instead of black； something I might not have noticed if it had not been for the Haitian paintings on the opposite wall； where the figures were black indeed。
The dozen Haitian paintings Gloria had rounded up were all surprisingly good。 She even had an early Marcel； circa 1900； so modestly different from the contemporary primitives with their bold reds and yellows； it riveted one's attention。 The scene was typically Haitian； some thirty peopie engaged in voodoo rites； with a bored； ical goat as a central focusing point； but the picture was painted in gray； black； and white…no primary colors at all。 Marcel； as I recalled； was an early primitive who had painted his canvases with chicken feathers because he could not afford brushes。 It was priced at only fifteen hundred dollars； and someone would get a bargain if he purchased the Marcel 。 。 。
〃James；〃 Gloria clutched my elbow； 〃I want you to meet Herb Westcott。 Herb； this is Mr。 Figueras。〃
〃How do you do？〃 I said。 〃Gloria； where did you get the Marcel？〃
〃Later；〃 she said。 〃Talk to Herb。〃 She turned away； with her long freckled right arm outstretched to a tottering old man with rouged cheeks。
Westcott fingered his skimpy beard。 〃I'm sorry I didn't recognize you before； Mr。 Figueras…Gioria told me you were ing…but I thought you wore a beard。 。 。 。〃
〃It's the picture in my column。 I should replace the photo； I suppose； but it's a good one and I haven't got another one yet。 I had my beard for about a year before I shaved it。 You shouldn't tug at your beard； Mr。 Westcott 。 。 。〃
He dropped his hand quickly and shuffled his feet。
〃I worked it all out； Mr。 Westcott； and found that a beard would add about six weeks to my life； that is； six full weeks of shaving time saved in a lifetime； seven weeks if one uses an electric razor。 But it wasn't worth it。 Like you； I could hardly keep my fingers off the damned thing； and my neck itched all the time。 The secret； they say； is never to touch your beard。 And if you've already got that habit； Mr。 Westcott； your beard is doomed。〃
〃I see；〃 he said shyly。 〃Thanks for the advice。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 I added； 〃you probably look handsomer without one。〃
〃That's what Gloria said。 Here；〃 he took my empty Dixie cup…〃let me get you a fresh drink。 What are you drinking？〃
〃Eddy knows。〃
I turned back to examine the Marcel again。 I wanted to leave。 The small high…ceilinged room； which seemed smaller now as it began to get crowded； was jammed with loud…voiced people； and I did not want to talk to Westcott about his paintings。 That's why I got off onto the beard gambit。 They were all derivative； which he knew without my telling him。 The entire show； including the Marcel； wasn't worth more than one column inch （I folded the catalogue and shoved it into my hip pocket）； unless I got desperate for more filler to make the column e out to an even two thousand words。
Gloria was standing by the bar； together with a dozen other thirsty guests。 Poor Westcott； who was paying for the liquor； hovered on the outskirts trying to get Eddy's attention。 I took the opportunity to slip into the foyer and then out the door。 I was on Worth Avenue in the late twilight； and heading for home。 If Mr。 Cassidy wanted to meet me； he could get my telephone number from Gloria and call for an appointment。
Twilight doesn't last very long in Florida。 By the time I reached my ocherous predepression stucco apartment house…a mansion in the twenties； now cut up into small apartments…my depression was so bad I had a headache。 I took off my jacket and sat on a concrete bench beneath a tamarisk tree in the patio and smoked a cigarette。 The ocean wind was warm and soft。 A few late birds twittered angrily as they tried to find roosting places in the crowded tree above my head。 I was fified with emptiness up to my eyes； but not to the point of overflowing。 Old Mrs。 Weissberg； who lived in No。 2； was limping down the flagstone path toward my bench。 To avoid talking to her I got up abruptly； climbed the stairs； heated a Patio Mexican Dinner for thirty minutes in the oven； ate half of it； and went to bed。 I fell asleep at once and slept without dreams。
4
Gloria shook me awake and switched on the lamp beside the Murphy bed。 She had let herself in with the extra key I kept hidden in the potted geranium on the porch。 She had either witnessed Beremce using the key or heard her mention that one was there。 I blinked at Gloria in the sudden light； trying to pull myself together。 My heart was still fluttering； but the burbling fear of being wakened in the dark was gradually going away。
〃I'm sorry； James；〃 Gloria said briskly； 〃but I knocked and you didn't answer。 You really ought to get a doorbell； you know。〃
〃Try phoning next time。 I almost always get up to answer the phone； in case it might be something unimportant。〃 I didn't try to conceal the irritation in my voice。
My cigarettes were in my trousers； which were hanging over the back of the straight chair by the coffee table。 I slept nude； with just a sheet over me； but because I was angry as well as in need of a smoke； I threw the sheet off； got up and fumbled in the pockets of my trousers for my cigarettes。 I lit one and tossed the match into the stoneware ashtray on the coffee table。
〃This is important to me； James。 Mr。 Cassidy came and you weren't there。 He asked about you and I told him you had a headache and left early…〃
〃True。〃
Gloria wasn't embarrassed by my nakedness； but now I felt self…conscious； standing bare assed in the center of the room； smoking and carrying on a moronic conversation。 Gloria was in her late forties； and had been married for about six months to a hardware…store owner in Atlanta； so it wasn't her first time to see a man without any clothes on。 Nevertheless； I took a terry…cloth robe out of the closet and slipped into it。
〃He wants you to e to supper； James。 And here I am； ready to take you。〃
〃What time is it； anyway？〃
〃About ten forty。〃 She squinted at the tiny hands on her platinum wristwatch。 〃Not quite ten forty…five。〃
I felt refreshed and wide…awake； although I had only slept two hours。 Being awakened that way； so unexpectedly； had stirred up my adrenalin。
〃I think you're overstating the case； Gloria。 What； precisely； did Mr。 Cassidy say to make you so positive he wanted me…in particular…to e to his little gathering？〃
She rubbed her beaky nose with a skinny forefinger and frowned。 〃He said； 'I hope that Mr。 Figueras' headache won't keep him from ing over this evening for a drink。' And I said； 'Oh； no。 He asked me to pick him up later at his apartment。 James is veiy anxious to meet you：
〃I see。 You turned a lukewarm chunk of small talk into a big deal。 And now I have to go with you to get you off the hook。〃
〃I wouldn't put it that way。 He bought a picture from me； James； one of the primitives…the big one with the huge pile of different kinds of fruit。 For his colored cook to hang in the kitchen。〃
〃No Westcotts？〃
〃He didn't like Herb's pictures very well。 I could tell； although he didn't say anything one way or another。〃
〃I think he did。 Buying a Haitian primitive for his cook says something； don't you think？ Do I need another shave？〃
She felt my chin with the tips of her fingers。 〃I don't think so。 Brush your teeth； though。 Your breath is simply awful。〃
〃That's from the Mexican dinner I had earlier。〃
I dressed in gray slacks； a white shirt； and brown leather tie； dark brown loafers； and a gray…and…white striped seersucker jacket； resolving to take my soiled dinner jacket to the cleaner's in the morning。 I remember how calm I was； and how well my mind seemed to be functioning after only two hours of sleep。 All of my muscles were loose and stretchy。 There was a spring to my step； as though I were wearing cushioned soles。 I was in a pleasant mood； so much so that I pinched old Gloria through her girdle as we left the apartment。
〃Oh； for God's sake； James！〃
As we drove toward the Royal Palm Towers； a sevenstory horror of poured concrete； in Gloria's white Pontiac； I found myself looking forward to meeting Mr。 Cassidy and to seeing his paintings。 He was bound to have a few pichires in his apartment； although his famous collection was safe in Chicago。 I wondered； as well； why he had elected to live in the Royal Palm Towers； which overlooked Lake Worth instead of the Atlantic。 He would be able to see the Atlantic from his rooftop patio； but only from a distance； and that wasn't the same as being on the beach。
The Towers was a formless mixture of rental apartments； condominium apartments； hotel rooms； and rental suites。 The corporation that owned the building had overlooked very little in the way of ine…producing cells。 There were rental offices on the mezzanine （Cassidy also had a suite of offices there）； and on the ground floor the corporation leased space for shops of all kinds； including a small art gallery。 The coffee shop； the lounge…bar； and the dining room were all leased to various entrepreneurs。 The corporation itself invested nothing in services and took from everybody。 Cassidy probably maintained the penthouse； I decided； because