cw.blackalibi-第22节

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　　〃Have　we　met　before？〃　Clo…Clo　asked　with　polite　uncertainty。
　　〃Have　we　met　before！〃　he　scowled。　〃You　were　ing　back　in　five　minutes；　and　I　sat　up　there　alone　waiting　for　you　all　the　rest　of　the　night；　like　a　fool！　The　whole　hotel　staff　was　laughing　at　me　behind　their　hands；　when　I　had　to　walk　out　in　front　of　them　by　myself　the　next　morning！〃
　　Clo…Clo　shoveled　her　hands　ingenuously　toward　him。　〃I　couldn't　find　the　room　again；　when　I　tried　to　get　back　to　you。　There　were　so　many　halls　and　turns；　I　got　lost。　Was　it　my　fault？〃
　　〃You　know　what　you　are？　You're　a　cheat。　A　false　alarm。〃
　　She　touched　the　underside　of　his　chin　lightly　with　one　finger。　〃Don't　be　sore。　Look　at　all　the　fun　you'd　already　had　out　of　me　by　then；　anyway。　You　told　me　so　yourself。　You　shouldn't　be　a　hog。〃
　　〃I　wasn't　out　for　fun；〃　he　let　her　know　aggrievedly。　He　reached。　〃C'mere；　you。　I've　got　something　ing　to　me。〃
　　Clo…Clo　did　the　back…step　again。　〃No　you　haven't；〃　she　laughed。　〃That　was　then；　this　is　now。　No　long…term　credit　extended。〃　She　shifted　around　to　the　opposite　side　of　an　octagonal　advertisement　kiosk；　saw　to　it　that　it　stayed　between　them。
　　〃C'mere；　or　I'll　e　over　there　and　get　you。　You're　ing　with　me　if　I　have　to　drag　you　by　the　back　of　the　neck。〃
　　She　just　laughed；　flirted　her　handbag　out　toward　him　at　the　end　of　its　strap。
　　He　saw　that　threatening　wouldn't　work；　he　tried　bribery。　〃C'mere；　he　coaxed；　〃I'll　buy　you　a　drink。〃
　　She　made　a　face　at　him。　〃I've　just　had　a　drink。〃　Return　engagements；　she　knew　by　long　experience；　were　no　good。　Never　any　good。　Not　with　her；　anyway。　There　was　always　a　redoubled　vigilance　on　the　part　of　the　investor；　remembering　how　he　had　been　given　the　slip　the　first　time；　and　she　found　it　twice　as　hard　to　get　away。　Fool　them　once　and　then　stay　away　from　them　was　the　best　policy。
　　He　held　out　both　hands　toward　her；　appealingly。　〃Ah；　e　on；　won't　you？　I　like　you。　I　can't　help　it；　moma；　there's　something　about　you　that's　gotten　to　me。　You're　so　hard　to　pin　down。　First　you're　here；　and　then　you're　not　here。〃
　　〃Isn't　it　the　truth；　though？〃　she　laughed。　〃And　now　take　a　good　look；　I'm　not　here。〃
　　She　glanced　back　once；　a　wholly　precautionary　measure　to　make　sure　that　he　wouldn't　rush　after　her　and　try　to　take　her　by　surprise；　and　he　was　still　standing　there　forlornly　where　she'd　left　him；　in　the　middle　of　the　sidewalk。　Looking　after　her　sort　of　wistfully；　as　though　hoping　she'd　change　her　mind。　She　really　must　have　made　an　impression　on　him；　she　reflected　indifferently。　As　for　her；　she　already　couldn't　have　told　what　he'd　looked　like　very　precisely；　although　she'd　just　left　him。
　　She　took　a　look　into　the　Select　from　the　outside　first。　It　was　a　little　bit　slow　tonight　in　there；　for　some　reason；　so　she　decided　on　the　Tabarin　instead。　It　always　paid　to　reconnoiter　first。　After　all；　even　the　best　of　places　had　its　off…nights；　and　once　you'd　sunk　your　own　twenty　centavos　into　a　grenadine；　you　couldn't　get　it　back　again。
　　The　Tabarin　was　brimming　over。　She　retouched　herself　at　a　mirror　panel　in　the　lobby　and　went　sauntering　in。
　　You　couldn't　demand　a　cut　in　these　swell　places。　You　had　to　be　glad　if　they'd　let　you　in　at　all。
　　The　barman　looked　her　over；　got　her　immediately。　〃Take　the　one　on　the　end；〃　he　said；　just　as　she　was　about　to　e　to　rest　on　one　of　the　coral　leather　stools。　〃I　want　the　middle　left　clear　for　paying　customers。〃
　　She　shifted　acquiescently；　at　the　same　time　letting　him　know　pertly：　〃Don't　let　it　worry　you；　I　don't　expect　to　be　on　it　very　long。〃
　　An　unacpanied；　rather　insipid…looking　youth　with　a　needle…pointed　mustache　came　up　the　steps　out　of　the　dancing　room；　stood　up　to　the　bar；　and　gulped　a　quick　drink　between　pieces　without　taking　the　time　to　sit　down。
　　He　felt　the　eye　flash　and　turned　to　look　at　her；　glass　in　hand。　She　smiled；　blew　a　slender　wand　of　smoke　at　his　face。　It　didn't　reach；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　her　aim；　she'd　pointed　it　with　her　mouth。　He　must　have　had　someone　waiting　for　him　in　there。　He　turned　away　again　as　though　he　hadn't　seen　her；　just　a　trifle　more　priggishly　than　was　necessary。　He　threw　down　a　coin；　went　back　again；　just　as　the　next　tango　got　under　way。
　　The　barman　cautioned　her；　as　soon　as　he'd　gone；　〃Now　listen；　nothing　too　raw；　understand？　Leave　off　this　smoke…ring　stuff。　Watch　your　manners。〃
　　〃How　much　are　you　charging　to　give　lessons　in　deportment？〃　she　asked　wearily。　〃Who　dolls　the　place　up　more；　me　or　that　dead…fish　face　you　frighten　them　away　from　your　bar　with？〃
　　〃There　are　worse　faces　than　mine；〃　he　grunted。
　　〃You've　been　looking　at　people　upside　down。〃　It　wasn't　really　a　wrangle；　they　understood　one　another　too　well。　Just　idle　repartee　while　they　were　both　killing　time。
　　She　would　have　gone　back　to　the　Select　after　all；　only　she'd　already　invested　her　twenty…five　centavos　here　and　she　was　going　to　cash　in　on　it。
　　Somebody　else　came　up　the　steps　from　the　lower　level；　presently。　This　time　it　was　a　somewhat　portly；　dignified…looking　gentleman　of　uncertain　years；　whose　florid　mustache　was　just　beginning　to　whiten　at　the　tips。　He　carried　himself　erect　enough；　and　his　skin　had　a　healthy　coppery　tint　to　it；　as　though　he　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　in　the　open；　but　just　now　he　wore　a　harassed　expression；　as　though　he　had　been　greatly　bored；　was　wishing　he　was　anyplace　but　here。　He　threw　away　the　mangled　remnants　of　a　cigar　and　stepped　up　to　the　bar。
　　〃Could　you　tell　me…〃　Then　he　became　aware　of　Clo…Clo；　muffled　the　rest　of　it。
　　The　barman　said；　〃Where　that　page　is　standing；　seсor。〃
　　Just　before　the　door　closed　after　him　he　took　another　brief　look　at　her。　The　page　turned　and　entered　after　him；　probably　to　be　on　hand　in　case　he　required　a　whisk　broom　or　hairbrush。
　　He　emerged　and　headed　back　toward　the　dancing　room；　but　not　without　throwing　still　one　more　quick　look　in　her　direction。
　　〃Technique　a　little　rusty；〃　Clo…Clo　thought　with　a　chuckle。　〃Probably　has　had　a　wife　since　the　last　time　he　tried　it。〃
　　She　put　Out　her　cigarette；　got　up；　sauntered　over　to　the　page；　drink　in　hand。　The　barman　looked　like　the　kind　that　would　empty　it　out　on　you　behind　your　back；　if　you　left　it　unguarded；　to　get　you　out　of　the　place。
　　〃How'd　you　do　just　now？〃　she　inquired　with　ready　camaraderie。
　　The　boy's　eyes　rounded　enthusiastically。　〃A　whole　solid　peso　for　doing　nothing！　He　just　looked　at　himself　in　the　glass；　asked　if　I　knew　who　you　were；　and　asked　me　about　how　old　I　would　take　him　to　be！〃
　　〃Ricardo；　you're　on　duty；〃　the　barman　warned　disapprovingly。
　　〃So　am　I…from　now　on；〃　Clo…Clo　said　to　herself；　drifting　back　to　her　original　perch　again。　She'd　found　out　all　she　wanted　to　know。
　　She　gambled　on　it　and　waited　patiently；　although　if　she　had　turned　out　to　be　wrong；　the　time　wastage　would　have　been　irretrievable。　But　she　was　usually　right；　and　she　turned　out　to　be　this　time　too。　Two　tangos　later　he　had　e　back　again。
　　He　advanced　halfway　to　the　bar；　took　a　good　hard　look　at　her；　then　made　an　abrupt　turn　and　went　in　the　same　doorway　as　previously。
　　〃He　didn't　e　back　here　to　go　in　there；　he　came　back　to　see　if　I　was　still　out　here；〃　she　told　herself　knowingly。
　　She　snapped　her　fingers　authoritatively　to　the　barman；　to　show　she　was　on　the　warpath；　not　idling　any　more。　〃Put　a　little　more　water　in　this。〃　She　wanted　to　dilute　the　grenadine　dye　as　much　as　possible。
　　He　handed　it　back　to　her　with　a　lethal　scowl。　〃What're　you　trying　to　do；　make　it　last　over　the　week　end？〃　He　didn't　guess　what　she　was　up　to；　or　he　would　probably　have　frustrated　her　intentions　by　purposely　delaying　to　return　the　denatured　drink　to　her。
　　As　it　was；　she　got　over　to　the　door；　glass　in　hand；　just　a　bare　second　before　it　reopened。　She　was　standing　there　saying　something　to　the　page　as　her　quarry　sought　to　pass　in　back　of　her。　He　would　have　made　it　without　grazing　her；　but　she　moved　her　elbow　back　into　him　as　he　tried　to。　The　elbow　of　the　hand　holding　the　drink。　The　glass　turned　neatly　and　the　grenadine…water　went　down　the　side　of　her　dress。
　　She　let　him　show　all　the　dismay。　He　showed　enough　for　two。　She　was　good…natured　about　it。　He　flung　out　a　handkerchief；　dipped　one　knee；　and　patted　at　it　all　the　way　down。
　　〃Things　like　that　will　happen。　I　assure　you　it's　nothing；　seсor。　It's　my　fault；　I　shouldn't　have　been　in　the　way。〃
　　〃You　must　e　over　here　and　at　least　let　me　buy　you　another　one。〃
　　She　shook　her　head　with　sad　indifference。　〃It's　not　much　fun　drinking　alone。〃
　　He　glanced　out　toward　the　dancing　room。　〃I…I'll　sit　with　you　for　a　minute。　My　family's　in　there；　and　I　have　to　get　back。〃
　　He　was　taking　an　awful　chance；　in　Clo…Clo's　opinion；　but　that　was　his　lookout；　not　her　own。　She　settled　herself　demurely　beside　him；　on　the　same　stool　as　before。
　　〃Champagne　for　the　seсorita。　Pol　Roget。〃
　　The　barman　was　all　smiles　for　her　now。　He　even　scraped；　trotted　out　the　two　French　words　he　knew；　reserved　only　for　champagne　buyers。　〃Monsou。　Madamasella。〃
　　〃To　a　lucky　accident。〃
　　〃To　a　delightful　accident；〃　Clo…Clo　improved　on　it。
　　They　became　acquainted　by　leaps　and　bounds。　He　began　to　smile　more　and　more　often。　The　smiles　became　grins。　The　grins　became　gust