Galatea Read Online Free Page B

for taste I ever ate in my life, and the worst for health I could even dream of. I couldn’t, of course, say such a thing to him, but to her I thought I should, just as a favor, since I was somewhat an expert on it, from my days in the training camps. I got the surprise of my life. We’d been talking along quite friendly, and I sort of hinted, when she cut herself more pie, that it might not be the best thing for a person of her peculiarity.
    For the first time she was disagreeable to me. She said: “Duke, I made it plain, I thought, the first day you were here, that the one thing I ask, on this painful subject, is for people to mind their own business. I want to be left alone. I know, don’t worry, what it means to be like this. I know where I’m headed. It’s to the little graveyard, by my little church, down in St. Mary’s City. But it would seem to me, in view of all that, a friend wouldn’t bring this up.”
    “A real friend, he would.”
    “Not if he wants a friend.”
    “From now on I’ll remember.”
    “I do my best, Duke, my remaining time on earth, and if I do, it would certainly seem the little I ask could be given me.”
    “All a friend asks is to help.”
    “ Duke! I’ll go insane! ”
    For the first time, as she started her singsong chant about the good she did on earth, I heard something phony in it. But the scream she gave wasn’t phony, and neither was the look in her eye, as she got up, left the nook, tramped through the living-room, and from there to the main dining-room, and stood staring at his office on that side of the house, which was in front of the dining-room and looked out at the drive. From that time on, I couldn’t shake off a hunch that she lived in fear, not of me, not of the St. Mary’s City graveyard, but of Val Valenty, her husband.
    Came the night, in June, when he broke the news of the party. We’d had saddle of lamb, done on the electric grill, and as usual she was still at it, munching along with her eyes shut, when he and I were done. He was talking for the hundredth time about what he had done for Woman, when all of a sudden, with one of those shifts of his, he said: “However—let’s on to the shindy.”
    She said: “ ... Shindy?”
    “Oh, we’ll have to have one.”
    “Some particular reason? ”
    “Housewarming! We certainly ought to do something after the trouble we had, getting the place finished and all.”
    He slapped his leg, laughed, and told about some of the trouble, but she didn’t see any joke.
    Pretty soon she asked: “When is the party to be?”
    “Fourth of July, I thought.”
    “Isn’t that pretty soon?”
    “Three weeks is time enough.” He thought a minute, then admitted: “Well, that is short notice, but Congress had forced my hand.”
    “Is Congress coming?”
    “Good Lord, no, not all of them. But some of them would think it strange if I left them out. And with this recess they’ll be taking, the Fourth is my only choice.”
    She stayed with the meat as he got off the names of the big wheels who’d been to the Ladyship, and then said to me: “Duke, will you excuse us?”
    “Certainly, Mrs. Val.”
    I jumped up, relieved to be out of it, yet worried for her somehow, left, and went to bed. For some time I could hear them. I couldn’t hear what they said but it sounded gritty.
    She said nothing about it next morning, but her face was heavy when I brought her the hams. Then, when I said: “Hey, hey, hey,” she burst out crying, sinking into a big chair she used in the kitchen to take the weight off her feet. I said: “You cut that out, it’s no way to treat a friend. Besides, what the hell is a party?”
    “I’d be ashamed to say.”
    “He’s got grub, drink, help—”
    “It’s not that, it’s—something I can’t go into.” And then, to shift: “Duke, there’s one thing. He’s bringing you out a coat.”
    “Haven’t I got a coat?”
    “It’s a white coat.”
    “ ... Oh. You mean, I’m to