PaoloCenciwastherewiththeGoldonisandLucchese,allofthemlooking nervousastheysattogetheratoneofthetables.Icollectedagla.s.sofwine fromanofferedtrayfulandwentovertoseethem,wishingthemwell.
"Brunelleschikickedhisgroom,"PaoloCencisaid.
"Isthatgoodorbad?"
"Nooneknows,"hesaid.
Ikeptthegiggleinmystomach."How"sAlessia?"Iasked.
"Lessworriedthananyoneelse."
Iglancedattheotherfaces;atLucchese,fiercelyintense,atBrunoGoldoni, frowning,andatBeatrice,yesterday"sglowextinguished.
"It"sherjob,"Isaid.
Theyofferedmeaplaceattheirtablebut.i.thankedthemandwanderedaway,too restlesstowanttobewiththem.
"AnynewsfromLondon?"EricRickenbackersaidinmyear,pa.s.singclose.
"Nonethismorning."
Heclickedhistongue,indicatingsympathy."PoorMorgan.Shouldhavebeenhere.
Instead..."heshruggedresignedly,movingaway,greetingnewguests,kissing cheeks,clappingshoulders,welcomingahundredfriends.
TheWashingtonInternationalwasmakingtheworld"snews.PoorMorgan,hadhe beenthere,wouldn"thavecausedaripple.
Theysavedthebigraceuntilninthofthetenonthecard,thewholeafternoon at.i.tillation,apreparation,withdollarsfloodingmeanwhileintothe pari-mutuelandlosingticketsfillingthetrashcans.
Thewholeofthefrontofthemainstandswasfilledinwithgla.s.s,keepingout theweather,rainorshine.TooneslowlygrowingusedtotherigorsofEnglish coursestheluxurywas.e.xtraordinary,but,whenIcommentedonit,oneof Rickenbacker"sguestssaidreasonablythatwarmbettersbetted,coldbetters stayedathome.Aproportionoftheday"stakeatthepari-mutuelwenttothe racecourse:racegoercomfortwasessential.
Formetheafternoonpa.s.sedinterminably,butinduecoursealltheforeign ownersandtrainersleftthepresident"sdiningroomtoG.o.downnearerthe actionandspeedtheirhorsesontheirway.
Istayedintheaerie,belongingnowhere,watchingthegirlIknewsowellcome outontothetrack;atinygoldandwhitefigurefarbelow,oneinaprocession, eachcontestantledandaccompaniedbyaliveriedoutrider.Noloosehorseson thewaytothepost,Ithought.Norunaways,n.o.bolters.
Atrumpetsoundedafanfaretoannouncetherace.Afrenzyofpuntersfluttered fistfulsofnotes.Therunnerswalkedinprocessionacrossinfrontofthe standsandcanteredthereaftertothestart,eachstillwithanescort.Alessia lookedfromthatdistanceidenticalwiththeotherjockeys:Iwouldn"thave knownherexceptforthecolors.
Ifelt,farmoredisturbinglythanontheEnglishtracks,asens...o...b..ingno partofherreallife.Shelivedmostintenselythere,onahorse,whereher skillfilledher.AllIcouldeverbetoherasalover,Ithought,wasa support:andIwouldsettleforthat,ifshewouldcometoit.
Therunnerscircledonthegra.s.s,becausetheone-and-a-half-mileInternational wasrunonlivinggreenturf,notondirt.Theywerefedintothestallsonthe farsideofthetrack.Lightsstillflickeredonthepari-mutuel,changingthe odds:racesinAmericatendedtostartwhenthepuntershadfinished,nottoany rigidclock.
Theywereoff,theywererunning,thegoldandwhitefigurewiththem,going fasterthanthewindandtomymindcrawlinglikeslowmotion.
Brunelleschi,thebrutewhokicked,puthisbadmoodstogooduse,shouldering hiswayrobustlyroundthefirstbunched-upbend,forcinghimselfthroughuntil therewasaclearviewahead.Doesn"tliketobeshutin,Alessiahadsaid.She gavehimroomandsheheldhimstraight:theycamepastthestandsforthefirst timeinfourthplace,thewholefieldclosetogether.Roundthetopbend left-handed,downthebackstretch,roundthelastcornertowardshome.
Twooftheleadersdroppedback:Brunelleschikeptongoing.Alessiaswungher sticktwice,aimedtheblackbeaststraightatthetargetandrodelikeawhite andgoldarrowtothebull.
Shewontheraceandwascheereda.s.shecametothewinners"enclosureinfront ofthestands.Shewasphotographedandfilmed,herheadback,hermouth laughing.AsBrunelleschistampedaroundinhiswinner"sgarlandoflaurels (whatelse?)shereachedforwardandgavehisdarksweatingneckawide-armed exultantpat,andthecrowdagaincheered.
Iwholeheartedlysharedinherjoy:andfeltlonely.
Theyallcameuptothediningroomforchampagne,winners,losers,andEric Rickenbackerlookingecstatic.
"Welldone,"Isaidtoher.
"Didyousee?"Shewashigh,highwithachievement.
"Yes,Idid."
"Isn"t.i.tfantastic?"
"Thedayofalifetime."
"Oh,Idoloveyou,"shesaid,laughing,andturnedawayimmediately,andtalked withanimationtoathrongofadmirers.Ah,Andrew,Ithoughtwryly,howdoyou likeit?AndIansweredmyself:betterthannothing.
WhenIfinallygotbacktothehotelthemessageb.u.t.tonwasflashingonmy telephone.MyofficeinEnglandhadcalledwhenIwasout.PleasewouldIget throughtothemstraightaway.
GerryClaytonwasontheswitchboard.
"YourItalianfriendrangfromBologna,"hesaid."Thepoliceman,Pucinelli."
"Yes?"
"Hewantsyoutotelephone.Icouldn"tunderstandhimverywell,but.i.thinkhe saidhehadfoundGiuseppe-Peter."
Chaptereighteen.
BYTHETIMEIgotthemessageitwasthreeinthemorning,Italiantime.Onthe premise,however,thatthelawneitherslumberednorsleptIputthecall throughstraightawaytothecarabinieri,andwasansweredbyayawningItalian whospokenoEnglish.
Pucinelliwasnotthere.
ItwasnotknownwhenPucinelliwouldbetherenext.
ItwasnotknownifPucinelliwasinhisownhouse.
Igavemyname,spellingitcarefullyletterbyletterbutknowingitwouldlook unp.r.o.nounceabletomost.i.talians.
Iwilltelephoneagain,Isaid:andhesaid"Good."
Atoneinthemorning,Washingtontime,ItelephonedtoPucinelli"sownhome, reckoninghisfamilywouldbeshapingtobreakfast.Hiswifeanswered, children"svoicesinthebackground,andIaskedforherhusband,inItalian.
"EnricoisinMilan,"shesaid,speakingslowlyformysake."Hetoldmetogive youamessage."Ashortpausewithpapernoises,then,"Telephonethishouseat fourteenhourstoday.Hewillreturnbythattime.Hesaysitisveryimportant, hehasfoundyourfriend."
"InMilan?"Iasked.
"Idon"tknow.Enricosaidonlytoaskyoutotelephone."
Ithankedheranddisconnected,andsleptfitfullywhilefourthousandmiles awayPucinellitraveledhome.Atfourteenhours,twoP.M.histime,eightA.M.
inWashington,Igotthroughagaintohishouseandfoundhehadbeencalledout ondutytheminutehereturned.
"Heissorry.Telephonehisofficeatseventeenhours."
Bythattime,Ireckoned,myfingernailswouldbebittentotheknuckle.My stomachpositivelyhurtwithimpatience.Iorderedbreakfastfromroomservice toquietenitandreadtheWashingtonSundaypapersandfidgeted,andfinallyat elevenIgothim.
"Andrew,howareyou?"hesaid.
"Dyingofsuspense."
"What?"
"Nevermind."
"Whereareyou?"hesaid."YourofficesaidAmerica."
"Yes.Washington.HaveyoureallyfoundGiuseppe-Peter?"
"Yesandno."
"Whatdoyoumean?"
"Youremember,"hesaid,"thatwehavebeeninquiringallthetimeamonghorse people,andalsothatweweregoingtotrysomestudents"reunions,toseeif anyonerecognizedhimfromthedrawing."
"Yes,ofcourse,"Isaid.Wehaddriftedautomaticallyintoournormalhabitof speakingintwolanguages,anditseemedjusta.s.satisfactoryasever.
"Wehavesucceededinbothplaces.Inbothworlds."Hepausedforeffectand soundedundeniablysmug."HelivesnearMilan.Heisthirty-fournow.Hewentto MilanUniversityasastudentandjoinedradicalpoliticalgroups.Itis believedhewasanactivist,amemberoftheRedBrigades,butnooneknowsfor sure.Iwastolditwasafact,b.u.t.therewasnotrueevidence.Anyway,hedid notcontinueinpoliticallifeafterheleftuniversity.Heleftwithoutsitting hisfinalexaminations.Theuniversityaskedhimtoleave,butnotbecauseof hisradicalopinions.Theymadehimleavebecauseheforgedchecks.Hewasnot prosecuted,whichIthinkisamistake."
"Mm,"Iagreed,riveted.
"SothenIhadhisname.Andalmostimmediately,thesamedaythatIlearnedit, wehadtheinformationfromthehorsepeople.Theysayheisnotwellknownin thehorseworld,henevergoestotheraces,heistheblacksheepofa well-regardedfamily,andisbanishedfromtheirhouse.Nooneseemstobe absolutelycertainindetailwhythisis,butagaintherearemanyrumorsthat itistodowithfraudandforgingchecks.Everyonebelievesthefatherrepaid everypennytokeepthefamilynameoutofthedisgrace."
"b.u.t.thehorseworldtoldyouthis?"
"Yes.Intheend,someonerecognizedhim.Ourmenwereverydiligent,very persistent."
"They"retobecongratulated,"Isaidsincerely.
"Yes,Iagree."
"Whatishisname?"Iasked.Ithardlyseemedtomatter,but.i.twouldbetidier togivehimtheproperlabel.
"Hisfatherownsracehorses,"Pucinellisaid."Hisfatherownsthegreathorse Brunelleschi.Giuseppe-Peter"srealnameisPietroGuidoni."
Washington,D.C.,seemedtostandstill.Suspendedanimation.Iactuallyfora whilestoppedbreathing.Ifeltstifled.
"Areyouthere,Andrew?"Pucinellisaid.
Iletoutalongbreath."Yes..."
"Nooneha.s.seenPietroGoldonisincethesummer.Everyonethinkshewentabroad andhasn"tcomeback."Hesoundedpleased."Itfitsthetimetable,doesn"t.i.t?
WechasedhimoutofItalyandhewenttoEngland."
"Er..."Isaidfaintly."HaveyouheardaboutMorganFreemantle?Didyouread anythinginthepapersyesterdayortoday,seeanythingontelevision?"
"Who?IhavebeensobusyinMilan.WhoisMorganFreemantle?"
Itoldhim.Ialsosaid,"BrunoandBeatriceGoldonihavebeenhereallthis weekinWashington.Ihavetalkedtothem.Brunelleschiwonthebig Internationalracehereyesterdayafternoon.AlessiaCencirodeit."
Therewasthesamesortofstunnedbreathlesssilencefromhisendastherehad beenfrommine.
"Heisthere,"hesaidfinally."PietroGoldoniisinWashington."
"Yeah."
"Youofcourseknewthat."
"Ia.s.sumedthatGiuseppe-Peterwashere,yes."
Hepaused,considering."InwhatwayisitbestthatIinformtheAmerican policeofhisident.i.ty?Itmaybethatmysuperiorswouldwanttoconsult..."
"Ifyoulike,"Isaidpolitely,"Imyselfwillfirsttellthepolicecaptainin chargeofthingshere.Thecaptainmightbepleasedtotalktoyouthendirect.
There"sanItalian-speakerinhisforcewhocouldtranslateforyouboth."
Pucinelliwasgratefulandcarefulnottosoundit."Thatwouldbeexcellent.If youcouldarrangeit,Iamsureitwouldbehelpful."
"I"lldoitatonce,"Isaid.
"ItisSunday,"hesaid,almostdoubtfully.
"Butyouyourselfareworking,"Ipointedout."AndI"llreachhim,somehow."
Hegavemehisscheduleoftimesonandoffduty,whichIwrotedown.
"You"vedonemarvels,Enrico,"Isaidwarmly,neartheend."Idocongratulate you.Itmustbeworthpromotion."
Helaughedshortly,bothpleasedandunhopeful."ThisGoldoniha.s.stilltobe caught."Athoughtstruckhim."Inwhichcountry,doyouthink,willhebe broughttotrial?"
"Onhispastrecord,"Isaiddryly,"nowhere.He"llskiptoSouthAmericaas soonasthepolicegetnearhimhere,andnextyearmaybeapoloplayerwillbe s.n.a.t.c.hedfromoutofachukka."
"What?"