"Are you really alone?"
"Alone?" He did not laugh. "G.o.d! I"m the loneliest sonofab.i.t.c.h in the whole world."
The girl smiled again. "I have half a mind to believe you," she said.
"Shall we get started back?"
"O.K. It"s getting late. Have dinner with me?"
"I don"t know, yet. Would you call the hotel and ask if there are any messages for me?"
"There"s a phone in the souvenir stand."
The girl bought a batch of picture sets while Hall was on the phone. "Do we eat?" she asked when he came out of the booth.
"No. They want you in the Marti Memorial Lab at the University at seven."
"Shucks."
"I phoned for a driver to meet us at the bottom in twenty minutes. We still have time for a drive around the nicer parts of New San Hermano."
They went to the terminal to wait for their car. The ticket agent glanced at Jerry and then he reached under his counter and brought up a large envelope. "Senor," he said, "the painter left this for the lady."
It was the sketch of Jerry, wide-eyed and happy as the car climbed Monte Azul. In the lower right-hand corner was an inscription Hall translated for her. "To a charming visitor--a memento of her visit to our free city. Horacio."
"It was sweet of the old man," Jerry said. "Tell the guy to thank him for me, will you?"
"I already did. But this is fantastic. An original Horacio water color is worth a baby fortune. This sketch is valuable, Jerry."
"Didn"t you recognize him?"
"Never saw him before in my life."
Big Pepe was waiting for them with his LaSalle when they reached the bottom of Monte Azul. "How good are you with tourists?" Hall asked. "I want to show the senorita New San Hermano."
"I can drive you with my eyes closed," Pepe said.
Hall laughed. "Keep your eyes open. And your four wheels on the pavement," he said. "Or I"ll kill you with your own gun."
"I have no fears of you," Pepe said. "Get in."
Hall held onto Jerry"s hand as he described the sights that rolled by their window. Big Pepe handled the car like a model tourists" chauffeur.
It rolled along smoothly, not too quickly, and when Hall tapped him on the shoulder he would stop, the motor running softly while Hall made his explanations to Jerry.
At six, Hall and Jerry agreed to have one last drink before parting for the night. "Let"s ask the driver, too," he suggested. "He"s a nice guy."
"Sure. So are you."
"Pepe, how about joining us for a drink at that bar near the Libro del Mundo?"
Pepe turned around and grinned at them. "With many thanks," he said. "I will join you."
"If we don"t all join our ancestors first. Watch the road, you Asturian murderer!"
"I take it," Jerry laughed, "you were telling him to keep his eyes on the wheel."
"You"re learning the language, _muchachita_."
They found an empty table on the sidewalk. Hall and Jerry had Scotch and sodas. Big Pepe ordered coffee. He was very happy to be with them. He beamed continuously at the girl, and to Hall he swore that never had he seen a more magnificent woman. "Of course," he purred, "she could stand more meat, but for a gringo, she is most magnificent."
"He says you"re a sight for sore eyes," Hall translated.
"Then tell him to look at my face."
"The woman thanks you," Hall said.
Jerry pointed to the bar. "There"s the little Dutchman," she said.
Androtten was standing alone at the bar, a wine gla.s.s in his hand.
"I"ll call him over. He"s a lonesome b.a.s.t.a.r.d too."
The Dutchman was delighted to see Hall. "This is indeed a d.a.m.n surprise," he said. "Join you at the table? Happy as h.e.l.l to join you, Mr. Hall. Ah, the nurse of the great doctor. Tell me, nurse, do you think the doctor could cure my rheumatism?" This, he made clear by his gesture of holding his side in mock agony and groaning, was meant to be a joke.
Hall translated the joke for Pepe.
The driver nodded. "I understood most of it," he admitted. "One doesn"t drive American tourists for a century and learn nothing."
"Aha," Hall said. "Pepe knows a few words of English, it develops."
Jerry turned to the driver, smiled sweetly at him. "Tell me," she said, "did you ever have your eyes scratched out?"
Pepe grinned, shrugged his huge shoulders. "Did the senorita say I have nice eyes?" he asked Hall.
"No, Pepe. She said your eyes can bring you trouble."
The Asturiano closed his eyes and drew his finger across his throat, making the appropriate sounds. "I understand perfectly," he said.
"Let"s sit down one of these days," Androtten said to Hall. "I am willing as h.e.l.l to give you the d.a.m.n story of what the j.a.panese did to me in Java, if you are still d.a.m.n willing to listen."
"Oh, I am. Anxious as h.e.l.l, Mr. Androtten." He explained to Big Pepe what had happened to the little man. Pepe"s face instantly reflected his deep sorrow.
"I hate to break up this nice party," Jerry said, "but I have to go to work."
"Can we take you back to the Bolivar, Mr. Androtten?"
"Not just yet. I have a d.a.m.n appointment here at seven."
Hall put some money on the table and followed Jerry to the car. "I forgot to tell you," he said. "There"ll be a government car waiting to pick you up at ten to seven."
"The poor man," Pepe sighed. "The cruel j.a.panese!"