cwilleford.theburntorangeheresy-第20章

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　　〃I've　got　to　go　back　to　New　York；　Berenice。　Tonight。　So　as　soon　as　we　get　back　to　the　apartment　I'll　pack…　you're　still　packed；　practically…　and　then　I　can　drop　you　off　at　the　airport。　Or；　if　you'd　rather；　you　can　stay　on　for　a　few　more　days。　The　rent's　paid　till　the　end　of　the　month；　so　。　。　。〃
　　〃If　you're　going　to　New　York；　so　am　I！〃
　　〃But　what's　the　point？　You've　got　your　school　year　contract；　and　you　have　to　go　back　to　work；　don't　you？　Besides；　I'm　going　to　be　busy。　I　won't　have　any　time　for　you　at　all。　First；　there's　the　Debierue　article　to　write；　and　the　deadline　is　tighter　than　hell　now。　I'll　have　to　find　a　place　to　crash。　The　man　in　my　pad　has　still　got　another　month　on　the　sublease；　you　see。　I'm　almost　broke；　and　I'll　have　to　borrow　some　money；　and…〃
　　〃Money　isn't　a　problem；　James。　I've　got　almost　five　hundred　dollars　in　traveler's　checks；　and　more　than　five　thousand　in　savings　in　the　credit　union。　I'm　going　to　New　York　with　you。
　　〃Okay；〃　I　said　bitterly；　〃but　you'll　have　to　help　me　drive。〃
　　〃Watch　out！〃　she　shrilled。　〃That　car's　only　got　one　headlight！〃
　　〃I　don't　mean　that　way。　I　mean　to　spell　me　at　the　wheel　on　the　way　up；　so　we　can　make　better　time。〃
　　〃I　know　what　you　meant；　but　you　might　have　thought　it　was　a　motorcycle。　We　can　trade　off　every　two　hours。〃
　　〃No。　When　I　get　tired；　we'll　trade。〃
　　〃All　right。　How're　you　going　to　get　your　twenty　dollars　back？〃
　　〃What　twenty　dollars？〃
　　〃The　deposit　at　the　electric　pany。　If　we　leave　tonight；　you　won't　be　able　to　have　them　cut　off　the　electricity　or　get　your　deposit　back。〃
　　〃Jesus；　I　don't　know。　I　can　let　the　landlady　handle　it　and　send　me　the　money　later。　They'll　subtract　what　I　owe　anyway。　Please；　Berenice；　I'm　trying　to　think。　I've　got　so　much　on　my　mind　I　don't　want　to　hear　any　more　domestic　crap；　and　those　damned　non　sequiturs　of　yours　drive　me　up　the　goddamned　tree。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　　〃So　am　I。　We're　both　sorry；　but　just　be　quiet。〃
　　〃I　will。　I　won't　say　anything　else。〃
　　〃Nothing　else！　Please！〃
　　Berenice　gulped；　closed　her　generous　mouth；　and　puckered　her　lips　into　a　prim　pout。　She　looked　straight　ahead　through　the　windshield　and　twisted　her　gloves；　which　she　had　removed；　in　her　lap。　I　had　shouted　at　her；　but　in　my　agitation；　somehow；　had　consented　to　take　her　with　me　to　New　York。　This　was　the　last　thing　I　wanted　to　do。　It　would　take　two　days；　perhaps　three；　to　write　the　article　on　Debierue…and　I　had　to　do　something　about　the　painting　for　Mr。　Cassidy。　It　wasn't　a　task　I　could　have　done　for　me；　although　I　knew　a　dozen　painters　in　New　York　who　could　have　produced　anything　on　canvas　I　asked　them　to　put　there；　and　the　product　would　have　been　a　professional　job。
　　But　no　one　could　be　trusted。　It　was　something　I　had　to　do　myself；　to　fit　Debierue's　〃American　Period〃…at　that　moment　I　coined　the　title　for　my　article：　〃Debierue：　The　American　Harvest　Period。〃　It　was　a　major　improvement　over　my　previous　title；　and　〃American　Harvest〃…the　idea　must　have　e　to　me　from　the　worktable　in　his　studio…　would　provide　me　with　a　springboard　for　generating　associative　ideas。
　　But　there　was　still　Berenice；　and　the　problem　of　what　to　do　with　her…but　wasn't　it　better　to　have　her　with　me　than　to　simply　turn　her　loose　where　she　could　learn　about　the　fire　by　reading　about　it　in　a　newspaper；　or　by　hearing　a　newscast？　How　soon　would　the　report　go　out？　Would　Debierue　telephone　Mr。　Cassidy　and　tell　him　about　it？　That　depended　upon　the　extent　of　the　fire；　probably；　but　Cassidy　would　be　the　only　person　Debierue　knew　to　contact；　and　I　could　certainly　trust　Cassidy　to　make　the　correct　decision。　He　might　inform　the　news　media；　and　again　he　might　not。　Before　doing　anything；　he　would　want　to　know　whether　I　got　a　picture　for　him　before　the　fire　started。　And　although　Cassidy　might　suspect　me　of　setting　the　fire；　he　wouldn't　know　for　sure；　and　he　wouldn't　give　a　damn　about　the　other　〃paintings〃　destroyed　in　the　fire　so　long　as　he　got　his。
　　I　still　had　about　three　hours；　or　perhaps　closer　to　four；　to　contact　Cassidy　before　Debierue　learned　about　the　fire　and　managed　to　telephone　him。
　　And　Berenice？　It　would　be　best　to　keep　her　with　me。　At　least　for　now。　Once　we　reached　New　York；　I　could　settle　her　in　a　hotel　for　a　few　days　until　I　finished　doing　the　things　I　had　to　do；　and　then　we　could　work　out　a　promise　of　some　kind。　The　best　promise；　and　I　could　work　out　the　details　later；　would　be　for　her　to　return　to　Duluth　and　teach　until　the　summer　vacation。　In　this　way；　〃we　could　reflect　upon　how　we　really　felt　about　each　other…at　a　sane　distance；　without　passion　interfering…and；　if　we　both　felt　as　if　we　still　loved　each　other；　in　truth；　and　our　affair　was　not　just　a　physical　thing；　well；　we　could　then　work　out　some　kind　of　life　arrangement　together　when　we　met　in　New　York…or　somewhere…during　her　two…month　summer　vacation。〃
　　This　was　an　idea　I　could　sell；　I　decided；　but　until　I　had　time　for　it；　she　could　stay　with　me　for　the　ride。　It　would　take　hours　of　argument　to　get　rid　of　her　now；　and　I　simply　couldn't　spare　the　time　on　polemics　when　I　had　to　concentrate　every　faculty　I　possessed　on　Debierue；　his　〃American　Harvest〃　period；　his　painting；　and　what　I　was　going　to　write。
　　I　took　the　Lake　Worth　bridge　to　pick　up　A1A；　to　enter　Palm　Beach　from　the　southern　end　of　the　island；　and　Berenice　shifted　suddenly　in　her　seat。
　　〃Do　you　know　that　we've　driven　for　more　than　forty…five　minutes；　and　you　haven't　said　a　single　word？〃
　　〃Crack　your　wind…wing　a　little；　Honey；〃　I　said；　〃and　we'll　get　some　more　air。〃
　　〃Oh！〃　She　cracked　the　window。　〃You're　the　most　exasperating　man　I've　ever　met　in　my　life；　and　if　I　didn't　love　you　so　much　I'd　tell　you　so！〃
　　By　leaving　the　food　in　the　refrigerator；　and　the　canned　food　and　staples　on　the　shelves；　it　didn't　take　us　long　to　pack。　I　put　my　clean　clothes　in　my　small　suitcase；　and　the　dirty　clothes；　which　made　up　the　bulk　of　my　belongings；　all　went　into　the　big　valopack　with　my　suits；　slacks；　and　jackets。　While　Berenice　looked　around　to　see　if　we　had　forgotten　anything；　I　took　my　bags　and　typewriter　to　the　car　and　tossed　them　into　the　back　seat。
　　On　my　way　back　for　Berenice's　luggage　I　stopped　at　the　landlady's　apartment；　gave　her　the　receipt　for　the　power　pany's　twenty…dollar　deposit；　and　told　her　to　take　the　money　that　remained　to　pay　someone　to　clean　the　apartment。　When　she　began　to　protest　that　this　small　sum　wouldn't　be　enough　to　pay　a　cleaning　woman；　I　told　her　to　add　the　balance　of　the　rent　money　I　had　paid　her　in　advance　instead　of　returning　it　to　me　and　she　said：　〃I　hope　you　have　a　pleasant　trip　back　to　New　York；　Mr。　Figueras；　and　perhaps　you'll　drop　me　a　card　some　time　from　Spanish　Harlem。〃
　　She　was　a　real　bitch；　but　I　shrugged　off　her　parting　remark　and　returned　to　the　apartment　for　Berenice　and　her　things。
　　I　stopped　at　the　Western　Union　office　in　Riviera　Beach　and　sent　two　telegrams。　The　first　one；　to　my　managing　editor　in　New　York；　was　easy：
　　
　　HOLD　MY　SPACE　5000　WORDS　PERSONAL　ARTICLE　ON　DEBIERUE
　　DRIVING　WITH　IT　NOW　TO　NY　FIGUERAS
　　
　　
　　This　telegram　would　put　Tom　Russell　into　a　frenzy；　but　he　would　hold　the　space；　or　rip　out　something　else　already　set　for　a　piece　on　Debierue。　But　he　would　be　so　astonished　about　my　having　an　article　written　on　Debierue　he　wouldn't　know　whether　to　believe　me　or　not。　And　yet；　he　would　be　afraid　not　to　believe　me。　I　gave　the　operator　his　home　address　on　Long　Island；　and　the　New　York　magazine　address　as　well；　with　instructions　to　telephone　the　message　to　him　before　delivering　it。　The　girl　assured　me　that　he　would　have　it　before　midnight；　which　assured　me　that　Tom　would　have　a　sleepless　night。　Well；　so　would　I。
　　The　wire　to　Joseph　Cassidy　at　the　Royal　Palni　Towers；　only　a　twenty…minute　drive　from　Riviera　Beach　at　this　time　of　evening；　was　more　difficult　to　pose。　I　threw　away　the　first　three　drafts；　and　then　sent　the　following　as　a　night　letter；　with　instructions　not　to　deliver　it　until　at　least　eight　AM：
　　
　　EMERGENCY　STOP　URGENT　I　REPORT　TO　NY　MAGAZINE　OFFICE
　　STOP　WILL　WRITE　AND　SEND　PICTURE　FROM　THERE　FIGUERAS
　　
　　There　was　ambiguity　in　the　wording；　but　I　wanted　it　to　read　that　way。　He　would　not　be　able　to　ascertain　from　the　way　the　wire　was　worded　whether　I　would　write　and　fill　him　in　on　the　〃emergency；〃　or　whether　I　would　be　sending　Debierue's　〃picture〃　from　New　York。　If　nothing　else；　the　wire　would　make　him　cautious　about　what　he　would　say　to　the　press　about　Debierue　and　the　fire；　although　I　knew　he　would　have　to　release　something。　Knowing　that　he　didn't　set　the　fire；　and　without　knowing　for　sure　that　I　had　set　it；　Debierue　would　most　certainly　contact　Cassidy。　If　he　suspected　that　the　fire　had　been　set　by　vandals；　Debierue　would　probably　be　afraid　to　stay　at　the　isolated　location　even　though　the　rest　of　the　house　was　only　slightly　damaged。
　　Berenice；　happy　to　have　her　way　about　going　to　New　York；　sat　in　the　car　while　I　sent　the　telegrams；　and；　except　for　humming　or　singing　snatches　of　Rodgers　&　Hart　songs；　confined　her　conversation　to　reminding　me　occasionally　to　dim　my　lights　or　to　kick　them　to　bright　again。　Brooding　about　what　to　write；　and　how　to　write　it；　especially　after　we　got　onto　the　straight；　mind…dulling　Sunshine　Parkway；　I　needed　frequent　reminders　about　the　headlights。
　　The　rest…stop　islands；　with　filling　stations　at　each　end；　and　Dobbs　House　concession　restaurants　sandwiched　between　the　gas　stations；　are　staggered　at　uneven　distances　along　the　Parkway。　Because　they　are　unevenly　spaced；　it　wasn't　possible　to　stop　at　every　other　one　（sometimes　it　was　only　twenty…eight　miles　to　a　rest　stop；　whereas　the　next　one　would　be　sixty　miles　away）；　and　a　decision；　usually　to　halt；　had　to　be　made　every　time。　Berenice　always　went　to　the　can　twice；　once　upon　debarking；　and　again　after　we　had　a　cup　of　coffee。　I　said　nothing　about　the　delay　（as　a　man　I　could　have　stopped　anywhere　along　the　highway；　but　I　would　have　been　insane　to　make　such　a　suggestion　to　a　middle…western　schoolteacher）；　and　besides；　the　rest　stops　soon　became　useful。　Sitting　at　the　counter　over　coffee　with　my　notebook；　I　organized　my　vagrant　thoughts　about　Debierue's　〃American　Harvest〃　Florida　paintings；　and　by　writing　down　my　ideas　at　each　stop；　I　retained　the　good　ones；　eliminated　the　poor　ones；　and　gradually　developed　a　plicated；　but　pyramiding；　gestalt　for　the　article。
　　I　allowed　Berenice　to　drive　between　the　Fort　Pierce　and　Yeehaw　Junction　rest　stops；　but；　finding　that　I　thought　better　at　the　wheel；　persuaded　her　to　put　her　head　on　my　shoulder　and　go　to　sleep　with　the　promise　that　she　could　drive　all　the　next　morning　while　I　slept。　Toward　morning　the　air　became　nippy；　but　by　nine　AM。；　with　Berenice　driving；　as　we　entered　the　long　wide　thoroughfare　leading　into　downtown　Valdosta；　I　knew　that　we　had　to　stop。
　　If　I　didn't　write　the　piece　on　Debierue　now；　while　my　ideas　were　still　fresh；　the　article　would　suffer　a　hundred　metamorphoses　in　my　mind　during　the　long　haul　to　New　York。　I　would　be　bone　tired　by　then；　confused；　and　unable　to　write　anything。　There　were　some　references；　dates；　names；　and　so　on；　I　would　have　to　check　in　New　York；　but　I　could　write　the　piece　now　and　leave　those　spaces　blank。　Besides；　Tom　Russell　would　want　to