　in　your　life。〃
　The　elderly　woman　nodded。　She　was　still　chewing　on　her　lip。　At　that　moment　Toad　forgot　Rita　and　saw　before　him　his　own　mother　as　she　would　be　in　a　few　years。　〃Pretty　damned　tough；〃　he　said；　meaning　it。
　〃My　life　now　is　my　garden；　the　roses　and　bulbs　and　the　annuals　that　I　plant　every　spring。　I　do　my　housework　and　spend　my　time　watching　the　cycle　of　life　in　my　garden。　I　wasn't　ready　to　give　that　up。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃I　have　most　of　my　things　planted　now。　The　bulbs　have　been　up　for　a　month　or　so。　They　were　so　pretty　this　spring。〃
　〃I　don't　suppose　any　of　us　are　ever　ready　to　give　up　something　we　love。〃
　〃I　suppose　not。　But　I　had　hoped　that　I　wouldn't　have　to。　My　husband…he　died　fifteen　years　ago　with　a　heart　attack　while　he　was　playing　golf。　He　so　loved　golf。　I　was　hoping　that　someday　in　my　garden　I。。。〃　She　closed　her　eyes。
　When　she　opened　them　again　Toad　asked　about　her　garden。　It　was　not　large；　he　was　told。　Very　small；　in　fact。　But　it　was　enough。　That　was　one　of　life's　most　important　lessons；　learning　what　was　enough　and　what　was　too　much。　Understanding　what　was　sufficient　〃But；〃　Mrs。　Douglas　sighed；　〃what　is　sufficient　changes　as　you　get　older。　It's　one　thing　for　a　child；　another　for　an　adult；　another　thing　still　when　you　reach　my　age。　I　think　as　you　age　life　gets　simpler；　more　basic。〃
　〃I'm　curious；〃　said　Toad　Tarkington；　feeling　more　than　a　little　embarrassed。　He　shot　a　hot　glance　at　Rita。　〃Do　you　pray　much？〃
　〃Na。　It's　too　much　like　begging。　The　professional　prayers　always　want　things　they　will　never　get；　things　they　just　can't　have。　Like　peace　on　earth　and　conversion　of　the　sinners　and　cures　for　all　die　sick。　And　to　prove　they　really　want　all　these　things　that　can　never　be；　they　grovel　and　beg。〃
　〃At　least　they're　sincere；〃　Rita　said。
　〃Beggars　always　are；〃　Mrs。　Douglas　shot　back。　〃That's　their　one　virtue。〃
　Toad　grinned。　Mrs。　Douglas　appeared　to　be　a　fellow　cynic；　which　he　found　quite　agreeable。　Perhaps　the　age　difference　doesn't　matter　that　much　after　all。　A　few　minutes　later　he　asked　one　more　question。　〃What　will　heaven　be　like；　do　you　think？〃
　〃A　garden。　With　roses　and　flowers　of　all　kinds。　My　heaven　will　be　that　anyway。　What　yours　will　be；　I　don't　know。〃　Mrs。　Douglas　waggled　a　finger　at　him　without　lifting　her　hand　from　the　bed。　〃You　are　two　very　nice　young　people；　to　spend　time　with　an　old　woman　to　cheer　her　up。　When　are　you　going　to　marry？〃
　Toad　laughed　and　stood。　〃You　tell　her；　Mrs。　Douglas。　She　absolutely　refuses　to　bee　an　honest　woman。〃　He　said　his　goodbyes　and　Rita　followed　him　into　the　hall。
　〃Thanks。　That　wasn't　so　hard；　was　it？〃…She　had　her　arms　folded　across　her　chest
　〃Hang　tough；　Rita。　If　they　let　you　take　a　hike　tonight　or　tomorrow；　give　me　a　call　at　the　BOQ。　Captain　Grafton　or　I　will　e　get　you　and　bring　you　some　clothes。〃
　She　nodded。　〃You　e　if　you　can。〃
　〃Sure。〃　He　paused。　〃What　do　you　want　from　life；　Rita？　What　will　be　sufficient？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　He　winked　and　walked　away。
　
　16
　
　In　an　era　when　the　average　American　male　stood　almost　six　feet　tall；　Secretary　of　Defense　Royce　Caplinger　towered　just　five　feet　six　inches　in　his　custom…made　shoes　with　two…inch　heels。　Perhaps　understandably；　his　hero　and　role　model　was　Douglas　MacArthur；　of　whom　he　had　written　a　biography　ten　years　before。　The　critics　had　savaged　it　and　the　post…Vietnam　public　had　ignored　it。　Caplinger；　said　one　wag；　would　have　won　MacArthur　sainthood　had　the　book　been　even　half　true。
　How　deeply　this　experience　hurt　Caplinger　only　his　family　might　have　known。　The　world　was　allowed　to　see　only　the　merciless　efficiency　and　detached　intellect　that　had　made　him　a　millionaire　by　the　time　he　was　thirty　and　president　and　CEO　of　one　of　the　twenty　largest　industrial　panies　in　the　nation　when　he　was　forty…two。　Now　worth　in　excess　of　a　hundred　million　dollars；　he　was　a　man　who　believed　in　himself　with　a　maniacal　faith；　in　the　world　of　titanic　egos　in　which　he　moved　he　saw　himself　as　a　giant　and；　to　his　credit；　others　saw　him　the　same　way。
　Rude　and　abrasive；　Caplinger　never　forgot　or　forgave。　He　had　never　been　accused　of　possessing　a　sense　of　humor。　He　won　many　more　battles　than　he　lost　because　he　was　right；　often　terrifically　right；　as　his　many　enemies　freely　acknowledged。　He　often　won　when　he　was　wrong　too；　because　he　could　play　major…league　hardball　with　the　best　of　them。　Years　ago　his　subordinates　had　labeled　him　〃the　cannibal；〃　whispering　that　he　liked　the　taste　of　raw　flesh。
　Caplinger　had　the　brain　of　Caesar　and　the　soul　of　a　lizard；　all　housed　in　the　body　of　a　chimpanzee；　or　so　one　of　his　more　daring　victims　had　groused　to　Time　magazine。　This　quote　crossed　Jake　Grafton's　mind　just　now　as　he　watched　the　secretary's　gaze　dart　back　and　forth　across　the　faces　of　the　men　at　the　luncheon　table　as　they　were　served　pear　halves　in　china　dishes　bearing　the　seal　of　the　Navy　Department　by　a　steward　in　a　white　jacket。
　Jake　was　back　in　Washington　for　a　week　while　the　China　Lake　crowd　fixed　their　A…6；　Rita　Moravia　recovered；　and　Samuel　Dodgers　tinkered　with　the　Athena　device。　This　was　Jake's　first　meal　in　the　Secretary　of　the　Navy's　dining/conference　room；　so　today　he　was　playing　tourist　and　taking　it　all　in。
　The　room　was　spacious　and　paneled　with　dark　wood；　perhaps　mahogany。　Deep…blue　drapes　dressed　up　the　windows。　A　half　dozen　oil　paintings　of　sailing　ships　and　battles；　with　little