hr.thecarpetbaggers-第112部分

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im　legs。
　He　watched　the　muscles　of　her　back　suddenly　e　into　play　as　she　turned　to　pick　up　a　pack　of　cigarettes　from　the　table。　He　nodded　to　himself。　She　was　beautiful；　all　right。　Perhaps　not　in　the　ordinary　sense　of　the　word　but　beautiful　as　a　whore　had　any　right　to　be。　And　never　was。
　〃Christ；　you're　ugly；〃　the　girl　said；　looking　at　him。
　He　grinned；　exposing　the　crooked；　uneven　teeth　in　his　long　horse　face。　What　she　said　was　nothing　new。　He　was　not　unaware　of　it　himself；　he　could　see　it　in　his　mirror。　He　threw　back　the　sheet　and　got　out　of　bed。
　〃Here；　cover　yourself；〃　the　girl　said；　flinging　a　towel　at　him。　〃You　look　like　an　ape　with　your　cock　hanging　down　like　that。〃　He　caught　the　towel　deftly　and　wrapped　it　around　his　waist。　〃Was　it　any　good？〃　he　asked　curiously；　taking　a　cigarette　from　the　package。
　She　didn't　answer。
　〃Was　it　worth　it？〃
　〃I　guess　it　was；〃　she　said　unemotionally。
　He　went　back　to　the　bed　and　sat　down　on　the　edge。　〃Is　that　all　it　is　to　you？〃　he　asked。　〃Just　another　John？〃
　She　stared　at　him。　〃You're　supposed　to　be　a　pretty　hep　guy。　You　want　the　truth？〃
　He　smiled　again。　〃The　truth；　of　course。〃
　〃You're　all　the　same　to　me；〃　she　said；　meeting　his　gaze　steadily。　〃You　might　as　well　be　goosing　me　with　a　Coca…Cola　bottle　for　all　the　difference　it　makes。〃
　〃Don't　you　feel　anything；　ever？〃
　〃Sure；〃　she　answered。　〃I'm　human。　But　not　with　the　customers。　I　can't　afford　it。　They　pay　for　perfection。〃　She　ground　out　the　cigarette　in　the　tray。　〃When　I　feel　I　got　to　get　my　kicks；　I　take　a　week　off　and　go　out　to　one　of　those　dude　ranches　that　cater　to　married　women　on　holiday。　There's　always　some　cowpoke　out　there　who　thinks　he's　making　it　big　for　me。　And　he　is；　because　I　don't　have　to　give　him　the　best。　But　the　Johns　pay。　You're　entitled。〃
　〃But　aren't　you　cheating　the　Johns？〃
　She　smiled　at　him。　〃Do　you　feel　cheated？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said。　Then　he　added　quickly；　〃I　don't　know。　I　didn't　know　you　were　acting。〃
　〃I　wasn't　acting；〃　she　said；　taking　another　cigarette。　〃I　was　working。　That's　my　job。〃
　He　didn't　speak。
　She　lit　the　cigarette　and　gestured　toward　him。　〃Look；〃　she　said。　〃You　eat　a　good　dinner。　Afterwards；　you　say　to　your　friends；　that　was　a　great　steak。　The　greatest。　You　don't　mind　talking　about　it。　You　even　tell　your　friends　where　you　had　it　so　they　can　get　themselves　one。　Right？〃
　He　nodded。
　〃It's　like　that　with　me；〃　she　said。　〃You　got　a　friend。　This　time　it's　Irv　Schwartz。　You're　playing　gin　and　he　looks　at　you　and　says；　'I　had　a　great　piece　last　night。　The　greatest。　Jennie　Denton。　Give　her　a　blast。'　So　you　e　over　and　put　your　money　on　the　table。　You　climb　up；　you　climb　down。　You　get　filled　with　air　like　a　balloon　and　float　around　the　world。　I'll　bet　it's　a　long　time　since　you　popped　three　times　in　as　many　hours。　Do　you　still　feel　cheated？〃
　He　laughed；　suddenly　feeling　young　and　strong。　She　was　right。　He　hadn't　felt　like　this　in　a　long　time；　maybe　twenty　years。　He　felt　the　warmth　return　to　his　loins。　He　got　up；　letting　the　towel　fall　to　the　floor。
　She　laughed。　〃You're　younger　than　I　thought。　Look；　its　midnight。〃
　〃So？〃　He　stared　at　her。
　〃The　deal　was　two　bills　till　midnight；〃　she　said。　〃You're　all　paid　up。　It's　three　bills　from　here　till　morning。　But　that　includes　breakfast。〃
　He　laughed。　〃You're　worse　than　MCA。　O。K。；　it's　a　deal。〃
　She　smiled　and　got　to　her　feet。　〃e　on。〃
　He　followed　her　into　a　large　bathroom　with　a　giant　square　marble　tub　sunken　into　the　floor。　There　was　a　rubbing　table　against　the　wall　under　the　window。　She　gestured　to　it。　〃Get　up　there。'
　He　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　table　and　watched　her　open　the　medicine　cabinet。　She　took　down　a　safety　razor；　a　tube　of　shaving　cream　and　a　brush。　She　filled　a　tumbler　with　water　and　soaked　a　washcloth　under　the　tap。　These　she　placed　on　the　edge　of　the　sink　near　the　table。　〃Lie　down；〃　she　said；　dipping　the　brush　into　the　tumbler　and　working　up　a　lather　with　the　cream。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　〃What　does　it　look　like？〃　she　asked。　〃I'm　going　to　shave　you。〃
　〃I　shaved　this　evening。〃
　She　laughed。　〃Not　your　face；　stupid。〃　She　reached　out　a　hand　and　pressed　him　back　onto　the　table。　〃I　want　to　see　what　you　look　like　underneath　all　that　fur。〃
　〃But…　〃
　〃Lie　still；〃　she　said　fiercely；　already　beginning　to　brush　the　lather　on　his　chest。　〃I　won't　cut　you。　I　used　to　do　this　all　the　time　when　I　worked　in　the　hospital。〃
　The　lather　was　oddly　soothing。　〃You　worked　in　a　hospital？〃
　She　nodded。　〃I　graduated　from　nursing　school　when　I　was　twenty；〃　she　said。　〃Cum　laude；　too。〃
　〃Why'd　you　leave　it？〃
　He　scarcely　felt　the　razor　moving　over　his　body。　She　turned　to　rinse　it　under　the　tap。　〃Sixty…five　a　month；　eighteen　hours　a　day；〃　she　said；　turning　back　to　him。　She　began　to　lather　the　other　side　of　his　chest。　〃And　too　many　jokers　thinking　it　was　free。〃
　He　laughed　as　the　razor　glided　across　his　stomach。　〃That　tickles。〃
　She　rinsed　the　razor　again。　〃Turn　over；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　to　do　your　back　and　shoulders。〃
　He　rolled　over　on　his　stomach　and　rested　his　face　on　his　arms。　The　faint　menthol　smell　of　the　lather　came　up　into　his　nostrils。　He　felt　the　razor　moving　quickly　over　him。　He　closed　his　eyes。
　She　tapped　him　on　the　shoulders　and　he　opened　his　eyes。　She　reached　into　the　cabinet　and　took　out　a　bar　of　soap。　Breaking　off　the　wrapping；　she　handed　it　to　him。　〃Now　take　a　hot　shower　and　scrub　yourself　clean。〃
　The　water　shot　down　at　him　in　a　needle　spray；　filling　the　stall　with　steam　and　the　scent　of　jasmine　from　the　soap。　He　could　feel　his　skin　beginning　to　tingle　and　glow。　When　he　came　out；　his　face　was　ruddy　and　smiling。
　She　held　a　large　bath　sheet　toward　him。　〃Dry　yourself　and　get　back　on　the　table。〃
　He　toweled　himself　quickly　and　stretched　out。　She　took　a　small　hand　vibrator　from　the　cabinet　and　plugged　it　into　the　socket。　She　began　to　massage　him　slowly。　The　buzzing　sound　of　the　vibrator　seemed　to　stretch　and　loosen　the　muscles　in　his　body。　〃This　is　better　than　a　Turkish　bath；〃　he　said。
　〃This　is　a　Turkish　bath；〃　she　said　dryly；　then　switched　off　the　vibrator　and　threw　the　towel　over　him。　〃Now；　you　just　lie　there　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　He　watched　as　she　leaned　over　the　marble　tub　and　turned　on　the　water。　She　tested　it　carefully　until　it　was　just　the　temperature　she　wanted；　then　let　it　run。　When　the　water　had　risen　about　four　inches　up　the　side　of　the　tub；　she　turned　it　off。　〃O。K。；〃　she　said。　〃Get　up。〃
　He　sat　up；　the　towel　falling　behind　him。　〃You　know；〃　she　said；　〃you　don't　look　half　bad　with　all　that　hair　off。〃　She　kicked　the　bathroom　door　closed；　revealing　a　full…length　mirror　on　the　back。
　He　looked　into　the　mirror　and　a　smile　broke　over　his　lips。　She　was　right。　Suddenly；　he　looked　twenty　years　younger。　His　body　was　clean　and　white　under　all　that　hair。　He　even　felt　slimmer。
　She　smiled　at　him　in　the　mirror。　〃Enough　narcissism；〃　she　said。　〃Get　into　the　tub。〃
　He　sat　down　in　the　water。　It　was　just　slightly　warmer　than　body　temperature。　〃Stretch　out。　I'll　be　right　back。〃
　He　leaned　back　in　the　tub　and　in　a　moment；　she　came　back　into　the　bathroom。　In　one　hand　she　carried　a　magnum　bottle　of　champagne；　in　the　other　a　small　vial。　She　put　the　champagne　on　the　floor；　opened　the　vial　and　let　a　few　drops　from　it　fall　into　the　water。　The　heavy　scent　of　jasmine　immediately　filled　the　room。　She　put　the　vial　back　on　the　basin　and　picked　up　the　champagne　bottle。
　Expertly　she　ripped　the　foil　and　sprung　the　wire　from　around　the　cork。　The　cork　popped　and　the　champagne　flowed　over　her　fingers。　〃You　forgot　the　glasses；〃　he　said；　watching　her。
　〃Don't　be　silly。　Only　fools　drink　this　stuff。　This　is　for　the　tub。　It's　better　than　bubble　bath。〃　She　began　to　empty　the　bottle　into　the　water　around　him。
　The　wine　fizzed　and　tickled　his　skin　with　a　refreshing　sensation。　She　put　the　empty　bottle　on　the　floor　and　took　a　cigarette　box　from　the　cabinet。　Opening　it；　she　took　out　a　cigarette　and　lit　it。　He　smelled　the　dull；　acrid　pungency　of　marijuana。
　She　dragged　once　on　the　cigarette　and　held　it　toward　him。　〃Here；〃　she　said。　〃Two　puffs。　No　more。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃No；　thanks。　I　don't　go　for　that　stuff。〃
　〃Don't　give　me　a　hard　time；〃　she　said。　〃I　only　want　to　slow　you　down　a　little。〃
　He　t