scoonts.theminotaur-第5节

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both　feet　and　voted　him　the　Medal　of　Honor；　he　would　probably　have　been　forced　to　retire。　Maybe　even　a　court…martial。〃　Toad　smacked　the　steering　wheel　with　his　hand。　〃He's　a　national　hero　and　he　doesn't　give　a　damn。　I've　never　met　anyone　like　him　before。〃　He　thought　about　it。　〃Maybe　there　aren't　any　more　like　him。〃
　The　woman　reached　for　the　knob　again　and　turned　the　stereo　on。
　She　had　known　Toad　Tarkington　for　three　weeks　and　she　was　still　trying　to　figure　him　out。　He　was　the　first　military　man　she　had　dated　and　he　was　modestly　famous　after　the　attack　last　fall　on　United　States。　Her　friends　thought　it　was　so　exciting。　Still；　he　was　a　bit　weird。　（A　well；　he　made　a　decent　salary　and　bathed　and　shaved　and　looked　marvelous　at　parties。　And　he　was　a　fine　lover。　A　liBri　could　do　a　lot　worse。　〃Where　do　you　want　to　eat　tonight？〃　she　asked。
　It　was　dark　and　spattering　rain　when　Jake　heard　Callie's　car　pull　in。　He　had　pleted　assembly　of　the　vertical　and　horizontal　stabilizers；　the　rudder；　and　the　wings；　and　had　placed　them　on　top　of　the　bookcase　and　credenza　to　cure　and　was　cleaning　up　the　mess　on　the　kitchen　table。　He　raked　the　rest　of　it　into　the　box　the　airplane　had　e　in　and　slid　the　box　up　on　top　of　the　kitchen　cabinets；　then　went　outside　to　meet　her。　She　was　opening　the　trunk　of　her　car。
　〃Hey；　good…looking。　Wele　home。〃　He　pecked　her　cheek　and　lifted　her　overnight　bag　out　of　the　trunk。
　〃Hello。〃　She　followed　him　into　the　house；　hugging　herself　against　the　evening　chill。　He　closed　the　door　behind　her　and　climbed　the　stairs　toward　the　bedrooms。　〃What's　this？〃　Callie　called。
　〃I'm　building　an　airplane；〃　he　boomed　as　he　dropped　the　bag　on　the　bed。　When　he　reached　the　foot　of　the　stairs　she　was　examining　the　wing　structure　without　touching　it。　〃It's　dry　enough　to　pick　up。　How　about　coffee？〃
　〃Sure。〃　Callie　walked　slowly　around　the　living/dining　area；　her　purse　still　over　her　shoulder；　looking。　She　opened　the　door　to　the　screened…in　porch　and　was　shivering　in　the　wind；　looking　at　the　wicker　furniture；　when　he　handed　her　the　coffee　cup。　〃This　stuff　needs　to　be　painted　again。〃　She　slid　the　door　closed　and　leaned　back　against　it　as　she　sipped　the　hot　liquid。
　〃What　kind　of　week　did　you　have？〃
　〃So…so。〃　She　was　halfway　through　her　first　semester　as　a　language　instructor　at　Georgetown　University。　〃They　asked　me　to　teach　this　summer。〃
　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃That　I'd　think　about　it。〃　She　had　been　planning　on　spending　the　summer　here　at　the　beach。　Kicking　her　pumps　off；　she　sat　on　the　sofa　with　her　legs　under　her。　〃It　all　depends。〃
　Jake　poured　himself　coffee　and　sat　down　at　the　kitchen　table　where　he　could　face　her。
　〃I　went　to　see　Dr。　Arnold　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　Jake　had　refused　to　go　back　to　the　psychologist。
　〃He　says　if　you　don't　get　your　act　together　I　should　leave　you。〃
　〃Just　what　does　the　soul　slicer　think　my　act　is？〃
　〃Oh；　cut　the　crap；　Jake。〃　She　averted　her　face。　She　finished　her　coffee　in　silence；　then　rinsed　the　cup　in　the　sink。　Retrieving　her　shoes；　she　went　upstairs。
　The　sound　of　water　running　in　the　shower　was　audible　all　over　the　downstairs。　Jake　spread　the　airplane　diagram　on　the　table　and　opened　the　instruction　manual。　Finally　he　threw　the　manual　down　in　disgust。
　He　needed　a　drink。　The　doctors　had　told　him　not　to；　but　fuck　them。　He　rummaged　under　the　sink　and　found　that　old　bottle　of　bourbon　with　several　inches　of　liquid　remaining。　He　poured　some　in　a　glass　and　added　ice。
　The　problem　was　that　he　didn't　want　to　do　anything。　He　didn't　want　to　retire　and　sit　here　and　vegetate　or　find　a　civilian　job。　He　didn't　want　to　go　to　the　Pentagon　and　immerse　himself　in　the　bureaucracy。　The　Pentagon　job　had　been　the　only　one　offered　to　him　when　he　was　finally　ready　to　be　discharged　from　Bethesda　Naval　Hospital。　The　politicians　had　made　him　a　hero　and　checkmated　the　naval　establishment　but　the　powers　that　be　had　still　been　smarting　from　the　way　the　official　investigation　had　been　derailed。　Luckily　he　had　been　damn　near　atose　in　the　hospital　and　everyone　in　uniform　knew　he　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　political　maneuvering。　So　he　was　still　in　the　navy。　But　his　shot　at　flag　rank　had　vaporized　like　a　drop　of　water　on　a　hot　stove。　Not　that　he　really　ever　hoped　to　make　admiral　or　even　cared。
　He　lay　down　on　the　couch　and　sipped　at　the　drink。　Maybe　the　whole　problem　was　that　he　just　didn't　care　about　any　of　it　anymore。　Let　the　other　guys　do　the　sweating。　Let　them　dance　on　the　tightrope。　Let　someone　else　pick　up　the　bodies　of　those　who　fell。　He　put　the　glass　on　the　floor　and　rolled　over　on　his　side。　Maybe　he　was　depressed…that　soul　doctor。。。　Yes；　depression；　that　was　probably。。。
　When　he　awoke　it　was　two　in　the　morning　and　the　lights　were　off。　Callie　had　covered　him　with　a　blanket。　He　went　upstairs；　undressed；　and　crawled　into　bed　with　her。
　The　wind　whipped　the　occasional　raindrops　at　a　steep　angle　and　drove　the　gray　clouds　at　a　furious　pace　as　Jake　and　Callie　strolled　the　beach。　They　were　out　for　their　usual　morning　walk；　which　they　took　rain　or　shine；　fair　weather　or　foul。　Both　wore　shorts　and　were　barefoot；　they　carried　the　flip…flops　they　had　worn　to　traverse　the　seashell　mix　that　covered　the　street　in　front　of　their　house　that　led　to　the　beach。　Both　were　wearing　old　sweatshirts　over　sweaters。　Callie's　hair　whipped　in　the　wind。
　Jake　critically　examined　the　contours　of　sand　around　the　piles　that　supported　a　huge　house　some　ignorant　optimist　had　constructed　on　the　dune　facing　the　beach。　The　first　hurricane；　Jake　suspected；　would　have　the　owner　tearing　his　hair。　The　sand　looked　firm　now。　Shades　obscured　all　the　windows。　The　house　was　empty。　Only　three　or　four　other　people　were　visible　on　the　beach。
　Birds　scurried　along　the　sand；　racing　after　retreating　waves　and　probing　furiously　for　their　breakfast。　Gulls　rode　the　air　currents　with　their　noses　pointed　out　to　sea。　He　watched　the　gulls　and　tried　to　decide　if　the　Gentle　Lady　could　soar　with　them。　The　moving　air　had　to　have　some　kind　of　an　upward　vector　over　the　sand。　Perhaps　if　he　kept　the　plane　above　the　dune。　The　dune　was　low；　though。　He　would　see。
　Callie's　hand　found　his　and　he　gave　it　a　squeeze。　He　led　her　down　into　the　surf；　where　the　ice…cold　water　swirled　about　their　feet　Toad　Tarkington　said　to　say　hi。
　〃He　called？〃
　〃Stopped　by　yesterday　afternoon。　He's　going　to　the　Pentagon　too。〃
　〃Oh。〃
　〃If　you　teach　summer　school；　we'll　see　more　of　each　other　this　summer；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　be　together　every　evening　at　the　apartment　in　Washington　as　well　as　every　weekend　here。〃
　Her　hand　gripped　his　fiercely　and　she　turned　to　face　him。
　He　grinned。　〃Monday　morning；　off　I　go；　wearing　my　uniform；　vacation　over…〃
　She　hugged　him　and　her　lips　made　it　impossible　to　continue　to　speak。　Her　hair　played　across　his　cheeks　as　the　ebbing　surf　tugged　at　the　sand　under　him。
　
　3
　
　It　was　almost　9　A。M。　when　the　subway　train…the　Metro…ground　to　a　halt　at　the　Pentagon　station。　Jake　Grafton　joined　the　civilian　and　military　personnel　exiting　and　followed　the　thin　crowd　along　the　platform。　Rush　hour　for　all　23。000　people　who　worked　in　this　sprawling　five…story　building　was　long　over。　The　little　handful　that　Jake　acpanied　seemed　to　foe　made　up　of　stragglers　and　visiting　civilians。
　Just　ahead　of　Jake　a　man　and　a　woman　in　casual　clothes　led　two　small　children。　When　they　came　to　the　long　escalator；　the　kids　squealed　joyfully　and　started　to　run　up　the　moving　stair。　Each　parent　grabbed　a　small　arm；　then　a　hand。
　The　sloping　staircase　was　poorly　lighted。　As　he　looked　at　the　dim　lights；　Jake　noticed　the　plaster　on　the　ceiling　was　peeling　away　on　spots。
　At　the　head　of　the　escalator　two　corridors　led　in；　one　from　either　one；　and　more　people　joined　the　procession；　which　trudged　ever　upward　on　long；　wide　staircase　toward　the　lights　above。
　At　the　head　of　the　stair　was　a　large　hall；　and　the　abeam　of　people　walked　up；　some　heading　for　the　main　entrance；　some　moving　cautiously　toward　the　visitors'　tour　area。　The　couple　that　Jake　had　followed　led　their　progeny　in　that　direction　with　an　admonition　to　behave。　Jake　approached　the　two　Department　of　Defense　policemen　scrutinizing　passes　at　the　security　booth。　〃I　have　an　appointment　with　Vice　Admiral　Henry。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　building　pass；　sir？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Use　those　phones　right　over　there〃…he　pointed　at　telephones　by　the　tour　windows…〃and　someone　will　e　down　to　escort　you。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　Jake　called　and　a　yeoman　answered。　Five　minutes；　the　yeoman　said。
　Jake　stood　and　watched　the　people。　Men　and　women　wearing　the　uniforms　of　all　four　services　came　and　went；　most　walking　quickly；　carrying　briefcases；　folders；　gym　bags　and　small　brown　paper　bags　that　must　have　contained　their　lunches。　People　leaving　the　interior　of　the　building　walked　by　the　security　desk　without　a　glance　from　the　two　armed　DOD　policemen。
　〃Captain　Grafton？〃
　A　small　black　woman　in　civilian　clothes　stood　at　his　elbow。　〃Yes？〃　he　said。
　〃I'm　your　escort。〃　She　smiled　and　flashed　her　pass　at　the　guards　and　motioned　Jake　toward　the　metal　detector　that　stood　to　the　left　of　the　security　booth。　He　walked　through　it；　nothing　beeped；　and　the　woman　led　him　through　the　open　doors　into　another　huge　hallway；　this　one　lined　with　shops。　Directly　across