cwilleford.theburntorangeheresy-第19部分

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　　〃That's　very　nice；〃　Berenice　said；　smiling。
　　〃M。　Price　is　a　very　nice　man；〃　Debierue　said；　carefully　replacing　the　card　in　his　thin；　calfskin　wallet。　〃There　are　very　good　seats　in　front　of　the　snack　bar。　The　parents　with　the　automobiles　sometimes　send　their　children　to　sit　in　these　seats；　and　they　are　also　for　those　patrons　who　do　not　have　the　automobile；　as　M。　Price　explained　to　me。　Over　to　the　right　of　these　seats　is　the　zinc　slide　and　little　swings；　the　Kiddyland　for　these；　the　children；　who　bee　tired　of　watching　the　movie　screen。　I　like　the　children…I　am　a　Frenchman…but　the　little　children　begin　to　make　too　much　noise　playing　in　the　Kiddyland　after　the　cartoons　are　finished。　This　arrangement　is　good　for　the　parents　inside　the　cars　with　speakers；　but　not　for　me。　The　noise　bees　too　loud　for　me。　M。　Price　and　I　are　now　good　friends；　and　he　reserves　for　me　each　night　a　seat　and　special　earphones。　I　hear　only　the　movie　with　the　earphones　and　no　more　the　children。〃
　　I　smiled。　〃Can　you　understand　American　English；　the　way　the　Bowery　Boys　speak　it？〃
　　〃No；　not　always；〃　he　replied　seriously。　〃But　it　is　no　matter。　These　Bowery　Boys　are　too　wonderful　edians…the　Surrealist　actors；　no？　I　like　M。　Huntz　Hall。　He　is　very　droll。　Last　week　there　were　the　three　pictures　one　night　with　the　bourgeois　couple　and　their　new　house；　Papa　and　Mama　Kettle。　I　like　them　very　much；　and　also　John　Wayne。〃　He　shook　his　fingers　as　if　he　had　burned　them　badly　on　a　hot　stove。　〃Oh　ho！　He　is　the　tough　guy；　no？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；　he　certainly　is。　But　you've　surprised　me　again；　M。　Debierue。　I　had　no　idea　you　were　a　movie　fan。〃
　　〃It　is　pleasant　to　see　the　cinema　in　the　evenings。〃　He　shrugged。　〃And　I　like　also　the　grape　snow　cone。　Do　you　like　these；　the　grape　snow　cones；　M。　Figueras？〃
　　〃I　haven't　had　one　in　a　long　time。〃
　　〃Very　good。　Fifteen　cents　at　the　snack　bar'
　　〃That's　quite　a　long　walk　down　there　and　back　every　night；　M。　Debierue。　And　as　long　as　you　haven't　seen　these　old　movies　anyway；　why　don't　you　buy　a　television？　There　are　at　least　a　half…dozen　films　on　TV　every　night；　and…〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said　loyally；　〃this　is　not　good　advice。　M。　Price　has　already　explained　to　me　that　the　TV　was　harmful　to　the　eyes。　The　little　screen；　he　said；　will　give　one　bad　headaches　after　one　or　two　hours　of　watching。〃
　　I　was　going　to　refute　this；　but　changed　my　mind　and　lit　a　cigarette　instead。　Debierue　excused　himself　and　left　for　his　bedroom。　I　stubbed　out　the　cigarette　in　the　sticky　remains　of　the　imitation　cranberry　sauce　well　in　the　TV　dinner　plate。　My　mouth　was　too　dry　to　smoke。
　　〃Have　you　got　any　tranquilizers　in　your　purse？〃
　　〃No；　but　I've　got　a　Ritalin；　I　think。〃　Berenice　untied　the　drawstring　and　searched　for　her　pillbox。
　　〃O。K。；　and　give　me　two　Excedrins　while　you're　at　it。〃
　　〃I've　only　got　Bufferin…〃
　　I　took　two　Bufferin　and　the　tiny　Ritalin　pill　and　chased　them　with　the　remainder　of　my　orange　juice。
　　〃It　looks　as　though　things　are　going　to　break　for　us　after　all；〃　I　said　softly。
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃What　do　you　think　I　mean？〃
　　She　looked　at　me　with　the　blank　vacant　stare　that　always　infuriated　me。　〃I　don't　know。〃
　　〃Never　mind。　We'll　talk　about　it　later。〃
　　Within　a　few　minutes　Debierue　returned；　wearing　his　moviegoer's　〃costume。〃　He　had　exchanged　the　shortsleeved　poio　shirt　for　a　long…sleeved　dress　shirt；　and　it　was　buttoned　at　the　neck　and　cuffs。　He　wore　long　white　duck　trousers　instead　of　shorts；　and　had　pulled　his　white　socks　up　over　the　cuffs　and　secured　them　with　bicycle　clips。　With　his　tennis　shoes　and　Navy　blue　beret　he　resembled　some　exclusive　tennis　club's　oldest　living　member。　In　his　left　hand　he　carried　a　pair　of　cotton　Iron　Boy　work　gloves。　It　was　a　peculiar　getup；　but　it　was　a　practical　uniform　for　a　man　who　was　determined　to　sit　for　six　hours　in　a　mosquitoinfested　drive…in　movie。
　　Debierue　locked　the　front　door　and　dropped　the　key　into　a　red　pottery　pot　containing　a　thirsty　azalea；　and　trailed　us　to　the　car。　Berenice　sat　in　the　middle；　and　as　I　drove　cautiously　down　the　grassy　road　toward　the　highway　she　and　the　old　man　discussed　mosquitoes　and　mosquito　control。　His　beloved　M。　Price　had　a　huge　smoke…spraying　machine　on　a　truck　that　made　the　circuit　of　the　theater　before　the　films　began　and　again　at　intermission；　but　Debierue　had　to　take　the　gloves　along　because　the　mosquitoes　were　so　fierce　on　his　walk　home。　She　told　him　about；　and　remended；　a　spray　repellent　called　Festrol；　and　I　was　repelled　by　the　banality　of　their　conversation。　But　with　his　mind　on　the　movies；　it　was　too　late　for　me　to　ask　him　any　final　questions　about　his　art。
　　I　pulled　over　in　the　driveway　short　of　the　ticket　window　and　waved　a　car　by。　I　gave　the　old　man　one　of　my　business　cards　with　the　magazine's　New　York　address　and　telephone　number；　and　wedged　in　a　parting　ment　that　if　he　changed　his　mind　about　letting　me　see　his　pictures　he　could　call　me　collect　at　any　time。　He　nodded　impatiently　and；　without　looking　at　the　card；　dropped　it　into　his　shirt　pocket。　We　shook　hands；　the　quick　one…up…and…one…down　handshake；　Berenice　gave　him　a　peck　on　his　beard；　and　he　got　out　of　the　car。　By　the　time　I　got　the　car　turned　around；　he　had　disappeared　into　the　darkness　of　the　theater。　Music　and　insane　woodpecker　laughter　filled　the　night　suddenly　as　I　turned　onto　the　highway。　Berenice　sighed。
　　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　〃Oh；　I　was　just　thinking；〃　she　said。　〃We　held　him　up　too　long　and　now　he'll　have　to　wait　until　intermission　to　get　his　grape　snow　cone。〃
　　〃Yeah。　That's　tough。〃
　　
　　
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　　I　drove　into　Debierue's　private　road；　stopped；　and　switched　off　the　headlights。　Before　she　could　say　anything　I　turned　to　Berenice　and　said；　〃Before　you　say　anything　I'm　going　to　tell　you。　Then；　if　you　have　questions；　ask　them。　I'm　going　down　now　to　take　a　look　at　Debierue's　pictures。　He　said　he　had　painted　a　few；　and　now　that　I　know　there　are　pictures　in　his　studio　I　can't　go　back　without　one　for　Mr。　Cassidy'
　　〃Why　not？　He　doesn't　know　that　there　are　any。〃
　　〃I　made　a　deal。　And　even　if　I　decide　not　to　take　one　back；　which　I　doubt；　I　still　have　to　see　them　myself。　If　you　don't　understand　that；　you　don't　understand　me　very　well。〃
　　〃I　understand；　but　it's　dangerous…〃
　　〃With　Debierue　in　the　movies；　it's　safer　than　houses。　He　dropped　the　door　key　into　a　potted　plant　on　the　porch。　You　saw　him；　too；　didn't　you？〃
　　〃But　the　studio　is　stifi　locked；　and…〃
　　〃I　don't　want　to　get　you　involved　any　more　than　you　are　already。　But　I　want　you　to　stay　here　by　the　highway；　just　in　case。　Debierue　might　think　about　the　key　himself　and　e　back　for　it。　I　don't　believe　he　will；　but　if　he　does　you　can　run　down　the　road　and　warn　me　and　we'll　get　the　hell　out。　Okay？〃
　　〃I　can't　stand　out　here　in　the　dark　all　by　myself！　I'm　scared　and　there　are　all　these　mosquitoes　and　I　want　to　go　with　you！〃
　　〃We're　wasting　time。　It's　one　thing　for　me　to　be　a　housebreaker；　but　it's　something　else　for　you…as　a　schoolteacher。　There's　nothing　to　be　frightened　about…I'm　sorry　about　the　mosquitoes…but　if　you're　really　afraid　I'll　take　you　down　the　highway　to　a　gas　station。　You　can　lock　yourself　in　the　women's　room　till　I　e　back　for　you。〃
　　〃I　don't　want　to　lock　myself　up　in…〃
　　〃Get　out　of　the　car。　I　want　to　get　this　over　with。〃
　　〃Let　me　have　your　cigarettes。〃
　　I　handed　her　my　half…empty　pack；　not　the　full　one；　and　she　climbed　resignedly　out　of　the　car。　〃How　long　are　you　going　to　be？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　That　depends　upon　how　many　paintings　I　have　to　look　at。〃
　　〃Don't　do　it；　James。　Please　don't　do　it！〃
　　〃Why；　for　God's　sake？〃
　　〃Because　Debierue　doesn't　want　you　to；　that's　why！〃
　　〃That's　not　a　reason。〃
　　〃I…I　may　not　be　here　when　you　get　back；　James。〃
　　〃Good！　In　that　case；　I　can　say　you　weren't　with　me　at　all　tonight　if　I'm　caught　and　you　won't　get　into　any　trouble。〃
　　Without　lights　I　eased　the　car　down　the　road；　but　turned　them　on　again　as　soon　as　I　was　well　into　the　pines　and　around　the　first　bend。　There　was　no　good　reason　not　to　have　taken　Berenice　with　me　except　that　I　didn't　want　her　along。　That　is；　there　was　no　rational　reason。　She　had　looked　rather　pitiful　standing　in　the　tall　grass　beside　the　road。　Maybe　I　thought　she　would　be　in　the　way；　or　that　she　would　talk　all　the　time。　Something。　。　。　。　It　might　have　been　something　in　my　subconscious　mind　warning　me　about　what　I　would　find。　As　soon　as　I　parked　in　front　of　the　house　I　considered；　for　a　brief　moment；　going　back　for　her。　I　got　out　of　the　car　instead；　but　left　the　headlights　on。
　　Because　of　the　rain…washed　air　the　few　visible　stars　seemed　to　be　light　years　higher　in　the　void　than　they　usually　were。　There　was　no　moon　as　yet；　and　the　night　was　inky。　In　the　black　swamp　beyond　the　house　a　lonesome　bull　alligator　roared　erotically。　This　was　such　a　miserable；　isolated　location　for　an　artist　to　live；　I　was　grateful　that　the　old　painter　had　a　place　to　go　every　night…and　not　only　because　the　house　was　so　easy　to　break　into。　If　I　had　to　live　out　here　all　alone；　I　too　would　have　been　looking　forward　to　seeing　the　Bowery　Boys　and　three　color　cartoons。
　　Debierue's　〃hiding〃　of　the　key　was　evidently　a　habitual　practice；　a　safeguard　to　prevent　its　loss　as　he　walked　to　and　from　the　theater　each　night。　I　doubted　that　the　idea　entered　his　head　that　I　would　return　to　his　empty　house　to　make　an　illegal　use　of　the　key。　But　I　didn't　really　know。　My　guilt；　if　any；　was　light。　I　felt　no　more　guilt　than　that　of　a　professional　burglar。　A　burglar　must　make　a　living；　and　to　steal　he　must　first　invade　the　locked　home　where　the　items　he　wants　to　steal　are　safeguarded。　I　meant　no　harm　to　the　old　artist。　Any　picture　I　took；　and　I　was　only　going　to　take　one；　Debierue　could　paint　again。　And　except　for　the　visual　impressions　of　his　paintings　in　my　mind…and　a　few　photos…I　would　take　nothing　else。There　was　no　reason　to　feel　guilty。
　　So　I　cannot　account　for　the　dryness　of　my　mouth；　the　dull　stasis　of　my　blood；　the　tightness　of　the　muscles　surrounding　my　stomach；　and　the　noticeable　increase　in　my　rate　of　breathing。　These　signs　of　anxiety　were　ridiculous。　The　old　man　was　sitting　in　the　drive…in　with　a　pair　of　headphones　clamped　to　his　ears；　and　even　if　he　caught　me　inside　the　h