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ot unfortable； the distributed weight was not bad。
He piled it all into the tonneau of the landaulet； drove
… to the southside postal substation； registered two letters； went from there to the pawnshop next to the Idle Hour Billiard Parlor。 He noted with wry amusement… that 〃The Swiss Garden〃 had its blinds down and a sign 〃CLOSED。〃
Mr。 Dattelbaum was willing … to accept the typewriter against a gun but wanted five dollars to boot for the little Colt pistol Lazarus selected。 Lazarus let the pawnbroker conduct both sides of the dicker。 …
Lazarus sold the typewriter and the suit； left his overcoat
502and took back a pawn ticket； received the handgun and a box of cartridges。 He was in fact giving Mr。 Dattelbaum the overcoat… since he had no intention of redeeming it…but Lazarus got what he wanted plus three dollars cash； had unloaded chattels he no longer needed； and had given his friend the pleasure of one last dicker。 …
The gun fitted into a left…side vest pocket Lazarus had retailored into a makeshift holster。 Short of being frisked… most unlikely for so obviously respectable a citizen…it would not be noticed。 A kilt was better both for concealment and for… quick access…but it was the best he could manage with the clothes 'he had to wear； and this gull had had its front sight filed off by some practical…minded former owner；
He was now through with Kansas City save for saying good…bye to his first family…then grab the first Santa Fe rattler west。 It distressed him that Gramp had gone to St。 Loui？； but that could not be helped； and this one time he would bull his way in； with a convincing cover story： The chess set as a present for Woodie was reason enough to show up in person； the bill of 郺le gave an excuse to speak to his father…No； sir； this is not exactly a present 。 。 but somebody might as well drive it until this war is over 。 。 and if by any chance I don't e back…well； this makes things simpler…you understand me； sir？…。your father…in…law being my best friend and sort of my next of kin since I don't have any。
Yes； that would work and result in a chance to say goodbye to all the family； including Maureen。 （Especially Maureen！） Without quite lying。 Best way to lie。
Just one thing… If his father wanted to enlist him into his own outfit； then one lie must be used： Lazarus was dead set
on joining the Navy。 No offense intended； sir； I know you're
… just back from Plattsburg； but the Navy needs men； too。
But he would not tell that lie unless forced to。
He left his car back of the pawnship； crossed the street to a drugstore； and telephoned：
〃Is this the Brian Smith residence？〃
〃Yes； it is。〃
〃Mrs。 Smith； this is Mr。 Bronson。 May I speak to Mr。 Smith？〃
〃This isn't Mama； Mr。 Bronson； this is Nancy。 Oh； isn't it terrible！〃
〃Yes； it is； Miss Nancy。〃
〃You want to speak to Papa？ But he's not here； he's gone
503to Fort Leavenworth。 To report in…and we don't know when we'll see him again！〃 …
〃There； there…please don't cry。 Please！〃
〃I was not crying。… I'm just a teensy bit upset。 Do you want to speak to Mama？ She's here 。 。 but she's lying down。〃
Lazarus thought fast。 Of course he wanted … to speak to Maureen。 …But… Confound it； this was a plication。 〃Please don't disturb her。 Can you tell me when your grandfather will be back in town？〃 （Could he afford to wait？ Oh； damn！）
〃Why； Grandpa got back yesterday。〃
〃Oh。 May I speak to him； Miss Nancy？〃
〃But he's not here； either。 He went downtown hours ago。 He might be at his chess club。 Do you want to leave a mes~ sage for him？〃 …
〃No。 Just tell him I called 。 。 and will call again later。 And； Miss Nancy…don't worry。〃
〃How can I help worrying？〃
〃I have second sight。 Don't tell anyone but it's true； an old
gypsy woman saw that I had it and proved it to me。 Your
father is ing home and will not be hurt in this war。 I
know。〃 …
〃Uh 。 。 I don't know whether to believe that or not…but it does make me feel better。〃
〃It's true。〃 He said good…bye gently； and hung up。
…〃Chess club~…〃 Surely Gramp would not be loafing in a pool hall today？ But since it was just across the street； he might as well see 。 … before driving out to Benton and waiting in sight of the house for him to return。
Cramp was there； at the chess table but not even pretending to work a chess problem； he was simply glowering。
〃Good afternoon； Mr。 Johnson。〃
Gramp looked up。 〃What's good about it？ Sit down； Ted。〃
〃Thank you； sir。〃 Lazarus slid into the other chair。 〃Not much good about it； I suppose。〃
〃Eh？〃 The old man looked at him as if just noticing his presence。 〃Ted； would you say that I was a man in good
physical condition？〃…
〃Yes； certainly。〃
〃Able to shoulder a gun and march twenty miles a day？〃
〃I would thinl？so。〃 （I'm sure you could； Gramp。） 〃That's what I told that young smart…alec at the recruiting station。 He told me I was too old！〃 Ira Johnson looked ready to break into tears。 〃I asked him since when was forty…five
504too old？…and he told … me to move aside； I was holding up the line。 I offered to step ouside and whip hii~i and any two
…other men he picked。 And they put me out； Ted； they put me
……out！〃 Gramp covered his face with his hands； then took them down and muttered； 〃I was wearing Army Blue before … that snotty little shikepoke learned to pee standing up。〃
〃I'm sorry； sir。〃…
〃My own fault。 I fetched along my discharge 。 。 an4 forgot about its having my birth date on it。 Look； Ted； if I dyed
…my hair and went back to St。 Looie…or Joplin…that wQuld work 。 。 wouldn't it？〃 …
〃Probably。〃 （I know it didn't； Gramp 。 。 but I think you did manage to talk your way into the Home Guard。 But I
can't tell you that。）
〃I'll do it！ But I'll leave my discharge at home。〃
〃In the meantime may I drive you home？ My Tin Lizzie is around in back。〃
〃Well 。 。 I suppose I've got to go home…eventually。〃
〃How about a little spin out Paseo to cool off first？〃 〃That's a n'idee。 If it won't put you out？〃
〃Not at all。〃
Lazarus drove around； keeping silent； until the old man's
… fuming stopped。 When Lazarus noted this； he headed back and turned east on Thirty…first Street； and parked。 〃Mr~ Johnson； may I say something？〃 …
〃Eh？ Speak up。〃
〃If they won't take you…even with your hair dyed…I hope you won't feel too bad about it。 Because this war is a terrible mistake。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Just what I said。〃 （How much to tell him？ How much can I get him to believe？' I can't hold back altogether…this is Gramp 。 。 who taught me to shoot； and a thousand other things。 But what will he believe？） 〃This war won't do the slightest good； it will just make things worse。〃 … … …
Gramp stared at him； under knotted brows。 〃What are you； Ted？ Pro…German？〃
〃No。〃
〃Pacifist； maybe？ e to think about it； you've never had one word to say about the war。〃
〃No； I'm not a pacifist。 And I'm not pro…German。 But if we win this war…〃 …
〃You mean 'When we win this war！'〃
〃All right； 'when we win this war；' it will turn out that
505we've actually lost it。 Lost everything we thought we were fighting for。〃 …
Mr。 Johnson abruptly changed tactics。 〃When are you en~ listing？'
Lazarus hesitated。 〃I've got a couple of things I must dc first。〃 …
第71节
〃I thought that might be your answer； Mr。 Bronson。 Good~ bye！〃 Gramp fumbled with the door latch； cursed； and stepped over onto the running board； thence to the curb。
Lazarus said； 〃Gramp！ I mean 'Mr。 Johnson。' Let me finisl running you home。 Please！〃
His grandfather paused just long enough to look back anc say； 〃Not on your tintype 。 。