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'Moving?'
'Yes.ToCalifornia.'
'Movingthestud?Horses,andeverything?'
'That'sright.Dave'sjustboughtafarmdownnearSantaBarbara,andwe'removingoverthereinthefall.'
'Iwouldhavethoughtyouweresettledhereforlife.Wasn'tthisDave'sfather'splace?'
'Ohno.Wemovedhereabouttenyearsago.TheoldfarmwasontheothersideofLexington,outontheVersaillesRoad.'
'Californiaisalongway,'Icommented.Butshedidn'trespondwithareasonforthemove,andafterapauseIsaid,'Ifitwouldn'tbemuchtroubletoyou,I'dlikeverymuchtoseethehorsesandstablesyouhavehere.'
Shenarrowedhereyes.'Businessorpleasure?'
'Both,'Ismiled.
Sheshrugged.'Helpyourself.Butgetmeanotherdrinkfirst.'
Apoolsideicebox,Ireflected,wouldsavealotofwalking:butmaybeshestillneededtheillusionthatshedidn'tdrinkintheafternoon.Ifetchedherarefill,changedintomyclothes,andfoundherstillfacedowninthebikini.
'SayIsentyou,'shesaid.
BeforeIcouldmove,however,DaverangfromEngland,andEvabroughtaportabletelephoneoutandpluggedthelongcordintoasocketinthehut.Dave'swifemadethreeorfourunanxiousenquiriesaboutherhusband'scondition,andthensaid,'Yes,he'shererightnow.'Sheheldoutthereceivertome.'Hewantstotalktoyou.'
'Gene?'Hisvoicewasasclearasifhe'dbeeninLexington,andmuchstrongerthanithadbeenthepreviousmorning.
'Hi.'Isaid.
'Lookfella,SimandIwantyoubackhereforaconference.Canyougetaplanetomorrow?'
'b.u.t.thefare...'Iprotestedmildly.
'Toh.e.l.lwiththefare.You'vegotareturnticket.'
'Allright.'
'Youhaven'tfoundthehorseyet?'
'No.'
'Doyouthinkyouwill?'
'Idon'tknowyet.'
Hesighed.'SeeyouThursday,then,'andthelinewentdead.
Thestableslaysomedistanceawayonthefarsideofthehouse.Iwalkedroundthereandwa.s.shortlytalkingtothestudgroom,ChubLodovski,alargegood-naturedmanwithslowspeech,abirdhead,andgreatham-likehands.Heshowedmeroundthewholesetupwithunlimitedpatienceandan.o.bviousprideinhisjob.Thestateoftheplacewas.h.i.+stestimonial.Themaresandfoalsatepeacefullyinneatlyrailedpaddocksreachedbyimpeccablenarrowdriveswithsharplycutgra.s.sedges.Thestallionslivedinashortrowofsixlargeairybox-stallsinas.p.a.ciousbarn,withawoodenrailedexercisepaddockinfront,flankedbytwohigh-walledmatingcompounds.
Onlyfiveofthesestallswereoccupied.ThevacancywasforChrysalis.
'IsthiswhereyoukeptAllyx?'Iasked.
'That'sright.Secondstallfromtheend.Hewasonlyinitfourdays.'
'Andwherewasthefire?'
Hefrowned.'Itstartedinsomestrawonenight,justabouthere.'Wewerefairlycentral.'Itwasn'tmuch.Mostlysmoke.'
'Andyouturnedthehorsesoutintotheexercisepaddockinfronthere?'
'That'sright.Justasaprecaution.Butoneofthosedoggoneanimalsgotscaredandbrokearailonthefarside,andthewholebunchgotoutacrossthatstretchofgra.s.sontothatdirtroadoverthere.WeneverdidfindAllyx.Therehasn'tbeensightnorsoundofhimsince.'
Wetalkedforawhileaboutthesearchthey'dmadenextmorning,but,Lodovskisaid,thewholeofKentuckywasplasteredwithhorses,andnoonethoughtmuchabout.i.tiftheysawoneloose,andalthougharewardhadbeenoffered,andtheinsurancepeoplehadswarmedaroundlikebloodhounds,they'dneverfoundhim.
'AndnowChrysalis,'Isighedsympathetically.
'Sure.Andtheysaylightningneverstrikesthesameplacetwice!'
Hewasmoderatelyupsetthatthestudlookedlikelosinganothermajorattraction,but.i.twasn'thismoneythatwasinvolved,andbesidesthathewasproudenoughofthestallionsremaininginresidence.Iaskedhimifhe'deverbeentoCalifornia.
'Thefarm'smovingoutthere,didyouknow?'hesaid.
'Areyougoing,yourself?'
'Mebbe,mebbenot.Dependsonthemissus,andshecan'tmakeuphermind.'HegrinnedcomfortablyandacceptedthenoteIgavehimwithdignity.
WhenIgotbacktothepoolDave'swifehadgotherdressonagainandEvawasbrus.h.i.+ngthesplintersofwhiskygla.s.sintoadustpan,whichshecarriedcarefullyawayacrossthelawn.
'Well,whatdidyouthinkoftheplace?'
'Thehorsesalllookedverywell.Thestallionsespecially.'
'Sowouldyou,ifallyouhadtodowas...'shebegan,andthenstoppedandshrugged.'Sowouldyou.'
Apartfromanoccasional'b.l.o.o.d.y'whichcreptinfromhabit,thatwasthelastofherverbalsquibsfortheday.Butmylackofscandalisedreactiondidn'thavethesameeffectonherdrinking,andshekeptupas...o...b..tsteadyintakerightthroughduskanddinner.Hermentalbrakesremainedhalfon,halfoff,asbefore.
Overthickslicesofrarebeefshesaid,'Areyoumarried?'
'No.'Ishookmyhead.
'Divorced?'
'No,'Isaid.'I'veneverbeenmarriedatall.'
'Areyouqueer?'sheasked,a.s.simplyasifshe'dsaid,'areyoucomfortable?'
Ismiledslightly.'No.'
'Thenwhyaren'tyoumarried?'
'Ihaven'tfoundanyonewhowillmarryme.'
'Don'tberidiculous.Youmusthavewomenlyingdownforyouindroves.'
'It'snotthesamething.'
Shelookedatmebroodinglyovertherimofhergla.s.s.'Soyouliveallalone?'
'That'sright.'
'Noparents?'
'They'rebothdead,'Isaid.'AndI'ven.o.brothers,nosisters,nouncles,auntsorcousins.'Ismiled.'Anythingelse?'
'Staythenight.'
Shesaiditabruptly,asifitcamefromadeeperlevelthanherfairlyharmlessinterrogation,andtherewasanelementofsurpriseandalarmonherfaceafterwards.
'I'msorry,'Isaidmatter-of-factly,'butIcan't.'
Shelookedatmewithoutexpressionforabouttenseconds.
'Ihaveamother,'shesaid.'Andsisters,andbrothers,anddozensofrelations.Andahusband,andason,andallthis.'Shewavedahandaroundthemillionairebracketwalls.'Ihaveeverything.'Hereyesfilledwithtears,butshewentonlookingstraightacrossthetable,withoutblinking.
'Ihave...b.l.o.o.d.y...everything.'
CHAPTERSIX.
TherewasanenvelopefromWaltinmyroomatthemotelcontainingashortnoteandalist.
'Gene, Thisisallthedriverscameupwith.Ithinkit'ssafetobetthattheyactuallydidseethesevehicles.Thetopthree,theybothremembered.Theothers,onlyoneofthemremembered.Nohorsevans,though.
Thelistread: 'Impala,lilac,2yearsold,Californianumberplates.Pa.s.sengersincludedafatchildwhomadefacesoutoftherearwindow.Bothdays.
Greystationwagontrailingaloadoffurniture.Bothdays.
DarkgreenFordMustang,Nevadaplates.Youngcouple,nodescription.ThehorsevandriversrememberthisonebecausetheywerediscussingwhethertheMustangwasagoodcarornot.Seconddayonly.
Whiteconvertible:youngwomanwithblondehairwoundonrollers.Seconddayonly.
Armygreenpick-uptruckwithwhiteletteringonthedoors.Seconddayonly.
Thepick-up,oneofthedriversthinks,wasprobablyonInter-btate70,afterZanesvilleandbeforetheyturnedoffsouth.Hedoesn'trememberclearly.'
IreadthelistthroughthreetimeswhileIundressed.Theloadoffurniturelookedthemostpromising,butnoneofitexactlyinspired.
Walt,drivingtotheairportinthemorning,dampedeventhefurniture.
'ItwasonlyoneofthoseSnailExpresstrailers.'
'LiketheU-Haul,'Isaid.
'That'sright."Carryyourhouseonyourback,butletustaketheweight".'hesaid,quotingtheSnailExpressadvertisingslogan.'Thedriverssaiditwasn'tbigenoughtoputahorsein.'
Therewerefurnituretrailersofallsizesalloverthecountry:peoplemovinghousehiredoneattheiroldhome,loadedup,anddroveofftothenew,maybesixStatesaway.Theretheyunloadedandsimplyleftthetrailerinalocaldepot,fromwherethehaulagefirmhiredittothenextremovingclient.ThebrightorangeU-HaultrailersandthealuminiumandblueonesoftheSnailExpresswereasfrequentontheroadsastheGreyhoundbuses.
'Howaboutthepickup?'Iasked.
'Muchtoosmallforahorse,'Waltsaidgloomily.
HecamebackwithmetoNewYorkandrubbedhisthumbcontinuouslyoverthefingerpadswhileIwentthroughthefilewehadmadeonthecase.
Therewasabatchofphotographsofthemissinghorse,mostlytakenfromstudbookadvertis.e.m.e.nts,bythelookofthem.Notaveryremarkablecreatureonpaper,Ithought.
SamHengelmanhadsenthistwomostcarefuldriverstofetchChrysalis.HehadhadacallfromMrsTellerinforminghimofthedatefixedforthehorsetoflyover,andalsoacablefromEnglandwhenhewasonhisway.HengelmanhadtelephonedKennedyAirportandbeentoldthehorseswouldbethroughthe24-hourimmigrationregulationsatnoon,Tuesday.Hehadsentthevana.s.soonashegotthecable,onSunday.Therewas,heagreed,asystemliketheU-Haulinoperationamonghorsevans,toavoidtheneedforlongemptyjourneys,butsomefolkslikedpersonalservice,andMrTellerwasoneofthem.
Theb.u.t.tressLifeInsurancecoveredtransport.SamHengelmanhadnothadtotakeoutapolicyforthetrip,andneitherstoodtolosenorgainfromthehi-jacking.
Bothdrivershadcleanrecordsgoingwayback.
Bothgroomshadbeenintheirpresentjobsformorethanthreeyears.OneofthemcamefromMidwayFarm;theotherfromanotherfarmwhichhadahorsecominginonthesametrip.
AninterviewwithMrsEuniceTellerhadproducednohelpfulinformation.
Ishutthefolderwithasmile,andgaveitbacktoWalt.
'HowaboutcheckingwithSnailExpress,ontheoff-chance?'
Helookedsceptical.'Thedriverssaidthetrailerwasn'thighenough.'
'They'reusedtothinkingintermsofordinaryhorsevans.Andtheywerelookingdown,fromtheircab.Youcouldsqueezearacehorseintoaboxaboutsevenfeetbyfour,bysixfeethigh,ifyouwereruthlessenough.FindouthowmanytrailersthatsizeorlargerSnailExpresshadoutlastMondayorTuesday,whichmightconceivablyhavebeenontheturnpike.'
'Allright,'hesaidexpressionlessly.'Ifyousayso.'
Withthetimelagworkinginreverseitwas3a.m.ThursdaymorningwhenIlandedatHeathrow,and12beforeIwalkedintoDaveTeller'sroominaReadinghospital.FlamingJunehadcomeandgone:itwasrainingagain.
Ifonediscountedtheropes,pulleys,slingsandplastersuspendinghisleginmidair,thepatientlookedhealthyenough.Hegreetedmewithoutfuss,thedirecteyessteadyandbright.
'Tiringtrip?'
'Soso.'
