Heledthewayupthestaircaseintothebalconybarandorderedvodkaandtonic.IaskedifIcouldhavethetonicwithoutthevodkaandheremarkedthatmyfather,anenthusiasticalcoholic,wouldhaveturnedinhisgrave.
"Whatareyoudoingnowthen?"hesaid,sippingtheclearfizzymixture."StillintheCivilService?"
"Yes."Inodded."ButI"monleaveatpresent."
"Italwaysseemedrumtome,youdoingsomethingso...sotame,"hesaid."Consideringthesortofboyyouwere."Heshrugged."Neverwouldhavethought.i.t.Youroldfatheralwaysthoughtyou"ddosomethinginracing,youknow.Yourodewellenough,youknewyourwayaround.Can"tunderstandit."Helookedatmeaccusingly."ThosetwoyearsintheArmydidyounogood."
Ismiled."ItwaswhileIwasintheArmythattheyofferedmethisjob."
"Safe,Isuppose,"hesaid,makingallowances."Prospects,pension,andallthat."
"Mm,"Isaidnon-committally."Actually,Ireallycameheretodaytoseeyou,toaskyouaboutChrysalis."
"Havetheyfoundhim,doyouknow?"hesaid.
"Notyet,no.TheAmericanwhoboughthimisafriendofmyboss,andthey"veaskedme,asIknowyou,toseeifyouwoulddothemafavour."
"IfIcan,"hesaidpromptly."IfIcan."
"Theirproblemis,"Iexplained,"thatifandwhenaloosehorseisfound,especiallyifhe"ssomedistancefromwherehewaslost,howaretheytobesureitisChrysalis."
Helookedstartledandthenamused."Thatcertainlyisaproblem.ButChrysalishasn"tbeeninmyyardsince...let"ssee...fouryearslastOctober.Idon"tknowwhetherI"dbecertainofhim,notabsolutelycertain,ifIsawhim,forinstance,amongtwentyothersratherlikehim.Andyou"dwant.i.ttobemorepositivethanthat."
"Yes,"Iagreed."ActuallyIrangyourhomethismorningandyoursecretarysaidI"dfindyouhere.AndhealsosaidChrysalis"soldladwouldbehere.SanrKitchens.WouldyoumindifIhadawordwithhim?"
"That"sright,hecamewithMilkmaidforthefour-thirty.No,Idon"tmind,youaskhimwhatyoulike."
"MrDaveTeller,whoboughtChrysalis,wonderswhetheryouwouldletSamKitchensgoovertotheStatesforafewdays,ifandwhenthehorseturnsup,toidentifyhim.MrTellerwillpayhisfareandexpenses."
Arkwrightlaughed."Samwilllikethat.He"snotabadchap.Prettyreliable."
Thenifhe"sneeded,you"llgetacablesayingwhichflighthe"stogoon,andsoon.Willthatbeallright?"
Henodded."YoutelltheAmericanI"lllethimgo."
Ithankedhim."They"llbeverygrateful."Iboughthimanothervodkaandtonicandwetalkedabouthorses.
SamKitchenswalkedhisfairyoungMilkmaidaroundtheparaderingandIriskedtenbobonher,butsheturnedouttobeacow.IjoinedArkwrightwhileheranhishanddownthefilly"slegsandlistenedtothejockeyexplainingforciblythat.i.twasn"tdowntherethatthetroublelay,butupinherpea-sizedbrain.
Ladsusuallyresentcriticismoftheircharges,butfromhis.e.xpressionKitchens,ashortstockymanofaboutthirty,heldmuchthesameview.Iaskedhim,afterintroductionsfromArkwright,whetherhewouldknowChrysalisagainwithenoughcertaintytotestifyifnecessaryinacourtoflaw.
"Sure,"hesaidwithouthesitation."I"dknowtheboy.Ihadhimthreeyears.Sure,I"dknowhim.MaybeIcouldn"tpickhimoutofaherd,now,butI"dknowhimcloseto.Thewayhishidegrows,andlittlenicksinhisskin,Iwouldn"thaveforgottenthose."
"That"sfine,"Isaid,nodding."Wasthere...isthere...anythingspecialabouthim,whichmighthelpsomeonewho"dneverseenhimbeforetorecognisehim?"
Hethought.i.toverforseveralminutes."It"sfouryears.More,nearlyfive,see.TheonlythingIrememberis,wehadtroublewithhisoffhindhoof.Itwasthin,usedtocrackatthesameplaceeverytime.b.u.t.thestudhewenttomighthavecuredit,ashewasn"tracinganymore.Orhemightjusthavegrownoutofit,beingoldernow."Hepaused."Tellyousomething,helikedsardines.He"stheonlyhorseIknowofwhohadatasteforsardines."
Ismiled."That"sprettyodd.Howdidyoufindout?"
"Tookmyteaintohisboxonce.Sardinesontoast.Iput.i.tdownforaminuteonthewindowsill,andwhenIlookedroundhe"dscoffedthelot.Ittickledme,itdid.Iusedtoshareatinfulwithhimsometimes,afterthat.Healwayslikedthem."Istayedforthelastraceandpickedanotherloser.Iwouldhavemadealousytrainer,anyway.
CHAPTERSEVEN.
IreachedtheAirTerminalateight-fifteen,butLynniewastherefirst.
"Icouldn"tsleepmuch,"shesaid."I"veneverbeentoAmericabefore."
I"dbeentoAmericaadozentimes.Ihadn"tsleptmucheither.
Lynnie"sclothes,adeeppinkshinyPVCraincoatovertheorangetandress,werehavingananti-soporificeffectoneveryoneinsight.Resistinganurgetogropefordarkgla.s.sesIfeltanuncommonlifttothespirits,whichlastedtomidAtlantic.ThereLynniewenttosleepandastrongwaveofnon-enthusiasmforfindingChrysalisinvadedmymindlikeoneenormousyawn.Iwouldn"tmind,Ithoughtidly,Ireallywouldn"tmindlazingaroundthatswimmingpoolwithEuniceandLynnie,doingnothingatallbutdrinkinsunshine,peace,scotch,andanuninterruptedviewoftwowell-shapedfemalesinbikinis.Peacemostofall.Lielikealog,andnotthink,notfeel.Andsleep.Sleepforsixteenhoursadayandmindlesslylazeawaytheothereight:aprogrammeasneartodeathasdammit.Averysmallstepfromtheretoeternity,tomakethepeacepermanent...
"Whatareyouthinkingabout?"Lynniesaid.
Shehadopenedhereyesandwaswatchingmyface.
"Heaven,"Isaid.
Sheshookherheadslightly."h.e.l.l,morelike."Shesatupbriskly."Howlongbeforeweland?"
"Aboutanhour."
"WillIlikeMrsTeller?"
"Haven"tyoumetherbefore?"Iasked.
"Once,whenIwaslittle.Idon"trememberher."
Ismiled."Sheisn"teasytoforget."
"Exactly,"Lynniesaid."There"ssomethinG.o.ddaboutmegoingtostaywithher.OfcourseIsaidI"dloveto,andwhowouldn"tgooffonanytriptogetawayfromschool,letaloneasuperonelikethis,butIdistinctlythinkthatDaddyandMrTellerhaveanulteriormotiveandIwanttoknowwhat.i.tis."
"Theywanthertohavecompany,tostopherdrinkingtoomuchalone."
"Wow!"Shelookedsurprised."You"renotserious?"
"Theydidn"tsayso.I"monlyguessing."
"ButIcan"tstopherdrinking,"sheprotested.
"Don"ttry.Shedoesn"tgetdrunk.Andyou"lllikeherallright,aslongasyourearsdon"tfalloff."
Shelaughed."Mymotherwouldn"tapproveofher?"
"Quitelikelynot."
"Jexpectthat"swhyI"veonlymetheronce."Shegrinnedatmemischievouslywithoutashredofself-consciousness,Joan"sinfluencewaningvisiblywitheveryhundredmiles.
Itwaslatemorning,localtime,whenwecheckedinattheBiltmore.FromthereLynniedepartedonfootforaprivatetourofNewYork,andIcabbeddowntowntob.u.t.tressLife.Theheatwavewa.s.stillinposition,theairstillsaturated.Lethargyandhazehungoverthecity,andbuildingsshiveredlikemiragesthroughtheblueexhaustsofthecars.Onceovertheb.u.t.tressbuilding"sthresholdthetemperatezonetookover:Irodeuptotheseventhfloorwiththehumidityinmyclothescondensingintowater,andsaggeddamplyintoWalt"ssparechairinfourseven.
"Goodtrip?"hesaid."Youlook..."hehesitated.
"Yeah,"Isaid."p.o.o.ped."
Hesmiled.Itwasworthwaitingfor.There"saloadtobereadinasmile,andWalt"swasagoodone.
"How"sitwiththeSnailExpress?"Iasked.
Hepickedalistoffhisdesk."Theywereveryco-operative.Onlytroubleis,theyhadaboutthirty-fivetrailersoutonthosedateswhichjustmighthavebeengoingwestontheturnpike."Hehandedmethepapersympathetically."Itwasaprettylongshot,ofcourse."
"Hm."Ilookedatthelistofnamesandaddresses,andatmywatch."Ithinkwe"dbettercheckthem."
"Ihadafeelingyou"dsaythat."Atouchofgloom.
Ismiledathim."I"llstart.i.t,ifyoulike.Doyouknowwherewecangetgoodenlargementsofasnapshotdonequickly?"Henoddedandmentionedaname,andIgavehimthenegative."Thetoplefthandcorner.Acouple.Manandgirl."Henoddedagain."Andthere"sthishandkerchief."Iproducedit."Wouldyoumindmakingatourofalltheofficesonthisfloor,andperhapsthefifthaswell,andfindingoutwhateveryonea.s.sociateswithit?"
Walttookthesmallwhitesquarecuriously.
"YogiBear,"hesaid."What"sthepoint?"
"ItbelongedtoagirlwhomayknowmorethansheoughtaboutChrysalis.Thegirlonthenegative."
"Findher,findthehorse?"Hewashalfincredulous,afractionexcited.
"Maybe."
"Rightthen,"hesaidatthedoor."Seeyou."
Istudiedthelist.SnailExpresshaddonetheirbest.Mostnameshadtwoaddresses,theoldandthenew.Allwerefollowedbyaplaceandadate,thedepotwherethetrailerhadbeencheckedinafteritstrip.Therewereseveraltelephonenumbersfortheeasternaddresses,afewforthewest.
Workingstolidlydownthelist,withlongpauseswhilenewinhabitantswenttofindthenewtelephonenumbersoftheold,IsaidIwascallingfromSnailExpress,wantingtoknowthattheservicehadbeensatisfactory,orifthecustomershadanysuggestionsorcomplaints.Ilistenedtomorepraisethancriticism,andeventuallycheckedofftwenty-sevengenuinehirings.
WaltcamebackwhileIwasbitingtheendofoneofhispencilsandwonderingwhattodonext.Itwasthreeo"clock.He"daddedlunchtohisitinerarybuthecarriedalargewhitepackage,whichheopenedcarefully.SixenlargementsofthecornerofPeter"snegative.Varioussizes,frompostcardtoninebyseven.Thefaceswereclearestonthesmallestprint,toofuzzyonthelargest.
"Hesayshe"llrunoffasmanyasyouwantbythisevening,ifyoulethimknowatonce."
"Askhimforsix,then.Postcardsize."
"O.K."Hepickedupthereceiver,pressedtheb.u.t.tons,andasked.
Theboyandgirlstoodsidebyside,theirheadsturnedslightlytotheleft,towardswherewehadsatunderthesunumbrella.Theirfaceswerecalm,good-looking,andsomewhatalike.Theboy"shairwasdarker.Theywereofalmostthesameheight.Thechecksoftheboy"sshirtstoodoutclearly,andoneofitsb.u.t.tonswaseitherundoneormissing.Thegirlhadawatchwithanextrawidestraponherleftwrist.Shehadn"tbeenwearingitwhileshehungontothepost.
"All-Americankids,"Waltcommented."Sowhat?"
"Sohowdidyougetonwiththehandkerchief?"
Waltproducedit.Alittlelimper,alittlegrubbierthanbefore.
"FifteenYogiBears,tendon"t-bother-me-nows,sixlewdsuggestions,andoneYellowstonePark."
"Onewhere?"
"YellowstonePark."
"WhyYellowstonePark?"
"That"swhereYogiBearlives.Atleast,it"scalledJellystoneinthecartoons,but.i.t"sYellowstonereally."
"ReallivebearsstillinYellowstone?"
"Ohsure."
"Anaturalbeautyspot...holidayplace,isn"t.i.t?"Irememberedvaguely.
Waltnodded.
"Withsouvenirs?"Isuggested.
"Greatlotofhelpthatwouldbetous."
Iagreed.Itwouldonlynarrowthefielddowntooneofthethousandswho"dbeentoYellowstonesometime,oroneoftheotherthousandswhoknewsomeonewho"dbeentoYellowstonesometime.ButIrememberedaJamaicanwould-bea.s.sistanttotheBiologicalWarfareDefenceLaboratoryatPortonwho"dbeenturneddownbecauseofaRussian-madebustofCastroinhisbedroom.Souvenirssometimeshadtheiruses.
"Thehandkerchiefprobablycamefromj.a.pan.Doyouhavealeg-manwhocancheckwhoimportedit,andwhereitwa.s.soldoverhere?"
"Leg-man?"Waltechoeddismally."That"sme."Heputthehandkerchiefawayinitsenvelope,chasedupafewanswersonthetelephoneandheavedhimselfreluctantlytohisfeet."ImayaswellgoseeamanaboutaYogi,then.How"rethetrailers?"
"Twenty-sevenareO.K.Oftheothereight,fivedon"tanswer,andthreehavenotelephone."
Itriedtwoofthenon-answerersyetagain.Stillnoreply.WaltlookedthroughtheshorterlistI"dmadeoftheunchecked.
"Theysurewentallover,didn"tthey?"Hesaid."Nebraska,Kentucky,NewMexico,California,Wyoming,Colorado,TexasandMontana.Justdon"taskmetolegitaroundallthoseplaces!"Hedriftedoutofthedoorandhissolidfootstepsdiminuendoeddownthepa.s.sage.
Iwentontryingthenumbersnowandthen.AftertwohoursIhadcrossedTexasoffthelist,bittentheendrightoffWalt"spencilandstartedonitaninchfurtherdown,decidedIcouldn"tworkmanydaysinhisrabbithutchofanoffice,andwonderedhowEunicewasmakingoutbesideherpool.
Thetelephonebuzzed.
"AreyoustayingattheBiltmoreagain?"Waltsaid.
"Yes."
"Meetmeinthebarthere,"hesuggested."I"mnearertherethantoyou."
"Sure,"Isaid."I"monmyway."