“That was Good Friday.”
“You do remember. Well, I found it. It’s Matthew, and it’s pretty wonderful and—scary.”
“Yes.”
“What got into you?”
“My Great-Aunt Deborah. She got me crucified once a year. It still goes on.”
“You’re kidding. You weren’t kidding then.”
“No, I wasn’t. And I’m not now.”
She said playfully, “You know, the fortune I read you is coming true.”
“I know it is.”
“Don’t you think you owe me something?”
“Sure.”
“When are you going to pay?”
“Would you care to step into the back room?”
“I don’t think you could do it.”
“You don’t?”
“No, Ethan, and you don’t either. You’ve never had a quick jump in the hay in your life.”
“I could learn, maybe.”
“You couldn’t fornicate if you wanted to.”
“I could try.”
“It would take love or hatred to arouse you, and either one would require a slow and stately procedure.”
“Maybe you’re right. How did you know?”
“I never know how I know.”
He slid the door of the cold cabinet open, took out a Coke, which instantly grew a jacket of frost, opened it, and handed the bottle to her while he opened a second.
“What is it you want of me?”
“I’ve never known a man like that. Perhaps I want to see what it’s like to be loved or hated that much.”
“You’re a witch! Why don’t you whistle up a wind?”
“I can’t whistle. I can raise a puny little storm in most men with my eyebrows. How do I go about lighting your fire?”
“Maybe you have.”
He studied her closely and did not try to conceal his inspection. “Built like a brick outhouse,” he said, “soft and smooth and strong and good.”
“How do you know? You’ve never felt me.”
“If I ever do, you’d better run like hell.”
“My love.”
“Come off it. There’s something wrong here. I’m conceited enough to know the caliber of my attractiveness. What do you want? You’re a fine broth of a dame but you’re also smart. What do you want?”
“I told your fortune and it’s coming true.”
“And you want to suck along?”
“Yes.”
“Now I can believe you.” He raised his eyes. “Mary of my heart,” he said, “look on your husband, your lover, your dear friend. Guard me against evil from within me and from harm without. I pray for your help, my Mary, for a man has a strange and wind-troubled need and the ache of the ages is on him to spread his seeds everywhere. Ora pro me.”[54]
“You’re a fake, Ethan.”
“I know it. But can’t I be a humble fake?”
“I’m afraid of you now. I wasn’t before.”
“I can’t think why.”
She had that tarot look and he saw it.
“Marullo.”
“What about him?”
“I’m asking.”
“Be with you in a moment. Half a dozen eggs, square of butter, right. How are you for coffee?”
“Yes, a can of coffee. I like to have it on the shelf. How is that Whumpdum corned-beef hash?”
“I haven’t tried it. They say it’s very good. Be with you in a moment, Mr. Baker. Didn’t Mrs. Baker get some of that Whumpdum corned-beef hash?”
“I don’t know, Ethan. I eat what’s put before me. Mrs. Young-Hunt, you get prettier every day.”
“Kind sir.”
“It’s true. And—you dress so well.”
“I was thinking the same about you. Now you’re not pretty but you have a wonderful tailor.”
“I guess I have. He charges enough.”
“Remember the old boy who said, ‘Manners maketh man’?[55] Well that’s changed now. Tailors make men in any image they want.”
“The trouble with a well-made suit, it lasts too long. This is ten years old.”
“I can’t believe it, Mr. Baker. How is Mrs. Baker?”
“Well enough to complain. Why don’t you call on her, Mrs. Young-Hunt? She gets lonely. There aren’t many people in this generation who can carry on a literate conversation. It was Wickham who said it. It’s the motto of Winchester College.”
She turned to Ethan. “You show me another American banker who knows that.”
Mr. Baker grew ruddy. “My wife subscribed to Great Books. She’s a great reader. Please call on her.”
“I’d love to. Put my things in a bag, Mr. Hawley. I’ll pick them up on my way home.”
“Right, ma’am.”
“That’s quite a remarkable young woman,” Mr. Baker said.
“She and Mary hit it off.”
“Ethan, did that government man come here?”
“Yes.”
“What does he want?”
“I don’t know. He asked some questions about Mr. Marullo. I didn’t know the answers.”
Mr. Baker released the image of Margie as slowly as an anemone opens and casts out the shell of a sucked-clean crab. “Ethan, have you seen Danny Taylor?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“No, I don’t.”
“I have to get in touch with him. Can’t you think where he might be?”
“I haven’t seen him for—well, since May. He was going to try the cure again.”
“Do you know where?”
“He didn’t say. But he wanted to try.”
“Was it a public institution?”
“I don’t think so, sir. He borrowed some money from me.”
“What!”
“I loaned him a little money.”
“How much?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Sorry, Ethan. You are old friends. Sorry. Did he have other money?”
“I think so.”
“You don’t know how much?”
“No sir. I just had a feeling he had more.”
“If you know where he is, please tell me.”
“I would if I knew, Mr. Baker. Maybe you could make a list of the places and phone.”
“Did he borrow cash?”
“Yes.”
“Then that’s no good. He’d change his name.”
“Why?”
“They always do from good families. Ethan, did you get the money from Mary?”
“Yes.”
“She didn’t mind?”
“She didn’t know.”
“Now you’re being smart.”
“I learned from you, sir.”
“Well, don’t forget it.”
“Maybe I’m learning little by little. Mostly I’m learning how much I don’t know.”
“Well, that’s healthy. Is Mary well?”
“Oh, she’s strong and tough. Wish I could take her on a little vacation. We haven’t been out of town in years.”
“That will come, Ethan. I think I’ll go to Maine over the Fourth of July. I can’t take the noise any more.”
“I guess you bankers are the lucky ones. Weren’t you in Albany lately?”
“What gave you that idea?”
“I don’t know—heard it someplace. Maybe Mrs. Baker told Mary.”
“She couldn’t. She didn’t know it. Try to think where you heard it.”
“Maybe I only imagined it.”
“This troubles me, Ethan. Think hard where you heard it.”
“I can’t, sir. What does it matter if it isn’t true?”
“I’ll tell you in confidence why I’m worried. It’s because it is true. The Governor called me in. It’s a serious matter. I wonder where the leak could be.”
“Anyone see you there?”
“Not that I know of. I flew in and out. This is serious. I’m going to tell you something. If it gets out I’ll know where it came from.”
55
Manners maketh man… Wickham: William of Wykeham (1324-1404), bishop of Winchester, chancellor of England, and founder of New College, Oxford (1379), and Winchester College (1394).