“it’sgotworse,butiwasalwaysahardmanwithabottle.whenyou’reyoungandinhardconditionyoucanabsorbalotofpunishment.whenyouarepushingfortyyoudon’tsnapbackthesameway.”

ileanedbackandlitacigarette.“whatdidyouwanttoseemeabout?”

“whatdoyouthinki’mrunningawayfrom,marlowe?”

“noidea.idon’thaveenoughinformation.besides,everybodyisrunningawayfromsomething.”

“noteverybodygetsdrunk.whatareyourunningawayfrom?youryouthoraguiltyconscienceortheknowledgethatyou’reasmalltimeoperatorinasmalltimebusiness?”

“igetit,”isaid.“youneedsomebodytoinsult.fireaway,chum.whenitbeginstohurti’llletyouknow.”

hegrinnedandrumpledhisthickcurlyhair.hespearedhischestwithaforefinger.“you’relookingrightatasmalltimeoperatorinasmalltimebusiness,marlowe.allwritersarepunksandiamoneofthepunkest.i’vewrittentwelvebestsellers,andifieverfinishthatstackofmagoozlumonthedeskthereimaypossiblyhavewrittenthirteen.andnotadamnoneofthemworththepowdertoblowittohell.ihavealovelyhomeinahighlyrestrictedresidentialneighborhoodthatbelongstoahighlyrestrictedmultimillionaire.ihavealovelywifewholovesmeandalovelypublisherwholovesmeandilovemethebestofall.i’manegotisticalsonofabitch,aliteraryprostituteorpimp—chooseyourownword—andanall-roundheel.sowhatcanyoudoforme?”

“well,what?”

“whydon’tyougetsore?”

“nothingtogetsoreabout.i’mjustlisteningtoyouhateyourself.it’sboringbutitdoesn’thurtmyfeelings.”

helaughedroughly.“ilikeyou,”hesaid,“let’shaveadrink.”

“notinhere,chum.notyouandmealone.idon’tcaretowatchyoutakethefirstone.nobodycanstopyouandidon’tguessanyonewouldtry.butidon’thavetohelp.”

hestoodup.“wedon’thavetodrinkinhere.let’sgooutsideandglanceatachoiceselectionofthesortofpeopleyougettoknowwhenyoumakeenoughlousymoneytolivewheretheylive,”

“look,”isaid.“shoveit.knockitoff.they’renodifferentfromanybodyelse.”

“yeah,”hesaidtightly,“buttheyoughttobe.ifthey’renot,whatusearethey?they’retheclassofthecountyandthey’renobetterthanabunchoftruckdriversfullofcheapwhiskey.notasgood.”

“knockitoff,”isaidagain.“youwanttogetboiled,getboiled.butdon’ttakeitoutonacrowdthatcangetboiledwithouthavingtolieupwithdr.verringerorgetlooseintheheadandthrowtheirwivesdownthestairs.”

“yeah,”hesaid,andhewassuddenlycalmandthoughtful.“youpassthetest,chum.howaboutcomingtolivehereforawhile?youcoulddomealotofgoodjustbeinghere.”

“idon’tseehow.”

“butido.justbybeinghere.wouldathousandamonthinterestyou?i’mdangerouswheni’mdrunk.idon’twanttobedangerousandidon’twanttobedrunk”

“icouldn’tstopyou.”

“tryitforthreemonths.i’dfinishthedamnbookandthengofaroffforawhile.lieupsomeplaceintheswissmountainsandgetclean.”

“thebook,huh?doyouhavetohavethemoney?”

“no.ijusthavetofinishsomethingistarted.ifidon’ti’mthrough.i’maskingyouasafriend.youdidmorethanthatforlennox.”

istoodupandwalkedoverclosetohimandgavehimahardstare.“igotlennoxkilled,mister.igothimkilled.”

“phooey.don’tgosoftonme,marlowe.”heputtheedgeofhishandagainsthisthroat.“i’muptohereinthesoftbabies.”

“soft?”iasked.“orjustkind?”

hesteppedbackandstumbledagainsttheedgeofthecouch,butdidn’tlosehisbalance.

“thehellwithyou,”hesaidsmoothly.“nodeal.idon’tblameyou,ofcourse.there’ssomethingiwanttoknow,thatihavetoknow.youdon’tknowwhatitisandi’mnotsureiknowmyself.alli’mpositiveofisthatthereissomething,andihavetoknowit.”

“aboutwho?yourwife?”

hemovedhislipsoneovertheother.“ithinkit’saboutme,”hesaid.“let’sgogetthatdrink.”

hewalkedtothedoorandthrewitopenandwewentout.

ifhehadbeentryingtomakemeuncomfortable,hehaddoneafirst-classjob.