Ход королевы
Chapter 8
“Ishouldnothaveletyoudothat.Withtherook.”
“Yes,”shesaid.Andthen:“Howoldwereyouwhenyoustartedplayingchess?”
“Four.Iwasdistrictchampionatseven.IhopetobeWorldChampiononeday.”
“When?”
“Inthreeyears.”
“You’llbesixteeninthreeyears.”
Henoddedgrimly.
“Ifyouwin,whatwillyoudoafterward?”
Helookedpuzzled.“Idon’tunderstand.”
“Ifyou’reWorldChampionatsixteen,whatwillyoudowiththerestofyourlife?”
Hestilllookedpuzzled.“Idon’tunderstand,”hesaid.
***
Mrs.Wheatleywenttobedearlyandseemedbetterthenextmorning.ShewasupbeforeBeth,andwhentheywentdownstairstogetherforbreakfastintheCámaradeToreros,Mrs.WheatleyorderedaSpanishomeletandtwocupsofcoffeeandfinisheditall.Bethfeltrelieved.
***
Onthebulletinboardneartheregistrationdeskwasalistofplayers;Bethhadnotlookedatitforseveraldays.Comingintotheroomnowtenminutesbeforegametime,shestoppedandcheckedthescores.Theywerelistedinorderoftheirinternationalratings,andBorgovwasatthetopwith2715.Harmonwasseventeenthwith2370.Aftereachplayer’snamewasaseriesofboxesshowinghisscorefortherounds.“0”meantaloss,“½”adraw,and“1”awin.Therewereagreatmany“½s.”Threenameshadanuninterruptedstringof“l’s”afterthem;BorgovandHarmonweretwoofthese.
Thepairingswereafewfeettotheright.AtthetopofthelistwasBORGOV-RAND,andbelowthatHARMON—SOLOMON.
