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. It s the one Roosevelt called BigMedicine. Too bad Teddy didn t use it on himself, Calhoun said. 346 ron rash Yes, but who knows, Pemberton said, raising the rifle toward thewindow and feigning disappointment when he squeezed the trigger andthere was only a click. Perhaps that cousin of his will show up, and I lltake a shot at him. Pemberton handed the rifle to Mr.Salvatore.The gift slowly circledthe table, the women passing it with palms underneath as if a platter,except for Mrs.De Man, who like the men jostled the rifle in her hands,nodding appreciatively at the gun s heft and sturdiness. The scrollwork, Mrs.Pemberton, Mr.Lowenstein said. It s beauti-fully done, but I don t recognize the depiction. The shield of Achilles. Such a gun would do good service in Quebec with our brown bears, Mrs.De Man noted as she passed the rif le to her husband.Pemberton filled his tumbler again, sloshing scotch onto the table ashe poured.When the rifle was passed back to him, he leaned it againstthe table. I ll kill my mountain lion first, Pemberton boasted, then a jaguar. Brazil, Lowenstein mused. What an adventure for the two of you. Indeed, Calhoun said. Forests enough for a lifetime and plenty leftover. Pemberton raised his hand and waved it dismissively. Give us a lifetime and Mrs.Pemberton and I will cut down everytree, not just in Brazil but in the world. The words inside Pemberton s head were luminous enough, but heknew that he d tried to say too much.Vowels and consonants had draggedand halted like gears that wouldn t mesh, the words hopelessly slurred.Salvatore nodded at his wife and stood. We should be going now.Our train back to Chicago leaves ratherearly in the morning. The other guests rose and made their goodbyes, began leaving as well.Pemberton tried to rise from his chair, but as he did the room tilted.Hesat back down, focused his eyes and saw Serena still sat opposite him,the table lengthening out between them. Serena 347 See them to the train? Pemberton asked. Not sure I can. Serena looked at him steadily. They know the way, Pemberton, Serena said, watching him steadily.The room slowly leaned back and forth, not as bad as when he dstood up, but enough to make him grip the table s edge, feel thesmooth waxed wood against his palms.He gripped the table harder.An image almost like a dream came to him of being alone on a vast seaand hanging onto a piece of wood as waves lapped against him, andthen he let go. Thirty-SevenThe following morning Pemberton awokewith the worst hangover of his life.It was early, but whatlight filtered through the window stung his eyes.Histongue felt coated with a foul dust that had liquefied inhis stomach.The previous evening returned in a series ofblurry images that passed before him like boxcars cometo unload freight he didn t want.Serena still slept, so he turned on his side and closedhis eyes but couldn t fall back asleep.He waited, notseeing but feeling the sun slowly brighten the room.After a while, Serena stirred beside him, her bare hipbrushing against his.Pemberton could not remember ifthey d coupled last night, or even how he d gotten backto the house.He turned and looked at Serena throughbleary eyes. I m sorry, he said. Sorry about what? 350 ron rash Imbibing too much last night. It was your birthday, and you celebrated, Serena said. There s nocrime in that. But it may have cost us a couple of investors. I doubt it, Pemberton.Profits matter more than social graces. Serena sat upright.The bed sheet fell away, and Pemberton saw herlong slim back and the slight taper before the f lare of her hips.She facedthe window, and the morning sun fell lambent over her profile.Enoughlight to make his bloodshot eyes squint, but he did not turn away.Howcould anything else have ever mattered, Pemberton wondered.He reachedout and held her wrist as Serena prepared to leave the bed. Not yet, he said softly.Pemberton slid closer to wrap his other arm around Serena s waist.He pressed his face to the small of her back, closed his eyes and inhaledthe smell of her. You need to get up, Serena said, freeing herself and leaving the bed. Why? Pemberton asked, opening his eyes. It s Sunday. Galloway said be ready by eleven, Serena replied, slipping on herbreeches and riding jacket. Your mountain lion awaits you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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. It s the one Roosevelt called BigMedicine. Too bad Teddy didn t use it on himself, Calhoun said. 346 ron rash Yes, but who knows, Pemberton said, raising the rifle toward thewindow and feigning disappointment when he squeezed the trigger andthere was only a click. Perhaps that cousin of his will show up, and I lltake a shot at him. Pemberton handed the rifle to Mr.Salvatore.The gift slowly circledthe table, the women passing it with palms underneath as if a platter,except for Mrs.De Man, who like the men jostled the rifle in her hands,nodding appreciatively at the gun s heft and sturdiness. The scrollwork, Mrs.Pemberton, Mr.Lowenstein said. It s beauti-fully done, but I don t recognize the depiction. The shield of Achilles. Such a gun would do good service in Quebec with our brown bears, Mrs.De Man noted as she passed the rif le to her husband.Pemberton filled his tumbler again, sloshing scotch onto the table ashe poured.When the rifle was passed back to him, he leaned it againstthe table. I ll kill my mountain lion first, Pemberton boasted, then a jaguar. Brazil, Lowenstein mused. What an adventure for the two of you. Indeed, Calhoun said. Forests enough for a lifetime and plenty leftover. Pemberton raised his hand and waved it dismissively. Give us a lifetime and Mrs.Pemberton and I will cut down everytree, not just in Brazil but in the world. The words inside Pemberton s head were luminous enough, but heknew that he d tried to say too much.Vowels and consonants had draggedand halted like gears that wouldn t mesh, the words hopelessly slurred.Salvatore nodded at his wife and stood. We should be going now.Our train back to Chicago leaves ratherearly in the morning. The other guests rose and made their goodbyes, began leaving as well.Pemberton tried to rise from his chair, but as he did the room tilted.Hesat back down, focused his eyes and saw Serena still sat opposite him,the table lengthening out between them. Serena 347 See them to the train? Pemberton asked. Not sure I can. Serena looked at him steadily. They know the way, Pemberton, Serena said, watching him steadily.The room slowly leaned back and forth, not as bad as when he dstood up, but enough to make him grip the table s edge, feel thesmooth waxed wood against his palms.He gripped the table harder.An image almost like a dream came to him of being alone on a vast seaand hanging onto a piece of wood as waves lapped against him, andthen he let go. Thirty-SevenThe following morning Pemberton awokewith the worst hangover of his life.It was early, but whatlight filtered through the window stung his eyes.Histongue felt coated with a foul dust that had liquefied inhis stomach.The previous evening returned in a series ofblurry images that passed before him like boxcars cometo unload freight he didn t want.Serena still slept, so he turned on his side and closedhis eyes but couldn t fall back asleep.He waited, notseeing but feeling the sun slowly brighten the room.After a while, Serena stirred beside him, her bare hipbrushing against his.Pemberton could not remember ifthey d coupled last night, or even how he d gotten backto the house.He turned and looked at Serena throughbleary eyes. I m sorry, he said. Sorry about what? 350 ron rash Imbibing too much last night. It was your birthday, and you celebrated, Serena said. There s nocrime in that. But it may have cost us a couple of investors. I doubt it, Pemberton.Profits matter more than social graces. Serena sat upright.The bed sheet fell away, and Pemberton saw herlong slim back and the slight taper before the f lare of her hips.She facedthe window, and the morning sun fell lambent over her profile.Enoughlight to make his bloodshot eyes squint, but he did not turn away.Howcould anything else have ever mattered, Pemberton wondered.He reachedout and held her wrist as Serena prepared to leave the bed. Not yet, he said softly.Pemberton slid closer to wrap his other arm around Serena s waist.He pressed his face to the small of her back, closed his eyes and inhaledthe smell of her. You need to get up, Serena said, freeing herself and leaving the bed. Why? Pemberton asked, opening his eyes. It s Sunday. Galloway said be ready by eleven, Serena replied, slipping on herbreeches and riding jacket. Your mountain lion awaits you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]