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Bullet Park :: Cheever John
Страница: 129 из 131"
"I have to leave early," Hammer said, "and I thought that if I parked here it would be easier to get away."
"You won't have any trouble," Tony said. "They're only expecting about thirty cars."
"Well get in then," Hammer said, "and I'll drive you up the hill."
As soon as Tony slipped into the car Hammer flushed the Mace into his eyes. Tony let out a loud, hoarse roar of pain and fell forward, striking his head on the dashboard. Hammer gave him a vicious, a murderer's blow with the truncheon. He drove the short distance to church, where the door was, as usual, unlocked for prayer and meditation.
He was luckier than he knew. Ten minutes earlier Miss Templeton had finished arranging the roses on the altar. He dragged Tony into the narthex and then went back to his car for the gasoline. Then he locked the narthex door, the only door into the church, excepting the door to the vestarium. The only light that burned was the vigil, and in this faint light he dragged Tony down the aisle to the chancel. He found the switch for the chancel lights and was about to pour the gasoline onto Tony when he thought he would first smoke a cigarette. He was tired and winded. He laughed when he noticed how expertly the Lamb of God on the altar hooked its hoof around the wooden standard of Christendom. He heard a stir from the narthex and he thought his heart would explode until he realized that it was nothing. It had begun to rain. That was all.
When Rutuola got out of a taxi at the Lewellens' the headwaiter stopped him. "If it's a delivery," he said, "you'll have to go in the back way."
"I have to see Mr. Nailles," the swami said.
"You can't come in here."
"Mr. Nailles, Mr. Nailles," he shouted. "Mr. Nailles, come here quickly please."
Nailles, who was standing at one of the bars, heard his name called and left the tent. "Go to Christ's Church," Rutuola said. "Don't ask me any questions. Go to Christ's Church now."
Nailles felt, from Rutuola's voice, that Tony was in danger but he did not run to the car and did nothing else hurriedly. His lips were swollen. His nerves were unusually steady. Some cars, coming up from the railroad station where the late train had just arrived, slowed him down but he did not take the risk of trying to pass them. When he got to the church he recognized Hammer's car. In some way he had expected this. He pounded on the locked door.
"Who is it," Hammer asked.
"Nailles."
"You can't get in. I've locked all the doors."
"What are you doing, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to kill Tony."
Nailles returned to his car.
"I have to leave early," Hammer said, "and I thought that if I parked here it would be easier to get away."
"You won't have any trouble," Tony said. "They're only expecting about thirty cars."
"Well get in then," Hammer said, "and I'll drive you up the hill."
As soon as Tony slipped into the car Hammer flushed the Mace into his eyes. Tony let out a loud, hoarse roar of pain and fell forward, striking his head on the dashboard. Hammer gave him a vicious, a murderer's blow with the truncheon. He drove the short distance to church, where the door was, as usual, unlocked for prayer and meditation.
He was luckier than he knew. Ten minutes earlier Miss Templeton had finished arranging the roses on the altar. He dragged Tony into the narthex and then went back to his car for the gasoline. Then he locked the narthex door, the only door into the church, excepting the door to the vestarium. The only light that burned was the vigil, and in this faint light he dragged Tony down the aisle to the chancel. He found the switch for the chancel lights and was about to pour the gasoline onto Tony when he thought he would first smoke a cigarette. He was tired and winded. He laughed when he noticed how expertly the Lamb of God on the altar hooked its hoof around the wooden standard of Christendom. He heard a stir from the narthex and he thought his heart would explode until he realized that it was nothing. It had begun to rain. That was all.
When Rutuola got out of a taxi at the Lewellens' the headwaiter stopped him. "If it's a delivery," he said, "you'll have to go in the back way."
"I have to see Mr. Nailles," the swami said.
"You can't come in here."
"Mr. Nailles, Mr. Nailles," he shouted. "Mr. Nailles, come here quickly please."
Nailles, who was standing at one of the bars, heard his name called and left the tent. "Go to Christ's Church," Rutuola said. "Don't ask me any questions. Go to Christ's Church now."
Nailles felt, from Rutuola's voice, that Tony was in danger but he did not run to the car and did nothing else hurriedly. His lips were swollen. His nerves were unusually steady. Some cars, coming up from the railroad station where the late train had just arrived, slowed him down but he did not take the risk of trying to pass them. When he got to the church he recognized Hammer's car. In some way he had expected this. He pounded on the locked door.
"Who is it," Hammer asked.
"Nailles."
"You can't get in. I've locked all the doors."
"What are you doing, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to kill Tony."
Nailles returned to his car.