Page 29 (2/2)

"There must have been lots of others"

"Well, there weren’t," she said angrily "Maybe you think I shouldn’t have ot off on the wrong step" The flare of anger died and she looked at him defensively "It does happen to people, James It really does And sometimes it’s really not their fault"

Jahtly "I know, Tiffany," he said "Felix told s That’s why I haven’t asked any questions Just don’t think about it It’s here and today now Not yesterday" He changed the subject "Now you give me some facts For instance, why are you called Tiffany and what’s it like being a dealer at the Tiara? How the hell did you coood? It was brilliant the way you handled those cards If you can do that you can do anything"

"Thanks, pal," said the girl ironically "Like what? Playing the boats? And the reason I got called Tiffany is because when I was born, dear father Case was so sore I wasn’t a boy he gave my mother a thousand bucks and a powder case from Tiffany’s and walked out Joined the Marines In the end he got killed at Iwo Jima Soa living for us both Started with a string of call-girls and then got ood to you?" She looked at hily

"Doesn’t worry irls"

She shrugged her shoulders "Then the place got busted by the gangs" She paused and drank the rest of her Martini "And I lit out on irl takes Then I foundthere and I signed on and worked like hell at it Took the full course Majored in craps, roulette and blackjack You can earn good irls dealing, and it gives the women confidence They think you’ll be kind to thehten theet the idea it’s fun It reads better than it lives"

She paused and sain," she said "Buy me another drink and then tell me what sort of a woave his order to the steward He lit a cigarette and turned back to her "Somebody who can make Sauce Béarnaise as well as love," he said

"Holywho can cook and lie on her back?"

"Oh, no She’s got to have all the usual things that all women have" Bond exaure And of course she’s got to make lots of funny jokes and kno to dress and play cards and so forth The usual things"

"And you’d marry this person if you found her?"

"Not necessarily," said Bond "Matter of fact I’ins with M I’d have to divorce hi a wo round canapés in an L-shaped drawing-roohastly ‘Yes, you did-no I didn’t’ rows that seeet claustrophobia and run out on her Get myself sent to Japan or somewhere"

"What about children?"

"Like to have some," said Bond shortly "But only when I retire Not fair on the children otherwise My job’s not all that secure" He looked into his drink and sed it down "And what about you, Tiffany?" he said to change the subject

"I guess every girl would like to come home and find a hat on the hall table," said Tiffanygrowing under the hat Maybe I haven’t looked hard enough or in the right places You kno it is when you get in a groove You get so that you’re quite glad not to look over the edges In that way I’ve had it good with the Spangs, Always knehere the next irl can’t have friends in that co ‘No Entry’ or you’re apt to pick up a bad case of round heels But I guess I’ on my own You knohat the chorines say on Broadway? ‘It’s a lonesohed "Well, you’re out of the groove now," he said He looked at her quizzically "But what about Mister Seraffine supper laid for two…"

Before he could finish, her eyes blazed briefly and she stood up froht out of the bar

Bond cursed himself He put soht up with her half way down the Proan

She turned brusquely round and faced hilistened on her eyelashes "Why do you have to spoil everything with an abrasive remark like that? Oh, Ja for a handkerchief in her bag She dabbed her eyes "You just don’t understand"

Bond put an ar" He knew that nothing but the great step of physical love would cure these s, but that words and time still had to be wasted "I didn’t mean to hurt you I just wanted to know for certain That was a bad night on the train and that supper-table hurt me much more than what happened later I had to ask you"

She looked up at hi his face "You oose," said Bond i?"

She turned away from him and looked out of theat the endless blue sea and at the handful of dipping gulls that were keeping coal ship After a while she said: "You ever read Alice in Wonderland?"

"Years ago," said Bond, surprised "Why?"

"There’s a line there I often think of," she said "It says, ‘Oh, Mouse, do you know the way out of this pool of tears? I a about here, oh Mouse’ Re to tell me the way out Instead of that you ducked lanced up at hiuess you didn’t mean to hurt"