Ход королевы
Chapter 11
OncewhenshewasstudyinganespeciallycomplexpositionbetweentwoRussians,apositionthatendedinadraw,shesawsomething,followedit,andcriedout,“Lookatthis,Benny!”andstartedmovingthepiecesaround.“Hemissedone.Blackhasthiswiththeknight…”andsheshowedawayfortheblackplayertowin.AndBenny,smilingbroadly,cameovertowhereshewassittingattheboardandhuggedheraroundtheshoulders.
Mostofthetime,chesswastheonlylanguagebetweenthem.Oneafternoonwhentheyhadspentthreeorfourhoursonendgameanalysisshesaidwearily,“Don’tyougetboredsometimes?”andhelookedatherblankly.“Whatelseisthere?”hesaid.
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Theyweredoingrookandpawnendingswhentherewasaknockatthedoor.Bennygotupandopenedit,andtherewerethreepeople.Onewasawoman.BethrecognizedonemanfromaChessReviewpieceabouthimafewmonthsbeforeandtheotherlookedfamiliar,althoughshecouldn’tplacehim.Thewomanwasstriking.Shewasabouttwenty-five,withblackhairandapalecomplexion,andshewaswearingaveryshortgrayskirtandsomekindofmilitaryshirtwithepaulets.
“ThisisBethHarmon,”Bennysaid.“HiltonWexler,GrandmasterArthurLevertov,andJennyBaynes.”
“Ournewchamp,”Levertovsaid,givingheralittlebow.Hewasinhisthirtiesandbalding.
“Hi,”Bethsaid.Shestoodupfromthetable.
“Congratulations!”Wexlersaid.“Bennyneededalessoninhumility.”
“I’malreadytopsinhumility,”Bennysaid.
Thewomanheldoutherhand.“Nicetomeetyou.
