The doctor gave Hall his hand. "I won"t ask you any questions," he said.
"But may I wish you luck?"
"Thank you."
"Now let me fix you a cold drink. I"m not very good in the kitchen, but we"ll see what we can both do."
Pepe returned with news for Hall about the change of rooms at the hotel.
Hall now had the room next to Ansaldo"s sitting room. He also told him that the Spanish Republican societies were planning an _homenaje_ for Hall. "They formed a committee to arrange it with you, but I told them that you didn"t want to see them until next week."
"I hope you were pleasant," Hall said.
"Of course I was, Mateo. I just thought you didn"t want too much noise about you in San Hermano for the next few days."
"Maybe you"re right, Pepe."
"What do you want to do now?"
"Take a bath. I"m going to a party at the American Emba.s.sy tonight. But tomorrow I think we"ll have a lot of work to do, _companero_."
"I wonder what happened to the little dog?"
"Maybe I"ll know some more about him tonight."
"What have you got in the box?"
"Medicine."
Pepe snorted. "_Mierda!_" he laughed. "What you really need is ..."
"I know," Hall said, sharply. "That girl with the red hair."
"Excuse me," Pepe said. "I am not a doctor."
"You are too modest, _il.u.s.tre_."
"Have a good time tonight. I"ll be waiting for you in the morning. Or, if you change your mind, leave word with Fernando."
"Good. Until tomorrow, then." Hall got the key to his new room from the clerk, as well as the packages he had ordered earlier in the day.
The new room was larger than the other one. His clothes and bags had already been moved in, and the chambermaid had made a creditable effort to put them away as Hall had previously done. Hall went to the window, saw that it looked out on the Plaza. He adjusted his window shutters for privacy. The wall between his room and Ansaldo"s sitting room had only a bureau against it. Hall moved the chest slightly to one side, made room for a small, solid chair. Then he took his bath.
He was shaving when he heard Ansaldo return to the Bolivar. He wrapped a towel around his middle, put the plastic p.r.o.ngs of the stethoscope in his ears, and sat down on the little chair facing the wall. The hearing end of the stethoscope picked up only footsteps. The sounds told their own story. The man in the next room was walking to the window, then opening the shutters, then sitting on the couch. There were other footsteps, lighter and less p.r.o.nounced. Perhaps another person in the room was wearing soft slippers or going barefooted, like Hall himself.
"Are you tired, _il.u.s.tre_?" It was Marina.
"No. Why should I be tired?" Ansaldo.
Marina giggled.
"Did you find out?" Ansaldo asked.
"Not yet, _il.u.s.tre_. What was it like to examine Tovarich Tabio?"
Ansaldo laughed. "Let me take care of the Tovarich, please. And don"t act too happy at the Emba.s.sy tonight."
"I am not a fool, _il.u.s.tre_. Didn"t the Caudillo himself personally decorate me for bravery?"
"Now you are being a boor. I detest boors."
"I am sorry, _il.u.s.tre_."
"Try to find out if they are coming in tonight."
"They would not be coming by Clipper," Marina said. "Too dangerous."
There was the rustle of paper, followed by the padded footsteps. Then someone--Hall guessed it was Marina--sat down in a creaky armchair. The man with the shoes got up and walked in the direction opposite from Hall"s room. Hall heard a door open, followed a few seconds later by the rush of water into a tub. He remained in his chair, his stethoscope still against the plaster.
The phone near Hall"s bed started to ring. He got up very quietly, tiptoed over to the bed. He hid the stethoscope under his pillow before he answered.
"h.e.l.lo, it"s me."
"Yeah, Jerry."
"Speak louder. I can"t hear you."
"Sure." He went on speaking with his hand around the mouthpiece to m.u.f.fle the sound. "Can you hear me now?"
"Just about. Listen, I"ve got lots to tell you. I was with Doctor when he examined the President, and he was magnificent!"
"The patient?"
"No, you dope. The doctor. What are you doing now?"
"Nothing. Getting dressed."
"Me too. Buy me a drink and I"ll tell you all about it."
"Right now?"
Jerry laughed.
"I know," he said. "You"re not wearing a thing at the moment."
"Just a second. There. Now you"re right about one thing, anyway."
"Don"t tempt me," he warned. "I might decide to check up for myself."
"Not now you won"t! Meet you downstairs in about twenty minutes. O.K.?"