Ход королевы
Chapter 14
Forhoursshedidnotlookathimortheaudienceoreventhereferee.Inthewholeofhermind,inthewholeofherattentionshesawonlythoseembodimentsofdanger—knight,bishop,rook,pawn,kingandqueen.
ItwasBorgovwhospoketheword“Adjourn.”HesaiditinEnglish.ShelookedatherclockuncomprehendinglybeforesherealizedthatneitherflaghadfallenandthatBorgov’swasclosertoitthanhers.Hehadsevenminutesleft.Shehadfifteen.Shelookedatherscoresheet.Thelastmovewasnumberforty.Borgovwantedtoadjournthegame.Shelookedbehindher;therestofthestagewasempty,theothergameswereover.
ThenshelookedatBorgov.Hehadnotloosenedhistieortakenoffhiscoatorrumpledhishair.Hedidnotlooktired.Sheturnedaway.Themomentshesawthatblank,quietlyhostileface,shewasterrified.
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Boothwasinthelobby.Thistimehewaswithhalfadozenreporters.TherewasthemanfromtheNewYorkTimesandthewomanfromtheDailyObserverandtheReutersmanandtheUPI.Thereweretwonewfacesamongthemastheycameuptoherinthelobby.
“I’mtiredashell,”shetoldBooth.
“Ibetyouare,”hesaid.“ButIpromisedthesepeople…”Heintroducedthenewones.ThefirstwasfromParis-MatchandthesecondfromTime.Shelookedatthelatterandsaid,“WillIbeonthecover?”andhereplied,“Areyougoingtobeathim?”andshedidnotknowhowtoanswer.Shewasfrightened.Yetshewasevenontheboardandsomewhataheadontime.Shehadnotmadeanyerrors.ButneitherhadBorgov.
