Девять рассказов

           "God!What’dyousay?"saidthegirl.

           "Youheardme,"thegray-hairedmansaid,andlookedather."Youcouldhearme.Couldn’tyou?"Hesquashedouthiscigarette.

           "Youwerewonderful.Absolutelymarvellous,"thegirlsaid,watchinghim."God,Ifeellikeadog!"

           "Well,"thegray-hairedmansaid,"it’satoughsituation.Idon’tknowhowmarvellousIwas."

           "Youwere.Youwerewonderful,"thegirlsaid."I’mlimp.I’mabsolutelylimp.Lookatme!"

           Thegray-hairedmanlookedather."Well,actually,it’sanimpossiblesituation,"hesaid."Imeanthewholething’ssofantasticitisn’teven—"

           "Darling-Excuseme,"thegirlsaidquickly,andleanedforward."Ithinkyou’reonfire."Shegavethebackofhishandashort,brisk,brushingstrokewiththeflatsofherfingers."No.Itwasjustanash."Sheleanedback."No,youweremarvellous,"shesaid."God,Ifeellikeanabsolutedog!"

           "Well,it’savery,verytoughsituation.Theguy’sobviouslygoingthroughabsolute—"

           Thephonesuddenlyrang.

           Thegray-hairedmansaid"Christ!"butpickeditupbeforethesecondring."Hello?"hesaidintoit.

           "Lee?Wereyouasleep?"

           "No,no."

           "Listen,Ijustthoughtyou’dwanttoknow.Joaniejustbargedin."

           "What?"saidthegray-hairedman,andbridgedhislefthandoverhiseyes,thoughthelightwasbehindhim.

           "Yeah.Shejustbargedin.AbouttensecondsafterIspoketoyou.IjustthoughtI’dgiveyouaringwhileshe’sinthejohn.Listen,thanksamillion,Lee.Imeanit—youknowwhatImean.Youweren’tasleep,wereya?"

           "No,no.