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ted and filled and pockets sewed shut； he planned to cover it； inside and out； with a sUit vest he had used as a pattern。 It would be much too warm； but a money belt was …not enough for that much gold
…and money that clinked instead of rustling was the only sort he was certain… he could use outside the country in wartime。 Besides； when filled it would be almost a bulletproof vest… one never knew what lay around the next corner； and those Latin…American countries were volatile。 …
Each Saturday afternoon he took conversational Spanish from a Westport High School teacher who lived nearby。 All in all he kept pleasantly busy and on schedule。
*
That evening after locking his Ford landaulet into the shed back of the pawnshop； Lazarus glanced into a bierstube adjoining it； thinking that his grandfather might have a stein of Muehlebach there before going home。 The problem of how to meet his first family easily and naturally had occupied his mind from time to time all winter。 He wanted to be accepted as a friend in their （his！） home； but he could not walk up the front steps； twist the doorbell； and announce himself as a long…
474lost cousin…nor even… as a friend of a… friend …from Paducah。 He had no connections with which to swing it； and … if …he tried a plex lie； he was certain his grandfather would spot it。
Thus he had decided on a pianissimo double approach： the church attended by his family '（except his grandfather） and the hangout his grandfather used when he wanted to get away from his daughter's family。
Lazarus was sure of the church…and his memory was confirmed the first Sunday he had gene there； with a shock that had upset him even more than the shock of learning that he
was three …years early。 He saw his … mother ？nd had momentarily mistaken her for
one of his twin sisters。 …
… But almost instantly he realized why： Maureen ~Johnson Smith was the geic mother of his identicals as certainly as
she was his own mother。 Nevertheless； it had shaken him； and he was glad to … have several hymns and a long sermon in
which to calm down。 He avoided looking at her and spent the
time trying to sort out his brothers and sisters。
Twice since then he had seen his mother at church and now could look at her without flinching and could even sec that this pretty young matron was patible with his faded
image bf what his mother ought to …look like。 But he still felt that he … would never have recognized her had it not been for his sharp recollection of Lapis Lazuli and Lorelei Lee。 He had illogically expected a much older woman； more as she had been when he left home。 …
Attending church had not resulted in his… meeting her； or his siblings； although the pastor had introduced him to other parishioners。 But he continued to drive his automobile to
church against the' day when it might be polite to offer her and his siblings a ride home…six blocks over on Benton Boulevard； the spring weather would not always be dry。 … …
He had not been as certain of his grandfather's hangout。 He was sure that this was where 〃Gramp〃 used to go ten or twelve years later…but did he go here when Woodie Smith was （is） not yet five？
Having checked the German beer parlor…and noted that it had suddenly changed its name to 〃The Swiss Garden〃…he went into …the poo1 hall。 Pool tables were all in use； he went back to the rear； where there was one billiard table； a card table； and one for chess or checkers； no poo1 game being available； it seemed a good time to practice some 〃mistakes〃 at three…魎shion。
475Gramp！ His grandfather was alone at the chess table； Lazarus recognized him at once。 …
Lazarus did not break …stride。 He went on toward the cue rack； hesitated as he was about to pass the chess table； looked down at the array。 Ira Johnson looked up…seemed to recognize Lazarus； seemed about to speak and then to think better of it。
〃Excuse me；〃 said Lazarus。 〃I didn't mean to interrupt。〃
〃No harm；〃 said the old man； （How old？ To Lazarus he seemed both older and younger than he ought to be。 And smaller。 When was he born？ … Almost ten years before … the Civil War。） 〃Just fiddling with a chess problem。〃
~'How many moves to mate？〃
〃You play？〃 …
〃Some。〃 Lazarus added； 〃My grandfather taught me。 But I haven't played lately。〃
〃Care for a game？〃 …
〃If you want to put up with a rusty player。~' …
Ira Johnson picked up a white pawn and a black； put them behind his back； brought them out in his fists。 Lazarus pointed； found that he had chosen the black。
Gramp started setting up pieces。 〃My name is Johnson；〃 he offered。
〃I'm Ted Bronson； sir。〃 …
They shook hands； Ira Johnson advanced his king's pawn to four；…Lazarus answered in kind。
They played silentiy。 By the sixth move LAzarus suspected that his grandfather was re…creating one of Steinitz's master games； by the ninth he was sure of it。 … Should he use the escape Dora had discovered？ No； that would feel like cheating
…of course a puter could play better chess than a man。 He concentrated on playing as well as possible without attempting Dora's subtle variation。
Lazarus was checkmated on white's twenty…ninth move； and it seemed …to him that the master game had been perfectly reproduced…Wilhelm Steinitz against some Russian； what was his name？ Must ask Dora。 He waved to a marker； started to pay for~the game； his grandfather pushed his coin aside； insisted on paying for the use of the table； and added to the marker； 〃Son； fetch us two sarsaparillas。 That suit you； Mr。 Bronson？ Or the boy can fetch you a beer from those Huns next door。〃 … …
〃Sarsaparilia is fine； thank you。〃
〃Ready for revenge？〃
476… …〃After I catch … my breath。 You play a tough game； Mr。
Johnson。〃…'
第66节
〃Mrrrmpkl You said you were rusty。〃 …
〃I am。 But my… grandfather taught me when ~I was ver~r young； then played me every day for years。〃
〃Do tell。 I've a grandson I play。 Tyke isn't in school yet； but I spot him only a horse。〃
… … 〃Maybe he would play me。 Even。〃
〃Mrrmph。 You'll allow him a knight； same as I do；〃 Mr。 Johnson paid for the drinks； tipped the boy a nickel。~ 'What …
business are； you in； Mr。 Bronson？…if you don't mind my
asking。〃……
〃Not at all。 In business for myself。 Buy things； sell things。 Make a little； lose a little。〃
〃So？ When are you going to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge？〃
〃Sorry； sir； I unloaded that last week。 But I can offer you a bargain in Spanish Prisoners。〃
Mr。 Johnson smiled sourly。 〃Guess that'll teach me。〃
〃But； Mr。 Johnson； if I told you I was a pool…hall hustler； you wouldn't let me play chess with your grandson。〃 …
〃Might； … might not。 Shall we get set up？ Your turn for
white。〃… …
With the first move allowing him to control the pace。 Lazarus made a slow； careful buildup of his attack。 His grandfather was equally careful； left no openings in his defense。 They were so evenly matched that it took Lazarus forty…one moves and much skull sweat to turn his first…move advantage
into a mate。…
〃Play off the tie？〃
Ira Johnson shook his head。 〃Two games a night is my limit。 Two like that is over my limit。 Thank you； sir； you play
a fine game。 For a man who is 'rusty。〃 He pushed back his chair。 〃Time for me to head for the stable。〃
〃It's raining。〃
〃So I noticed。 I'll stand in the doorway and watch for the Thirty…first Street trolley。〃
〃I have my automobile here。 I'd be honored to run you home。〃
〃Eh？ …No need to。 Only a block from the car line at the other end； and if I get a little damp； I'll be home and can get dry。〃
（More like four blocks and you'll be soaked； Gramp。） 〃Mr。 Johnson； I'm going to crank up that flivver anyhow； to go home myself。 It's no troubl？to drop you anywh