Chapter 2

           DicktoldNicoleanexpurgatedversionofthecatastropheinRome—inhisversionhehadgonephilanthropicallytotherescueofadrunkenfriend.HecouldtrustBabyWarrentoholdhertongue,sincehehadpaintedthedisastrouseffectofthetruthuponNicole.Allthis,however,wasalowhurdlecomparedtothelingeringeffectoftheepisodeuponhim.

           Inreactionhetookhimselfforanintensifiedbeatinginhiswork,sothatFranz,tryingtobreakwithhim,couldfindnobasisonwhichtobeginadisagreement.Nofriendshipworththenamewaseverdestroyedinanhourwithoutsomepainfulfleshbeingtorn—soFranzlethimselfbelievewithever-increasingconvictionthatDicktravelledintellectuallyandemotionallyatsucharateofspeedthatthevibrationsjarredhim—thiswasacontrastthathadpreviouslybeenconsideredavirtueintheirrelation.So,fortheshoddinessofneeds,areshoesmadeoutoflastyear’shide.

           YetitwasMaybeforeFranzfoundanopportunitytoinsertthefirstwedge.Dickcameintohisofficewhiteandtiredonenoonandsatdown,saying:

           "Well,she’sgone."

           "She’sdead?"

           "Theheartquit."

           Dicksatexhaustedinthechairnearestthedoor.Duringthreenightshehadremainedwiththescabbedanonymouswoman-artisthehadcometolove,formallytoportionouttheadrenaline,butreallytothrowasmuchwanlightashecouldintothedarknessahead.

           Halfappreciatinghisfeeling,Franztravelledquicklyoveranopinion:

           "Itwasneuro-syphilis.AlltheWassermanswetookwon’ttellmedifferently.