ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第41节

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　Though　defeated；　caught　unawares；　Eustace　Swayne　had　watched　admiringly。　He　nodded；　as　if　to　confirm　his　own　judgment。
　〃Joe；〃　he　said；　〃there's　no　doubt　of　it…you're　as　good　a　man　as　ever！〃
　
　The　music　stopped；　and　the　couples　on　the　dance　floor　of　the　small　but　fashionable　supper　club…one　of　the　few　which　existed　in　Burlington…began　drifting　back　to　their　tables。
　〃Tell　me　what　you　were　thinking　then；〃　Denise　Quantz　said。　She　smiled　at　Kent　O'Donnell　across　the　small　black…topped　table　which　divided　them。
　〃Frankly；　I　was　thinking　how　pleasant　it　would　be　to　do　this　again。〃
　Very　slightly　she　raised　the　glass　she　was　holding。　It　held　the　last　of　her　second　old…fashioned。　〃To　more　thoughts　of　the　same　kind。〃
　〃I'll　drink　to　that。〃　He　finished　his　own　scotch　and　soda；　then　signaled　a　waiter　to　repeat　their　order。　〃Shall　we　dance？〃　The　music　had　begun　again。
　〃I'd　love　to。〃　She　rose；　turning　half　toward　him　as　he　followed　her　to　the　small；　dimly　lighted　dance　floor。　He　held　out　his　arms　and　she　moved　into　them。　They　danced　close　together。　O'Donnell　had　never　been　an　expert　dancer；　medicine　had　left　him　too　little　time　to　bee　acplished。　But　Denise　Quantz　matched　every　movement　to　his　own。　As　the　minutes　went　by　he　could　feel　her　body…tall；　willowy…moving　obediently；　anticipating　the　music　and　his　own　motion。　Once　her　hair　brushed　lightly　against　his　face；　it　brought　with　it　a　breath　of　the　same　perfume　he　had　noticed　at　their　first　meeting。
　The　five…piece　orchestra；　unobtrusive；　its　arrangements　carefully　attuned　to　the　intimate　setting；　was　playing　a　popular　ballad　of　several　years　before。
　See　the　Pyramids　along　the　Nile；
　Watch　the　sunrise　on　a　tropic　isle；
　Just　remember；　darling…all　the　while
　You　belong　to　me。
　For　a　moment　he　had　a　sense　of　borrowed　time；　of　existing　in　a　vacuum；　insulated；　away　from　medicine；　Three　Counties；　all　the　other　things　he　lived　with　daily。　Then　the　music　changed　to　a　faster　tempo；　and　he　smiled　at　himself　for　sentimentality。
　As　they　danced　he　asked；　〃Do　you　e　here　often…to　Burlington；　I　mean？〃
　〃Not　really；〃　she　answered。　〃Occasionally；　to　see　my　father；　but　that's　all。　Frankly　it's　a　city　I　dislike。〃　Then　laughingly；　〃I　hope　I'm　not　offending　your　civic　pride。〃
　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I've　no　strong　views　one　way　or　the　other。　But　weren't　you　born　here？〃　He　added；　〃Denise…if　I　may。〃
　〃Of　course。　Don't　let's　be　formal。〃　She　looked　at　him　directly　and　flashed　a　smile。　Answering　his　question；　〃Yes；　I　was　born　here；〃　she　said。　〃I　went　to　school　and　lived　at　home。　My　mother　was　alive　then。〃
　〃Then　why　New　York…now？〃
　〃I　think　I'm　a　New　Yorker　by　instinct。　Besides；　my　husband　lived　there；　he　still　does。〃　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　mentioned　her　marriage。　She　did　it　now；　easily　and　unself…consciously。　〃After　we　separated　I　found　I'd　never　want　to　leave。　There's　no　other　city　quite　like　it。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　suppose　that's　true。〃　He　was　thinking　again　how　beautiful　this　woman　was。　She　had　a　posure；　a　lack　of　artifice；　that　younger　women　could　rarely　attain。　But　nothing　of　her　suggested　a　retreat　from　femininity；　rather　the　reverse。　To　Kent　O'Donnell；　holding　her　now；　her　body　moving　evenly　against　his　own；　she　seemed　infinitely　desirable。　He　suspected　she　could　be　extremely　sensual。
　Deliberately　he　switched　his　thoughts　away。　This　was　premature。　He　noticed　again；　as　he　had　earlier；　the　gown　she　had　on　tonight。　Worn　off…shoulder；　it　was　a　brilliant　scarlet；　of　rich　peau　de　soie；　curved　closely　around　her　figure　and　falling　into　fullness　only　below　the　hips。　At　one　and　the　same　time　the　effect　was　dramatic；　discreet；　expensive。
　It　was　a　reminder　of　another　thought　that　had　occurred　to　him　this　evening　for　the　first　time…the　fact　that　Denise　was　obviously　a　rich　woman。　They　had　arrived　at　the　Regency　Room　almost　together。　He　had　parked　his　own　car　and　walked　to　the　night　club's　street　entrance　when　a　gleaming　Cadillac　had　pulled　up；　a　uniformed　chauffeur　hurrying　around　to　open　the　door　for　Denise　to　alight。　They　had　greeted　each　other；　then　she　had　turned　to　the　chauffeur；　now　standing　discreetly　in　the　background。　〃Thank　you；　Tom。　I　don't　think　you　need　e　back。　I　expect　Dr。　O'Donnell　will　drive　me　home。〃
　The　man　had　answered　courteously；　〃Thank　you；　madam；〃　then　to　O'Donnell；　〃Good　night；　sir；〃　and　had　driven　off。
　Of　course；　if　he　had　thought　about　it；　O'Donnell　would　have　realized　that　the　daughter　of　Eustace　Swayne　was　obviously　an　heiress。　Not　that　the　realization　concerned　him　greatly；　his　own　ine　nowadays　was　ample　for　a　fortable　life　and　more　besides。　Nevertheless；　a　really　rich　woman　was　something　new　in　his　personal　experience。　Again　he　found　his　mind　framing　the　parison　between　Denise　and　Lucy　Grainger。
　With　a　modest　crescendo　the　orchestra　ended　the　group　of　selections。　O'Donnell　and　Denise　applauded　briefly；　then　moved　from　the　dance　floor。　Taking　her　arm　lightly；　he　steered　her　to　their　table。　A　waiter　was　hovering；　he　held　out　their　chairs　and　served　the　drinks　O'Donnell　had　ordered。
　Sipping　the　fresh　old…fashioned；　Denise　said；　〃We　talked　about　me。　Now　tell　me　about　you。〃
　He　poured　more　soda　into　his　scotch。　He　liked　the　liquor　well　diluted…a　practice　most　waiters　seemed　to　abhor。　〃It's　pretty　routine　stuff。〃
　〃I'm　a　pretty　good　listener；　Kent。〃　Denise　was　speaking　with　half　her　mind。　The　other　half　was　thinking：　This　is　a　man…all　man！　Her　eyes　took　in　the　big　frame；　broad　shoulders；　the　strong　face。　She　wondered　if　he　would　kiss　her　tonight　and　what　it　might　lead　to　later。　She　decided　there　were　interesting　possibilities　in　Dr。　Kent　O'Donnell。
　O'Donnell　told　her　about　Three　Counties；　his　work　there；　and　what　he　hoped　to　do。　She　asked　him　questions　about　the　past；　his　experiences；　people　he　had　known…admiring　all　the　while　the　depth　of　thought　and　feeling　which　came　through　everything　he　said。
　They　danced　again；　the　waiter　replaced　their　drinks；　they　talked；　they　danced；　the　waiter　returned；　the　sequence　was　repeated。　Denise　told　him　about　her　marriage；　it　had　taken　place　eighteen　years　ago；　had　lasted　ten。　Her　husband　was　a　corporation　lawyer　with　a　busy　practice　in　New　York。　There　were　two　children…twins；　Alex　and　Philippa…who　had　remained　in　Denise's　custody；　in　a　few　weeks　the　children　would　be　seventeen。
　〃My　husband　is　a　perfectly　rational　being；〃　she　said。　〃It's　simply　that　we　were　quite　inpatible　and　wasted　a　lot　of　time　ing　to　an　obvious　conclusion。〃
　〃Do　you　ever　see　him　now？〃
　〃Oh；　often。　At　parties　and　around　town。　Occasionally　we　meet　for　lunch。　In　some　ways　Geoffrey　is　quite　delightful。　I'm　sure　you'd　like　him。〃
　Both　of　them　were　talking　more　freely　now。　Without　waiting　to　be　told；　the　waiter　put　fresh　drinks　in　front　of　them。　O'Donnell　asked　her　about　divorce；　was　there　some　barrier　toil？
　〃Not　really。〃　She　answered　frankly。　〃Geoffrey　is　quite　willing　to　divorce　me　but　insists　that　I　supply　the　evidence。　In　the　state　of　New　York；　you　know；　it　has　to　be　adultery。　So　far　I　haven't　got　around　to　it。〃
　〃Has　your　husband　never　wanted　to　remarry？〃
　She　seemed　surprised；　〃Geoffrey？　I　don't　imagine　so。　In　any　case；　he's　married　to　the　law。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　Denise　twirled　the　stem　of　her　glass。　〃Geoffrey　always　considered　that　bed　was　a　good　place　in　which　to　read　his　legal　briefs。〃　She　said　it　softly；　almost　with　intimacy。　O'Donnell　sensed　a　hint　of　why　the　marriage　had　failed。　He　found　the　thought　exciting。
　The　waiter　was　at　his　elbow。　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　the　bar　is　closing　in　a　few　minutes。　Do　you　wish　to　order　now？〃
　Surprised；　O'Donnell　glanced　at　his　watch。　It　was　almost　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。　Though　it　seemed　much　less；　they　had　been　together　for　three　and　a　half　hours。　He　glanced　at　Denise；　she　shook　her　head。
　He　told　the　waiter；　〃No；　thank　you；〃　and　paid　the　check　the　man　presented。　They　finished　their　drinks　and　prepared　to　go。　The　waiter　offered　a　friendly　〃Good　night〃；　the　tip　had　been　generous。　O'Donnell　had　a　sense　of　fort　and　well…being。
　In　the　foyer　he　waited　for　Denise　while　an　attendant　went　to　the　parking　lot　for　his　car。　When　she　came　she　took　his　arm。　〃It's　such　a　shame　to　go。　I　almost　wish　we'd　had　that　last　drink　after　all。〃
　He　had　hesitated；　then　said　lightly；　tentatively；　〃We　could　stop　at　my　apartment　if　you　like。　I　have　a　well…stocked　bar；　and　it's　on　the　way。〃
　For　an　instant　he　feared　he　had　been　unwise。　He　thought　he　detected　a　sudden　coolness；　a　hint　of　pained　surprise。　Then　it　was　gone。　She　said　simply；　〃Why　don't　we　do　that？〃
　Outside　the　Buick　was　waiting；　the　doors　held　open；　the　motor　running。　Going　across　town；　he　drove　carefully；　more　slowly　then　usual；　aware　he　had　had　a　good　deal　to　drink。　It　was　a　warm　night　and　the　car　windows　were　down。　From　the　other　side　of　the　front　seat　he　caught　a　subtle　breath　of　perfume　once　again。　At　his　apartment　he　parked　the　car　on　the　street　and　they　went　up　in　the　elevator。
　When　he　had　mixed　drinks　he　took　them　across　and　gave　the　old…fashioned　to　Denise。　She　was　standing　by　an　open　window　in　the　living　room；　looking　out　at　the　lights　of　Burlington　below。　The　river　which　ran　through　the　city　cut　a　deep　swath　of　darkness　between　both　its　banks。
　Standing　beside　her；　he　said　quietly；　〃It's　been　a　while　since　I　mi