lrh.fortuneoffear-第36节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　〃I　wanted　to　be　sure　you　knew；〃　said　Zengin。　〃You　see；　this　pulls　down　the　amount　of　money　I　can　invest　from　the　sums　you　left　me　and　if　it　keeps　up；　it　will　reduce　the　allowance。　In　fact；　it　already　has。　And　I　can　only　authorize　eight　hundred　thousand　this　week　to　protect　your　capital　here。　Unless　of　course；　you　wish　to　drive　up　and　give　me　further　money；　which　I　don't　advise。〃
　　　〃（Bleep）；　（bleep）；　（bleep）；　（bleep）；　（bleep）　that　Krak！〃　I　inadvertently　said　aloud。
　　　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　said　Zengin。
　　　〃It's　just　that　I'm　mad　at　the　concubine；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Well；　I　would　advise　you　to　really　get　onto　her　about　it；〃　said　Zengin。
　　　I　couldn't。　And　if　I　went　to　Istanbul　I　would　miss　a　night　of　ecstasy。　And　I　could　see　Zengin　pulling　down　my　deposit　box　to　grains　of　dust。
　　　〃Authorize　the　eight　hundred　thousand；〃　I　snarled。　I　handed　the　phone　to　the　manager　and　Zengin　did。
　　　I　went　home　with　my　slightly　lesser　bale　of　lira。　I　put　it　in　the　safe。　It　was　only　four　days'　worth。
　　　I　tried　to　reason　with　the　taxi　driver　when　he　came　at　six。　〃You've　got　to　get　a　cheaper　rate！〃　I　said。
　　　He　stood　there；　staring　at　me。　〃Boss；　I　know　for　a　fact　that　you　have　no　plaints　at　all。　That's　because　the　merchandise　is　such　top　quality。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃No；　I　cannot　let　you　cheapen　your　delight。〃
　　　〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃Those　first　three　girls　were　over　the　wall　about　me。　They　were　looking　through　the　back　window　when　they　drove　away。　Why　can't　you　persuade　one　of　them　to　e　back？〃
　　　〃Alas；〃　he　said；　〃that　parting　glance　you　see　is　the　look　of　forlorn；　never…never　again。　They　were　taken　back　to　their　homes。　They　have　their　dowries　now。　And　I　know　very　well　you　don't　want　to　marry　one　of　them。〃
　　　I　turned　ice…cold　at　the　very　thought　of　marriage。　It　sends　shivers　of　horror　through　me　any　time　I　hear　the　word。
　　　〃Did　you　know　that　that　first　girl　was　married　just　today？　To　a　fine　young　fellow。　And　the　second　girl　is　now　going　to　go　away　to　join　her　sweetheart　who　is　an　immigrant　worker　in　Germany。　That's　what　we're　up　against：　prior　mitments。　That's　the　only　type　I　can　get。　We　could；　however；　cut　it　down　to　once　a　week。。。。〃
　　　〃No！〃　I　shouted。　〃Never！　Here's　a　girl's　two　hundred　thousand　for　tonight。　And　get　one　who　is　less　tired　to　begin　with。　They　are　cheating　me　with　the　first　go。
　　　The　following　ones　are　okay　but　that　first　one　needs　pepping　up。〃
　　　He　rushed　off　in　a　blast　of　Citroen　smoke。
　　　And　that　night；　again　half　an　hour　late；　I　was　back　under　the　cedar　tree　with　a　sloe…eyed　creature；　dusky　in　the　dim　light　of　the　limousine。　Tired　out　at　the　start　but　gathering　energy　as　we　engaged；　she　tried　to　claw　my　eyes　out　as　we　progressed。　She　screamed　〃Allah！〃　so　loud　that　at　the　night's　end　I　hardly　heard　the　old　man's　evil　laugh。
　　　And　so　the　nights　flowed　on。　Woman　after　woman。　All　a　half　hour　late。　All　different。　All　tired　at　the　start。　All　soon　desperate　and　clawing。　All　soon　screaming　〃Allah。〃　And　all　of　them　looking　pleadingly　out　the　window　as　they　drove　away。
　　　My　calls　at　the　bank　had　to　bee　more　frequent。　The　allowance　got　reduced　to　six　hundred　and　then　to　four　hundred。　And　finally；　I　was　calling　the　bank　every　day。
　　　〃You're　eating　into　your　capital　like　a　buzz　saw；〃　Zengin　said。　〃You're　spending　one　million　four　hundred　thousand　lira　a　week　and　the　branch　manager　tells　me　you　also　have　some　local　gasoline　bills　and　other　things　you'll　have　to　pay。　That　concubine　keeps　buying　flowers　and　theater　tickets　in　New　York。　You　should　take　a　whip　to　her！〃
　　　Oh　Gods；　if　I　only　dared　take　a　whip　to　Krak！
　　　〃Let　it　eat　into　the　capital　and　be　（bleeped）　to　it；〃　I　said。　〃I　must　have　a　minimum　of　two　hundred　thousand　lira　a　night！〃
　　　〃Then；　as　your　banker；〃　he　said；　〃I　advise　you　to　e　to　Istanbul　and　open　your　box。　If　you　give　me　another　million　dollars；　I　can　get　you　an　ine　like　that　and　you　won't　be　slicing　capital　away；　which　is　the　height　of　folly。〃
　　　〃I　can't　spare　the　time！〃　I　said。
　　　He　hung　up。
　　　And　so　the　days　passed；　with；　oh；　those　lovely　nights。　A　new　woman　every　time！　Fat　and　thin；　tall　and　short；　but　all　of　them　all　woman！　At　first　every　one　seemed　totally　limp；　but　soon　enough　they　were　frantic。　All　they　ever　said　was　〃O　Allah！〃　and　〃I'm　drowning！〃　But　not　even　curious　animals　could　distract　me　from　my　duty。
　　　And　every　night；　without　exception；　when　they　were　driven　away　by　the　evilly　laughing　Ters；　they　had　the　same　beseeching　look。
　　　I　hadn't　realized　how　the　time　was　passing　until　I　saw　a　bud　on　a　shrub　one　day。　Was　it　actually　moving　into　spring？
　　　But　not　for　me。　Suddenly；　without　any　slightest　fore…hint；　my　dearest　dreams　turned　into　horror；　my　connections　disconnected　into　a　tangle　of　terror　and　my　whole　life　came　unstuck。　All　in　the　torture　of　slow　motion　like　you　see　a　proud　building　ing　down　to　land　at　last　in　a　heap　of　shuddering　rubble。
　　　Fate　had　only　been　toying　with　me。　And　with　the　planet。

PART　FORTY
Chapter　1

　　　It　was　midafternoon　where　I　was。　I　had　very　little　to　do。　I　wandered　into　my　secret　room　and　was　struck　with　the　whim　that；　like　Roman　emperors　of　old；　I　might　enjoy　the　suffering　of　those　who　were　about　to　die　in　the　arena。
　　　I　brushed　off　some　webs　from　the　blanket　covering　of　the　viewers　and　even　killed　a　spider　or　two　as　a　sort　of　hors　d'oeuvre　to　the　main　bout。　I　threw　back　the　cover　and　sat　down。
　　　For　a　moment　I　thought　I　had　gotten　the　wrong　station　or　something。　It　was　a　hall。　People　were　rushing　back　and　forth　in　mad　streams；　very　busy。　It　was　Heller's　view　of　the　world。　He　must　be　in　some　other　building。　Their　half　floor　at　the　Empire　State　had　never　had　that　much　traffic　tearing　around。　But　no；　it　was　their　floor　all　right。　A　nearby　sign　said：
　　　Wonderful　Oil　for　Maysabongo　Front　Office
　　　What　on　Earth　was　going　on？　They　didn't　ever　have　that　much　staff。　Or　did　they？
　　　He　was　now　passing　the　Telex　munication　Centrale。　It　was　pretty　jammed　up。　Machines　were　hammering　away　inside。
　　　A　man　in　white　overalls　stopped　him。　〃New　York　Telephone　pany；　Lease　Line　Crew　Chief；　Alf　Underwood〃　was　on　the　badge　Heller　looked　at。
　　　〃Hey；　you；〃　said　the　man　to　Heller；　〃you　look　like　an　executive。　We　got　an　order　here　to　run　three　more　lease　lines　from　this　floor　to　the　Chryster　Building。　We　dunno　where　you　want　the　automatic　relay　switchboard。〃
　　　Heller　looked　into　the　munications　room。　Gods；　there　was　an　operator　at　every　machine　and　they　were　working　like　crazy。　Heller　pointed　to　a　young　man　at　the　end　machine。　〃See　him；〃　he　said　to　the　crew　chief。　〃The　one　in　the　lavender　shirt。　And　if　he　can't　tell　you；　see　Mr。　Epstein　over　at　Multinational；　third　corridor　to　your　right。〃
　　　Heller　went　on。　He　was　breasting　quite　a　stream　of　clerks　and　callers。　He　arrived　near　the　door　of　Multinational；　marked　with　its　big　logo　of　an　anarchist　bomb。
　　　So　many　people　were　rushing　in　and　out　that　he　was　stalled。　He　finally　got　into　a　line　of　people　waiting　to　go　in。
　　　It　looked　like　he　would　take　so　long　that　I　switched　my　attention　to　the　other　viewer。　Krak　was　somewhere　else。　Looked　like　Fifth　Avenue。　She　was　going　along；　looking　into　shop　windows。　My　attention　was　at　once　riveted。　She　must　be　going　to　buy　something　and　on　my　Squeeza　credit　card。　The　scene　had　such　potential　havoc　in　it　that　I　didn't　want　to　look。　But　just　as　one's　eyes　will　rivet　upon　an　imminent　disaster；　I　could　not　tear　my　attention　away。
　　　She　passed　by　Tiffany's　with　only　a　casual　glance　and　I　began　to　breathe　once　more。　But　the　way　she　was　staring　at　street　numbers　quickened　my　pulse。　Then　she　saw　something　ahead。　It　was　a　banner　sign　in　a　window：

Grand　Opening　
Post　Winter　Sale

　　　FURS！
　　　They　had　racks　of　them；　visible　through　the　window。
　　　She　went　in。　A　clerk　bustled　over。
　　　〃I　wonder；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak；　〃if　you　have　something　suitable　for　a　space　voyage。〃
　　　I　felt　the　blood　rushing　to　my　head！　It　could　only　mean　one　thing。　She　was　doing　some　sort　of　planning　about　going　home！　Maybe　they　had　had　a　huge　breakthrough！
　　　〃Space　voyage；　madam？〃
　　　〃Yes。　Something　soft　and　warm　and　fortable　that　can　be　worn　instead　of　a　pressure　suit。〃
　　　〃Oh；　I　am　sorry；　madam；〃　began　the　clerk。
　　　A　tall　gentleman　in　a　pinstripe　tail　coat　had　e　up。　〃Please　answer　the　phone；　Beevertail；〃　he　said　sharply　to　the　clerk。　〃Madam；　I　could　not　help　but　overhear　your　request。　Beevertail　is　a　bit　new：　came　in　with　our　last　shipment　of　pelts　from　Canada。　He　would　not　understand　that　you　are　from　NASA。　Now；　it　just　happens　that　we　have　a　mink　jump　suit　that　would　be　just　the　very　thing　you　are　looking　for。　This　way；　please。〃
　　　Hastily；　I　turned　to　the　other　viewer。　Maybe　Heller　was　making　enough　money　now　to　pay　for　such　frills　as　mink　jump　suits。　Such　a　thing　would　cost　a　fortune！　I　knew　by　experience！
　　　Izzy　just　that　moment　spotted　Heller　in　the　line。　He　jumped　up。　He　grabbed　a　young　clerk　and　shoved　him　bodily　into　the　chair　to　handle　the　callers　and　then　grabbed　Heller　and　pulled　him　out　of　the　line　into　the　hall。
　　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Jet。　I　do　apologize　for　keeping　you　waiting。　It's　because　I　am　so　inefficient。〃