cwilleford.theburntorangeheresy-第5部分

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sheet　over　me；　but　because　I　was　angry　as　well　as　in　need　of　a　smoke；　I　threw　the　sheet　off；　got　up　and　fumbled　in　the　pockets　of　my　trousers　for　my　cigarettes。　I　lit　one　and　tossed　the　match　into　the　stoneware　ashtray　on　the　coffee　table。
　　〃This　is　important　to　me；　James。　Mr。　Cassidy　came　and　you　weren't　there。　He　asked　about　you　and　I　told　him　you　had　a　headache　and　left　early…〃
　　〃True。〃
　　Gloria　wasn't　embarrassed　by　my　nakedness；　but　now　I　felt　self…conscious；　standing　bare　assed　in　the　center　of　the　room；　smoking　and　carrying　on　a　moronic　conversation。　Gloria　was　in　her　late　forties；　and　had　been　married　for　about　six　months　to　a　hardware…store　owner　in　Atlanta；　so　it　wasn't　her　first　time　to　see　a　man　without　any　clothes　on。　Nevertheless；　I　took　a　terry…cloth　robe　out　of　the　closet　and　slipped　into　it。
　　〃He　wants　you　to　e　to　supper；　James。　And　here　I　am；　ready　to　take　you。〃
　　〃What　time　is　it；　anyway？〃
　　〃About　ten　forty。〃　She　squinted　at　the　tiny　hands　on　her　platinum　wristwatch。　〃Not　quite　ten　forty…five。〃
　　I　felt　refreshed　and　wide…awake；　although　I　had　only　slept　two　hours。　Being　awakened　that　way；　so　unexpectedly；　had　stirred　up　my　adrenalin。
　　〃I　think　you're　overstating　the　case；　Gloria。　What；　precisely；　did　Mr。　Cassidy　say　to　make　you　so　positive　he　wanted　me…in　particular…to　e　to　his　little　gathering？〃
　　She　rubbed　her　beaky　nose　with　a　skinny　forefinger　and　frowned。　〃He　said；　'I　hope　that　Mr。　Figueras'　headache　won't　keep　him　from　ing　over　this　evening　for　a　drink。'　And　I　said；　'Oh；　no。　He　asked　me　to　pick　him　up　later　at　his　apartment。　James　is　veiy　anxious　to　meet　you：
　　〃I　see。　You　turned　a　lukewarm　chunk　of　small　talk　into　a　big　deal。　And　now　I　have　to　go　with　you　to　get　you　off　the　hook。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　put　it　that　way。　He　bought　a　picture　from　me；　James；　one　of　the　primitives…the　big　one　with　the　huge　pile　of　different　kinds　of　fruit。　For　his　colored　cook　to　hang　in　the　kitchen。〃
　　〃No　Westcotts？〃
　　〃He　didn't　like　Herb's　pictures　very　well。　I　could　tell；　although　he　didn't　say　anything　one　way　or　another。〃
　　〃I　think　he　did。　Buying　a　Haitian　primitive　for　his　cook　says　something；　don't　you　think？　Do　I　need　another　shave？〃
　　She　felt　my　chin　with　the　tips　of　her　fingers。　〃I　don't　think　so。　Brush　your　teeth；　though。　Your　breath　is　simply　awful。〃
　　〃That's　from　the　Mexican　dinner　I　had　earlier。〃
　　I　dressed　in　gray　slacks；　a　white　shirt；　and　brown　leather　tie；　dark　brown　loafers；　and　a　gray…and…white　striped　seersucker　jacket；　resolving　to　take　my　soiled　dinner　jacket　to　the　cleaner's　in　the　morning。　I　remember　how　calm　I　was；　and　how　well　my　mind　seemed　to　be　functioning　after　only　two　hours　of　sleep。　All　of　my　muscles　were　loose　and　stretchy。　There　was　a　spring　to　my　step；　as　though　I　were　wearing　cushioned　soles。　I　was　in　a　pleasant　mood；　so　much　so　that　I　pinched　old　Gloria　through　her　girdle　as　we　left　the　apartment。
　　〃Oh；　for　God's　sake；　James！〃
　　As　we　drove　toward　the　Royal　Palm　Towers；　a　sevenstory　horror　of　poured　concrete；　in　Gloria's　white　Pontiac；　I　found　myself　looking　forward　to　meeting　Mr。　Cassidy　and　to　seeing　his　paintings。　He　was　bound　to　have　a　few　pichires　in　his　apartment；　although　his　famous　collection　was　safe　in　Chicago。　I　wondered；　as　well；　why　he　had　elected　to　live　in　the　Royal　Palm　Towers；　which　overlooked　Lake　Worth　instead　of　the　Atlantic。　He　would　be　able　to　see　the　Atlantic　from　his　rooftop　patio；　but　only　from　a　distance；　and　that　wasn't　the　same　as　being　on　the　beach。
　　The　Towers　was　a　formless　mixture　of　rental　apartments；　condominium　apartments；　hotel　rooms；　and　rental　suites。　The　corporation　that　owned　the　building　had　overlooked　very　little　in　the　way　of　ine…producing　cells。　There　were　rental　offices　on　the　mezzanine　（Cassidy　also　had　a　suite　of　offices　there）；　and　on　the　ground　floor　the　corporation　leased　space　for　shops　of　all　kinds；　including　a　small　art　gallery。　The　coffee　shop；　the　lounge…bar；　and　the　dining　room　were　all　leased　to　various　entrepreneurs。　The　corporation　itself　invested　nothing　in　services　and　took　from　everybody。　Cassidy　probably　maintained　the　penthouse；　I　decided；　because　the　Royal　Palm　Towers　was　one　of　the　few　apartment　hotels　in　Palm　Beach　that　remained　open　all　year　round。
　　Many　New　Yorkers；　who　didn't　like　Florida　for　its　climate；　loved　the　state　because　there　was　no　state　ine　tax。　By　maintaining　a　residence　for　six　months　and　one　day　in　Florida　they　could　beat　New　York's　state　ine　tax。　An　ignoble　but　practical　motive　for　moving　one's　residence　and　business　headquarters　to　Florida。
　　〃Where；〃　I　asked　Gloria；　〃did　you　get　the　Haitian　primitives？〃
　　〃A　widow　in　Lauderdale　sold　them　to　me。〃　She　giggled。　〃For　a　song。　Her　husband　just　died；　and　she　sold　everything…house；　furniture；　collection；　and　all。　She　was　moving　back　to　Indiana　to　live　with　her　daughter　and　grandchildren。〃
　　〃You　priced　the　Marcel　too　low；　baby。　You　can　get　more　than　fifteen　hundred　for　it。〃
　　〃I　doubt　it；　and　I　can't　lose　anything…not　when　I　only　paid　twenty…five　dollars　for　it。〃
　　〃You're　a　thief　and　a　bitch。〃
　　Gloria　giggled。　〃You're　a　blackguard。　What　have　you　done　with　Berenice？〃
　　〃She　went　back　to　Minnesota。　I　don't　want　to　talk　about　her；　Gloria。〃
　　〃She's　an　awfully　nice　girl；　James。〃
　　〃I　said　I　don't　want　to　talk　about　her；　Gloria。〃
　　We　took　the　elevator　to　the　penthouse；　but　the　door　didn't　open　automatically。　There　was　a　small　one…way　window　on　the　steel　door　（a　mirror　on　our　side）；　and　the　Filipino　houseboy　checked　us　out　before　pressing　the　door　release　from　his　side。　There　was　probably　a　release　button　concealed　somewhere　within　the　elevator　cage。　There　had　to　be。　Cassidy　couldn't　keep　someone　in　his　penthouse　at　all　times；　just　to　push　a　button　and　let　him　in…or　could　he？　The　very　rich　do　a　lot　of　strange　things。
　　The　party　was　not　a　large　one。　Seven　people　counting　Mr。　Cassidy。　Gloria　and　I　brought　the　total　to　nine。　It　was　the　kind　of　party　where　it　is　assumed　that　everyone　knows　one　another　and　therefore　no　one　is　introduced。　There　are　many　parties　like　that　in　Palm　Beach。　The　main　idea　is　to　eat　first；　and　then　drink　as　much　as　possible　before　the　bar　is　closed　or　the　liquor　runs　out。　If　one　feels　the　need　to　talk　to　someone；　he　introduces　himself　or　starts　talking　to　someone　without　giving　his　name。　It　makes　very　little　difference。　Mr。　Cassidy　had　to　know　everyone　there…at　least　slightly…to　brief　the　Filipino　houseboy　on　the　person's　credentials　for　admittance。
　　Sloan；　the　bartender　（he　wore　a　name　tag　on　his　white　jacket）；　poured　us　Cutty　Sarks　over　ice　cubes。　I　trailed　Gloria　toward　the　terrace；　where　Mr。　Cassidy　was　talking　to　a　grayhaired　man　who　was　probably　a　senior　officer　in　some　branch　of　the　armed　forces。　He　wore　an　Oxford　gray　suit　with　deeply　pleated　trousers。　The　suit　was　new；　indicating　that　he　didn't　wear　it　often。　This　meant　that　he　wore　a　uniform　most　of　the　time。　A　suit　lasts　army　and　navy　officers　for　eight　or　nine　years。　Pleats　were　long　out　of　fashion　and　Oxford　gray　is　the　favorite　suit　color　for　high…ranking　officers。　They　lead　dark；　gray　lives。
　　〃I　appreciate　that；　Tom；〃　Cassidy　said；　sticking　out　his　hand；　and　the　gray…haired　man　was　dismissed。
　　I　watched　the　old…timer　head　for　the　elevator。　I　could　have　confirmed；　easily　enough；　whether　the　man　was　in　the　service　by　asking；　〃Isn't　that　General　Smith？〃　In　this　case；　however；　I　believed　that　I　was　right　and　didn't　feel　the　need　of　confirmation。
　　Joseph　Cassidy　was　short；　barely　missing　squatness；　with　wide　meaty　shoulders　and　a　barrel　chest。　His　tattersall　vest　was　a　size　too　small　and　looked　incongruous　with　his　red　velvet　smoking　jacket。　He　needed　the　vest　for　its　pockets…　pockets　for　his　watch　and　chain；　and　the　thin　gold　chain　for　his　Phi　Beta　Kappa　key。　He　had　a　tough　Irish　face；　tiny　blue　eyes；　with　fully　a　sixteenth　of　an　inch　of　white　exposed　beneath　the　irises；　and　square　white　teeth。　His　large　upper　front　teeth　overlapped；　slightly；　his　full　lower　lip。　His　high　forehead　was　flaking　from　sunburn。　He　wore　a　closecropped　black　moustache；　and　his　black　hair；　which　was　graying　at　the　sides；　was　bed　straight　back　and　slicked　down　with　water。　Cassidy　was　a　formida