I suspect I’ll just rest. Read one of your magazines,
I won’t bother you.”
“What is the matter? You think I am not pretty?
Not clean? You yourself are no fine picture, Meneer!
Cuts on your face, a bruise here and there, red eyes.
Perhaps it is you who are not clean!”
“I fell down. Come on, I think you’re adorable
and I love your deep-purple eye shadow but I really
want to rest.”
“Why here)>”
“I don’t want to go back to the hotel. My wife’s
lover is there. He’s my boss.”
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 473
“A merikoans!”
‘ You speak our language very well. ” Joel took
off his shoes and stretched out on the bed.
Ach, I start with Amerikoan college boys. All
talk, most are too afraid for nothing but talk. Those
who get on the bed poo].7 is over. Then talk, too
goddamn much talk. Then your soldiers and your
sailors and your businessmen. Most drunk; they
behave like giggle-children. All talk. Twelve years, I
learn.”
Don’t write a book. They’re probably all
senators and congressmen and priests by now.”
Converse placed his hands behind his head and
stared at the ceiling. There was a glimmer of peace.
He softly whistled the tune first, then found the
words: Yankee Doodle’ came to Holland/ nothing in
his pistol . . .’ ”
‘You are amusing, Meneer,” said the whore,
laughing coarsely and picking up a thin blanket off a
chair. She carried it to the bed and spread it over
him. “You don’t tell the truth but you are amusing.”
“How do you know I’m not telling you the truth?”
If your wife had a lover, you would kill him.”
‘Not so.”
“Then she would not be your wife. I see many
men, Meneer. It’s in your face. You are a good man,
perhaps, but you would kill.”
-1’11 have to think about that,” said Joel
uncomfortably.
‘Sleep, if you wish. You paid. I am here.” The
woman walked to the chair against the wall and sat
down with a magazine.
What’s your name’s” asked Converse.
Emma,” replied the whore.
‘You’re a nice person, Emma.”
No, Meneer, I am not.”
He awoke, startled by the touch, and bolted
upright on the bed, his hand instinctively rushing to
his waist to make sure his money belt was in place.
He had been so deep in sleep that for a moment he
had no idea where he was, then he saw the garishly
made-up woman standing beside him, her hand on
his shoulder as she spoke.
“Meneer, are you hiding from people?” she asked
softly.
“What?”
474 ROBERT LUDIUM
“Word goes up and down the Leidseplein. Men
are asking questions.”
“What?’ Conv’ rse whipped the blanket off the
bed and swung his legs to the floor. “What men? Up
and down where?”
“Her Leidseplein This district. Men ask
questions. They look for an American. ‘
“Why here?” Joel moved his right hand from the
money belt up to the outline of the weapon above.
“People who wish not to be seen often come
down to the Leidseplein. ”
Why not? thought Converse. If he thought of it,
why wouldn’t the enemy? “Do they have a
description?”
“It is you,” answered the whore frankly.
“And?” Joel looked into the woman s eyes.
“Nothing was said.”
“I can’t believe our friend downstairs felt so
charitable toward me. I’m sure they offered money.”
“It was given,” corrected the whore. “More
promised with additional information. A man
remains behind down the street. In a cafe next to a
telephone. He is to be called and will bring back the
others. Our . . . friend downstairs thought you might
want to match the funds.”
“I see. An auction. One head on the block.’
“I do not understand.”
“What are we talking aboutP How much?”
A thousand Builder. Much more if you are taken.”
“Our friend still sounds too charitable. I’d think
he’d grab it and close up shop.”
‘ He owns the building. Also, the man was
German and spoke like a soldier giving orders,
that’s what our friend downstairs said.”
“He was right. The man is a soldier but not in
any army Bonn knows about.”
“Zo?”
“Nothing. Find Ollt if our friend will take
American money.”
“Of course he will.”
“Then I’ll match the offer and double it.”
The whore hesitated. “Now it is my turn.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“En? As you say and’?”
‘Oh. You?’
‘ha. ”
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 475
“I have something special for you. Can you drive
a car, or do you know someone who can?”
‘I do myself, nataurlijk. In bad weather I drive
my children to school.”
“Oh, Jesus…. I mean, that’s good.”
“Without my face like no, course.”
The stories. Oh, God, the stories! thought
Converse. “I want you to rent a car and bring it
around here to the front door. Then get out and
leave the keys inside. Can you do that?”
‘:la, but nothing is for nothing.”
“Three hundred dollars eight hundred Builders,
give or take.”
“Five hundred fourteen hundred, take or give,”
countered the woman. “And the money to rent the
automobile.”
Joel nodded as he unbuttoned his jacket and
pulled out his shirt. The handle of the gun with the
short barrel and the extended silencer was clearly
visible beneath the wide canvas belt. The whore saw
it and gasped. “It’s not mine,” said Converse quickly.
“Whether you believe it or not doesn’t matter to me,
but I took it from someone who tried to kill me.”
The woman stared at him, her look partially one
of fear but it was not hostile, only curious. “The
man this soldier from no German army the others
who ask questions in the street. They wish to kill
you?”
“Yes.” Joel unzipped the belt and counted off the
money with his thumb. He pulled out the bills and
closed the pocket.
“You have done them much harm?”
“Not yet, but I hope to.” Converse held out the
money. “There’s enough for our friend downstairs
and the rest is for you. Just bring me the car, along
with one of those tourist maps of Amsterdam that
show where all the major stores and hotels and
restaurants are.”
“Perhaps I can tell you where it is you wish to go.”
“No, thank you.”
‘]a. ” The whore nodded knowingly and took the
money. “These people are bad people?” she asked,
counting out the
“The pits, lady.”
“They do those things to your face?”
“Yes. Mostly.”
“Go to the police.””
476 ROBERT LUDIUM
“The police? It’s not practical. They wouldn’t
understand.”
“They want you also,” concluded the woman.
“Not for anything I did.”
The whore shrugged. “It is no problem for me,”
she said going to the door. “I will say the auto is
stolen. There is a Trom p garage twelve blocks from
here; they know me. I have rented there when my
Peugeot has troubles and I must get home. Ach,
kinder`’n! Recitals, dance classes! Be downstairs in
twenty minutes.’,
“Recitals?”
“Don’t look so, Veneer. I do my job and call it
what it is. Most people do the same and call it
something else. Twenty minutes.’ The
spangled-haired woman went out the door, closing
it behind her.
Joel approached the sink against the wall
without enthusiasm, then saw it was spotless, a can
of cleanser and a bottle of bleach below on the floor
next to a roll of paper towels. Naturally. Dance
lessons and recitals were part of the whore’s life as
well as a car that often gave her trouble, just like
any other commuter. Converse looked in the mirror;
the woman was right, he was “no fine picture,” but
one had to be quite close to him to notice the
severity of the bruises. He splashed water on his
face, then blotted it, put on the dark glasses and
made himself as presentable as possible.
It had happened. Val had come to find him, and
despite the horrors surrounding their seeing each
other again, a part of him wanted to
sing silently or shout silently into the mists of his
imagination. He wanted so much to look at her, to
touch her, hear her voice close to him and he
knew it was for all the wrong reasons. He was the
hunted and in pain and vulnerable, all the things he
had never been when they were together, and
because he was what he had become, he permitted
her to find him. It was hardly admirable. He did not
care to be a hungry dog in a cold rain; it did not fit
his part of their past dual image, the de suite, as
Rene Mattilon had phrased it . . . Rene. A
telephone call had signed the order for his
execution. Aquitaine How in God’s name could he
let Val even come near him? thought Joel, a terrible
pain in his throat. The answer was the same: