"When you've lived as long as I have, business is the only thing that can interest you. Luckily I still find the business of running Hell extremely fascinating after all these years. That is my only amusement, and I admit it's enough."
Hale answered: "I don't care. I still don't see you giving up your immortality. Anything is better than this horrible fear. I've got too much to lose. I don't want to die!"
"Then you mean you have decided that you want immortality?"
"Yes. If you can like it, I can."
"Very well, partner." Johnson stood up and shook Hale's hand. "Since you want it, it's yours."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Just what I said. You're immortal."
"I'm im — Just like that? I mean, don't you do anything?"
"That's all. I assure you you're immortal. I admit it may seem odd, from your point of view. But you should realize by now that I work by everyday, matter-of-fact methods."
"Huh, I still don't get it. How does it work?"
"Immortality? By what is commonly regarded as luck. In our cases, a never-ending series of fortunate accidents. Guns pointed at us happen not to go off, or something happens to the gunners. Accidents occur a moment after we are safely out of the way. We happen not to contract fatal illnesses; our systems happen not to age or deteriorate. There is really nothing magical about it."
"Yeah. On the surface."
"Quite so." Johnson smiled through the gloom. "On the surface."
Hale's first demonstration of his immortality was his quick recovery. He could sit up without vertigo. Johnson turned on the lights and resumed his seat. Before Hale could reopen the subject of immortality, he said: "I understand your swimming pool will be completed when we get back. Have you thought of any ceremony in opening it?"
"I've been wondering about that. Just taking a swim doesn't sound so good. There ought to be some kind of blow-out, only the people I used to know wouldn't fit in."
"Don't you know anybody at all?"
"Just about nobody. Of course, I could invite the superintendent and his wife, or the girl friend I gave the air to. They'd fit in nicely."
"Come now, William. I'm entirely serious. I know I'm not much company for a lonely young man. And you have been lonely, haven't you?"
Hale had to realize that that was the fact, despite his lavish possessions. He now knew that that was the reason for his restlessness. He hadn't been seeing anybody but Johnson and his servants.
"Well," Hale admitted, "I was sort of playing around with the idea of inviting Banner. But he'd turn me down cold after the dirty trick I played on him."
"Banner? Oh, yes, the advertising man who gave you the ... uh ... job. He has a daughter, hasn't he? Why don't you ask them?"
Hale shook his head. "They wouldn't come."
"They might. Ask them to bring their friends. All they can do is snub you. And the daughter — she gets her pictures in the papers quite often. Pretty, isn't she?"
"A pip!"
"I agree. A very appealing girl indeed. If you're interested in meeting her, I believe it's worth the risk of a snub."
"Yeah. I suppose it is."
"Is there anything you want before I go, William?"
"No, thanks. I'll be all right."
Johnson left. Hale lay looking up at the softly illuminated ceiling. Damn it, he thought, there's always something to take the kick out of life, and it's always the reality that does it. Who would have thought that he could get tired of his apartment? Like everyone else he enjoyed elbow room but, except for purely functional reasons, there was no incentive for going from one room to another. Or take his horse and cars. Riding had degenerated into routine. And now the yacht. He had imagined himself riding around grandly, taking long cruises when he felt like it. Possibly the papers would have pictures of him and his yacht, and the thought of making other people envious was an added satisfaction. He hadn't thought of the inconveniences.
Damn reality! First he'd been seasick and afraid of death. Both had vanished; but now he realized that, besides having had the zest taken from sailing by his sickness, he had transferred his loneliness from the city to the ship. For the whole week end he would eat, sleep, look at the water, and listen to Johnson orate. That was reality.
But it all stemmed from his loneliness, he knew. Once he met Gloria and her friends, everything would be all right. There was the kind of girl he'd always wanted to know — glamorous, beautiful —
On the first day of his cruise, he was impatient to be home.
Chapter X
Hale was happy, for several reasons. Johnson was away from the city on business. The pool was even better than he'd been able to imagine from blueprints. The floor was covered with soft, electrically warmed rubber tiling; the walls were quartz glass on all sides; enough room had been left on the sides of the pool for tables and lounging chairs, palms, an orchestra stand, and rubber mattresses for those who wanted to sun themselves.
It was swell, he thought. He let his white toweling robe fall open. He felt more aristocratic than a Roman emperor. If he could only continue feeling that way he couldn't fail to impress her.
He hadn't seen anyone but the press photographers yet. The guests were dressing. The fact that for once he wasn't the only person occupying the place gratified him.
Then Banner came in. He was probably sensitive about his shape, which was rather like Alexander P. Johnson's only taller, for he wore a business suit instead of being dressed for swimming. He strode up combatively. "You Hale?" he demanded.
Hale hesitated."Yes, Mr. Banner."
"Never recognize you all cleaned up," Banner snapped. He stepped back and glowered at Hale until the latter grew uneasy. Then his face suddenly cleared and he thumped Hale's shoulder approvingly. "You didn't have me fooled for a second. I can spot a winner every time."
"You're not sore at me?" Hale asked incredulously.
"Me sore at you? What for?" Banner looked hurt. "You ought to know me better than that. Any man who'd keep another from rising is a heel. Besides, seeing you make good boosts my own ego. Shows what a good judge of character I am. Of course, I wasn't too happy when you quit. Nobody likes to lose a good man. I kind of thought maybe Gloria and I shouldn't come here. But what the hell, I like you. And, as Johnson says, you don't know too many people. Meeting Gloria's crowd'll perk you up."
"Johnson?"
"Your partner."
"Do you know him?"
"Met him through the Businessmen's Club. By the way" — Banner's voice became confidential — "remember what you said about marrying my daughter, the time you busted in on me? Still got that idea in your head?"
Hale flushed. "That was just a bluff. All I've seen of her is her pictures —"
"They're nothing like her, Hale! Can't get her skin and personality in halftones, you know." He squeezed Hale's arm. "Don't jump into anything on my say-so. But I'll tell you straight from the shoulder — you're the kind of guy I'd like for a son-in-law. You have guts and you know where you're going. Know what Emerson used to say? 'The world steps aside for the man who knows where he's going.' Smart fellow, that Emerson."
Hale was silent. It was true: while he had been heading straight for his goal, the world had stepped aside for him. Now that he had his partnership, he noticed signs of indecision in himself. For instance, he allowed his servants and Johnson to run his affairs practically without argument. Worst of all, he was waiting almost shyly for Gloria Banner.