But he did not understand yetthat they were
speaking to him.
The Marchesa got out her lorgnette, turned it on
the young man, onJames.
He pinched her cheek andlaughed, then pretended to
be shocked at himself, Here, what am Isaying?
Ye bellyache because he never comes to see ye
andwhen he does yeve got nothing to say.
Im not going to bite you, old codger, she
said.
He pinched her cheek andlaughed, then pretended to
be shocked at himself, Here, what am Isaying?
He was furious becausehe felt snubbed and for the
moment could marshal no pride againstthem.
Shepointed up the street between the lines of
kimonos.
As his loud,good-natured laugh dissolved into the
crowd they heard him say,Oh, my cousin. Ye think I let ye down the day ye came to
see me here?
Ye think I let ye down the day ye came to see me
here? Panicky, James replied that he could notleave the Reach. He had torepeat it
several times and shake him before the old man noticedthat he was in the
room.
An absorbing game of Russianpool excluded him.
Here, still alarmingly, the past spoke to him. Suddenly he was out in the light with
women all about him.
Thats generous of ye, Jimmy,saying that, because
its ye that have the right to all thetalking.
The Marchesa got out her lorgnette, turned it on
the young man, onJames.
Of course, after this he was more wooden than ever
It was better when the agency refused to send anymore girls and they had to have
Chinamen again. Ye think I let ye down the day ye came to see me here? Why should it
be something youd thank me for?
His hate was like a hot stone he juggled inhis
hands because he had nowhere to throw it.
Ive been busy, James said
unresponsively.
Ah, but ye can do a lot, Jimmy, for the sake of old
times. But below this façade,what wretchedness, what confusion! Your action against
Larry excited someextremely disagreeable publicity. But Julia announced that she
would go with him. Sure, sure, but whats Michael Flanagan, Jimmy? Here, still
alarmingly, the past spoke to him.
Then its not only businessmakes ye so hard?