Part 33 (1/2)
He frowned a little.
”Did you arrange to meet her here, sir?”
”No. No. I just happened to get here at about the same time. Lovely girl.”
His face was unfriendly.
”Yes, she is.”
”You have three fine daughters, Mr. Pryor.”
”Did you come out here to tell me that, Sewell? I might say that I have no particular urge to entertain the...
companions of my late niece. It's over and I want my daughters to forget about it as soon as possible. The whole thing was sordid and unfortunate.”
”Yes, it was.”
”Now if you wouldn't mind leaving, we're having a family picnic here today.”
”Under the same tree?”
He stared at me.
”If that's humor, Sewell, I find it a little strange. If it isn't humor, you should know that I'm physically capable of throwing you into your automobile.”
”I guess you are, at that.”
”Please go, will you?”
”I want to talk to you.”
”There's nothing I can conceive of that we can talk about.”
”I just wondered if another man could take over that business opportunity Dodd mentioned to you, Mr. Pryor.”
He stood there, the sun on his face, looking at me, fists on his hips, brown arms flexed. I cannot say there was any physical change. I saw no change. But I sensed a change that went on inside. I sensed a s.h.i.+fting, a reevaluation, a new poise of forces. A man might sit at a poker table with that same immobility, certain from the restrained betting that his was the winning hand, and then see a large bet made.
”I'm not sure I know what you're talking about.”
”Dodd was going to speak to you. He told me he was. I understand you were going to finance him.”
”I'm not interested in new business ventures.”
”He said you were interested in his.”
”Then he lied to you, because I never heard any proposition from him. I thought he was satisfied with his job.”
”Maybe I should rephrase it. He said you couldn't help but be interested in his proposition.”
”That's a strange statement.”