hr.thecarpetbaggers-第77部分
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e had walked into the solarium。 He remembered the sound the water had made in the fountain as he became aware of Rina； lying nude on the table； being given a massage by Ilene。
Ilene was nude to the waist； her lower half enclosed in the tight…fitting black trousers she usually wore。 He noticed the stringy muscles working along her back as her hands moved gently over Rina's body。
Rina had one arm thrown over her face to shield her eyes from the sun。 Her body writhed sensuously under Ilene's touch。 When they became aware of his presence； Rina lifted her arm。 He felt a vague surprise at the straight flatness of Ilene's chest。 〃Don't stop； darling；〃 Rina said huskily to Ilene。
Obediently Ilene began to massage again。 The sensuous rhythm seemed to return to Rina's body as she lay there； her head turned to the side； watching him。 After a moment； she put her arms up and drew Ilene's head down to her hips； 〃Kiss me； lover；〃 she manded； her eyes still watching Claude。
He turned suddenly and fled from the room； the sound of her mocking laughter； mixed with the sound of the water from the fountain； echoing in his ears。
Remembering； he lifted his hands to his face。 It was bathed in perspiration。 His clothing clung to him stickily。 His skin began to feel crawly。 He decided to take a shower。
The hot needle spray of the shower began to relax him。 It seemed to bring the inner warmth of the whisky to the surface of his skin。 Luxuriously he lathered himself with the delicately scented soap his mother ordered from London especially for him。
He stepped out of the shower； rubbing himself vigorously。 He looked down with satisfaction at his pink； tingling skin。 He liked being clean。 He looked for his robe； but it wasn't on its usual hook。 〃Would you get the blue robe from the closet for me； please；〃 he called automatically； without thinking。
He took the bottle of cologne down from the shelf and sprinkled it lavishly into his hand； then began to rub himself down。 Some instinct caused him to look up into the mirror。 The boy was standing in the open door； watching him。 The robe was thrown over his arm。 He had taken off his yellow jacket； revealing a dirty white T…shirt。
Claude saw the thick black hair that sprouted wildly from the young man's arms； shoulders and chest。 A feeling of distaste ran through him。 〃You can leave it on the chair；〃 he said； covering himself partly with the towel。
Instead； the boy grinned knowingly at him and came into the bathroom； kicking the door shut behind him with his foot。
Claude turned around angrily。 〃Get out of here！〃
The young man didn't move。 His smile grew even broader。 〃Aw； e off it； old man；〃 he said。 〃You didn't really bring me up here to help you with your packing； did you？〃
〃Get out or I'll call for help；〃 Claude said； feeling a strangely exciting fear。
The boy laughed。 〃Who'll hear？〃 he asked。 〃I was wise to you the minute you told me the servants were off。〃
〃You horrible thing！〃 Claude screamed。 He felt a stunning blow on the side of his head and he fell sprawling。 He pulled himself to his hands and knees。 〃Please go；〃 he whispered； his voice breaking。
The young man raised his hand threateningly。 Instinctively Claude shrank back but he wasn't quick enough。 The open palm cracked smartly across the side of his face； knocking his head sideways against the toilet bowl。 He stared up at the boy with frightened eyes。
〃You don't really want me to go； do you？〃 the young man said； his hand tugging at the black leather belt around his waist。 〃You're the kind that likes to get roughed up a little first。〃
〃I am not！〃
〃No？〃 The boy laughed derisively； raising the belt。 〃Don't crap me； I can see。〃
For a fraction of a moment； Claude did not know what he meant； then he looked down at himself。 A crazy thought went racing through his mind。 If Rina could only see him now； she would know he was a man。
The belt cut down across his back； sending a thin shiver of agony down his spine。 〃That's enough！〃 he whimpered。 〃Please don't hit me any more！〃
He raised himself wearily from the floor and looked out into the bedroom。 The boy was gone； taking with him all the money Claude had had with him。 Slowly he got into the shower again and turned on the hot water。
He felt his strength returning as the water soaked into his skin。 What a horrible thing to have happen； he thought； remembering all the indignities the young man had subjected him to。 A warm feeling of satisfaction came to him。 If he had been the stronger； he would have shown him。 He felt the excitement begin to beat inside his chest as he thought how he would have torn the belt from the young man's hand and beaten him with it until he bled。 He felt the sudden surge of power to his loins。
It was precisely at that moment that the truth came to him。 〃Oh； no！〃 He cried aloud in shock at the realization。 What everyone had said about him was true。 It was only he who had been blind to it until his own body betrayed him。
A dazed kind of anger came over him。 Leaving the water running； he stepped from the shower stall。 He opened the medicine cabinet and took down the old…fashioned straight razor that he had used ever since he began to shave … the razor that had stood proudly for him as a symbol of his manhood。
A wild； crazy kind of anger rolled blindly over him as he slashed viciously at himself。 If he was not to be a man； at least he could turn himself into a woman。 Again and again； he slashed at himself。 Until at last； his strength gone； he collapsed onto the floor。
〃Damn you！〃 he cried。 〃Damn you； Mother！〃
They were the last words he ever said。
20
DAVID WOOLF STOOD IN THE DOORWAY OF THE BATHROOM； NAUSEA RISING IN THE PIT OF HIS STOMACH。 There was blood everywhere； on the white…and…blue tiles of the floor and walls； along the sides of the white bathtub； sink and toilet bowl。
It was hard to believe that it was only thirty minutes ago that the door of his office had burst open to reveal his uncle； his face flushed and purple； as it always was whenever he was upset。 〃Get right over to Rina Marlowe's house；〃 Bernie Norman said。 〃One of the boys in publicity just got a tip from the Beverly Hills police station that Dunbar mitted suicide。〃
David was already on his way to the door。
〃Make sure she's protected！〃 the old man called after him。 〃Two million dollars in unreleased negatives we got on her！〃
He picked up Harry Richards； chief of the studio guards； at the gate on the way out。 Richards； a former police sergeant； was in good with all the cops。 He took the short cut over the back roads through Coldwater Canyon to Sunset。 He was at Rina's house in twenty minutes。
Now the two white…jacketed mortuary attendants were lifting Dunbar's somehow shrunken body into the small； basket…like stretcher and covering it with a white canvas sheet。
The attendants picked up the stretcher and David moved aside to let them pass。 He lit a cigarette as they carried the body through the bedroom and out into the corridor。 The first acrid taste of smoke settled his stomach。 A faint screaming came from the downstairs foyer and he started hurriedly for the door； wondering if somehow Rina had got away from the doctor。 But when he got to the head of the staircase； he saw that it wasn't Rina at all。 It was Dunbar's mother。
She was struggling to free herself from the grasp of two red…faced policemen as the white…covered stretcher went by。 〃My baby！〃 she screamed。 〃Let me see my baby！〃 The attendants moved impassively past her and out the door。 David could see the crowd of reporters outside； pressing against the door as it opened and closed。 He started down the staircase； hearing the old woman begin to scream again。
She had pulled herself partly free of one of the policemen and with one hand she held onto the railing of the staircase。 〃You murdered my son； you bitch！〃 The high…pitched voice seemed to fill the whole house。 〃You killed him because you found out he was ing back to me！〃 The old woman had her other hand free now。 She seemed to be trying to pull herself up the stairs。
〃Get that crazy old woman out of here！〃 David turned； startled at the harsh voice that came from the top of the stairway behind hi
