cwilleford.theburntorangeheresy-第32部分

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　　〃Yes。　I　needed　to　look　at　it　again；　you　see；　to　check　it　against　the　description　in　my　article。　It　was　slightly　damaged…Debierue's　signature…so　I　thought　I'd　touch　it　up　some。〃
　　Berenice　pressed　her　forefinger　to　the　exact　center　of　the　painting。　She　examined　the　wet；　bemerded　smear　on　her　fingertip。
　　〃Oh；　James；〃　she　said　unhappily；　〃you　painted　this　awful　picture　。　。　。　！〃
　　
　　
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　　Looking　back　（and　faced　with　the　same　set　of　circumstances）；　I　don't　know　that　I　would　have　handled　the　problem　any　differently…except　for　some　minor　changes　from　the　way　that　I　did　solve　it。　Ignorant　women　have　destroyed　the　careers；　the　ambitions；　and　the　secret　plans　of　a　good　many　honorable　men　throughout　history。
　　It　would　have　been　easy　enough　to　blame　myself　for　allowing　Berenice　to　discover　the　painting。　If　I　had　locked　the　door；　instead　of　being　concerned　with　my　physical　disfort　in　the　hotel　room；　I　could　have　hidden　the　painting　from　her　before　allowing　her　into　the　room。　This　one　little　slip　on　my　part　destroyed　everything；　if　one　wants　to　look　at　it　that　way。　But　the　problem　was　greater　than　this…not　a　matter　of　just　one　little　slip。　There　was　an　entire　string　of　unfortunate　coincidences；　going　back　to　the　unwitting　moment　I　had　allowed　Berenice　to　move　in　on　me；　and　continuing　through　my　foolhardy　decision　to　allow　her　to　acpany　me　to　Debierue's　house。
　　And　now；　of　course；　caught　red　handed…or　burnt　orange　handed…Berenice　was　in　possession　of　a　lifelong　hold　over　me　if　I　carried　my　deception　through…with　the　publication　of　the　article；　with　the　sending　of　the　painting　to　Joseph　Cassidy；　to　say　nothing　of　the　future；　my　future；　and　the　subsequent　furor　that　the　publication　of　an　article　on　Debierue　would　arouse　in　the　art　world。
　　Berenice　loved　me；　or　so　she　had　declared　again　and　again；　and　if　I　had　married　her；　perhaps　she　would　have　kept　her　mouth　shut；　carrying　her　secret　knowledge；　and　mine；　to　her　grave。　I　don't　know。　I　doubted　it　then；　and　I　doubt　it　now。　Love；　according　to　my　experience；　is　a　fragile　transitory　emotion。　Not　only　does　love　fall　a　good　many　years　short　of　lasting　forever；　a　long　stretch　for　love　to　last　is　a　few　months；　or　even　a　few　weeks。　If　I　think　about　my　friends　and　acquaintances　in　New　York…and　don't　consider　casual　acquaintances　I　have　known　elsewhere；　in　Palm　Beach；　for　example…I　can't　think　of　a　single　friend；　male　or　female；　who　hasn't　been　divorced　at　least　once。　And　most　of　them；　more　than　once。　The　milieu　I　live　in　is　that　way。　The　art　world　is　not　only　egocentric；　it　is　egoeccentric。　The　environment　is　not　conducive　to　lasting　friendships；　let　alone　lasting　marriages。　And　that　was　my　world　。　。　。
　　My　remaining　choice；　which　was　too　stupid　even　to　consider　seriously；　was　a　bitter　one。　I　could　have　destroyed　The　Burnt　Orange　Heresy　（such　was　the　title　I　assigned　to　the　painting）；　and　torn　up　the　article　I　had　written；　which　would　mean　that　the　greatest　opportunity　I　had　ever　had　to　make　a　name　for　myself　as　an　art　critic　would　be　lost。
　　These　thoughts　were　jumbled　together　in　my　mind　as　I　confronted　Berenice；　but　not　in　any　particular　order。　Emotionally；　I　was　only　mildly　annoyed　at　the　time；　knowing　I　had　a　major　problem　to　solve；　but　bereft；　at　least　for　the　moment；　of　any　solution。
　　〃You　may　believe　that　this　is　an　'awful'　picture；〃　I　said　coldly　to　Berenice；　〃and　it's　your　privilege　to　think　so　if；　and　the　key　word　is　if；　if　you　can　substantiate　your　opinion　with　valid　reasons　as　to　why　it's　an　'awful'　picture。　Otherwise；　you're　not　entitled　to　any　value　judgments　concerning　Debierue's　work。〃
　　〃I…I　just　can't　believe　it！〃　Berenice　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃You're　not　going　to　try　to　pass　this　off　as　a　painting　by　Debierue；　are　you？〃
　　〃It　is　a　painting　by　Debierue。　Didn't　I　just　tell　you　that　I　was　touching　it　up　a　little　because　it　was　damaged　slightly　in　transit？〃
　　〃I'm　not　blind；　James。〃　She　made　a　helpless；　fluttering　gesture　with　her　hands；　her　big　eyes　taking　in　the　evidence　of　the　art　materials　and　the　painting　itself。　〃How　do　you　expect　to　get　away　with　something　so　raw？　Don't　you　know　that　Mr。　Cassidy　will　show　this　painting　to　Debierue；　and　that…〃
　　〃Berenice！〃　I　brought　her　up　sharply。　〃You're　sticking　your　middle…western　nose　into　something　that　is　none　of　your　damned　business！　Now　get　the　hell　out　of　here；　get　packed；　and　if　you　aren't　ready　to　leave　in　twenty　minutes；　you　can　damned　well　stay　here　in　Valdosta！〃
　　Her　face　flushed；　and　she　took　two　steps　backward。　She　nodded；　nibbled　her　nether　lip；　and　nodded　again。　〃All　right！　There　is　obviously　something　going　on　that　I　don't　understand；　but　that　isn't　any　reason　to　blow　off　at　me　like　that。　You　can　at　least　explain　it　to　me。　You　can't　blame　me　for　being　bewildered；　can　you？　I　can　see　that；　well；　the　way　it　looks　is　funny；　that's　all！〃
　　I　got　up　from　the　chau　put　my　arm　around　her　shoulders；　and　gave　her　a　friendly　hug。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　I　said　gently；　〃I　shouldn't　have　woofed　at　you　like　that。　And　don't　worry。　I'll　explain　everything　to　you　in　the　car。　There's　a　good　girl。　Just　get　packed；　and　we　can　get　out　of　here　and　be　on　our　way　in　a　few　minutes。　Okay？〃
　　I　held　open　the　door。　Still　nodding　her　head；　Berenice　crossed　the　hallway　to　her　room。
　　The　moment　her　door　closed；　I　wrapped　the　art　materials　in　the　sheet；　washed　the　ashtray　palette　under　the　bathtub　hot　water　tap　and　dried　it　with　a　towel。　I　slipped　on　my　trousers　and　a　shirt；　and　took　the　painting　and　the　small　bundle　of　art　materials　down　to　the　basement　garage　on　the　elevator。　I　dumped　the　bundle　in　a　garbage　can；　and　placed　the　painting　carefully；　wet　side　up；　in　the　trunk　of　my　car。　It　took　another　three　minutes　to　unfasten　the　canvas　covertible　top；　fold　it　back；　and　snap　the　fasteners　of　the　plastic　cover。　It　would　be　chilly　riding　with　the　top　back　at　this　time　of　night；　but　I　could　put　it　up　again　later。　The　night　garage　attendant；　a　young　black　man　wearing　white　overalls；　stood　in　the　doorway　of　the　small；　lighted　office；　watching　me　silently　as　I　struggled　with　the　top。　Finished；　I　crossed　the　garage；　handed　him　a　quarter；　and　told　him　I　was　checking　out。
　　〃Call　the　desk；　please；〃　I　said；　〃and　tell　the　clerk　to　send　a　bellman　with　a　truck　to　get　our　baggage　in　five…ten　and　fiveoh…five　in　about　fifteen　minutes。　Tell　the　bellman　to　pile　it　on　the　back　seat　when　he　es　down。　The　trunk　is　already　filled　with　other　things。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　said。
　　I　returned　to　my　room；　packed　in　less　than　five　minutes；　pulled　a　sleeveless　sweater　on　over　my　shirt；　and　slipped　into　my　sports　coat。　Berenice　wasn't　ready　yet；　but　I　helped　her　dose　her　suitcases；　and　advised　her　to　wear　her　warm　polo　coat　over　her　slack　suit。　The　bellman　came　with　his　truck；　and　when　we　got　off　at　the　lobby　to　check　out；　he　continued　on　down　to　the　basement　to　put　our　luggage　in　the　car。　Berenice　paid　the　bill；　which　was　surprisingly　reasonable；　by　cashing　two　traveler's　checks；　and　the　bellman　had　the　car　out　in　front　for　us　before　we　had　finished　checking　out。　The　night　deskman　didn't　ask　questions　about　why　we　were　leaving　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　and　I　didn't　volunteer　any　information。
　　The　night　air　was　chilly　when　we　got　into　the　car；　and　there　was　a　light；　misty　fog　hovering　fifty　feet　or　so　above　the　deserted　city　streets。　I　lit　two　cigarettes；　handed　Berenice　one　of　them；　and　pulled　away　from　the　curb。　She　shivered　slightly　and　huddled　down　in　her　seat。
　　〃You're　probably　wondering　why　I　put　the　top　back；〃　I　said。
　　〃Yes；　I　am。　But　after　the　way　you　barked　at　me　last　time；　I'm　almost　afraid　to　ask　any　questions。〃
　　I　laughed　and　patted　her　leg。　〃If　it　gets　too　cold；　I'll　put　it　up　again。　But　I　thought　it　would　be　best　to　get　as　much　fresh　air　as　possible　to　keep　myself　awake。　It　isn't　really　cold；　and　there　won't　be　much　traffic　this　time　of　night；　so　we　should　make　fairly　good　time。〃
　　Berenice　accepted　this　moronic　explanation；　and　I　increased　the　speed　the　moment　we　got　out　of　the　downtown　area　and　onto　the　new　four…lane　highway　that　was　still　bordered　by　residential　streets　containing　two…　and　three…story　houses。
　　From　my　examination　of　the　map　I　knew　that　there　were　several　small　lake