Chapter 68 Chapter VII

It was already dark when I woke up again.Startled, I got up from the bed, my temples tingling.Luckily it was only 6:30.I was alone in the apartment, an elongated shadow moving quietly on the ground.The empty whiskey bottles on the table were repulsive, and Henry Eckleberg was nowhere to be seen.An instinctive panic came over me, and I was almost immediately ashamed of the thought, and I ran to the jacket I had draped over the back of the chair and reached into the inner breast pocket.The stack of banknotes is still there.After a brief moment of hesitation, with a hint of lurking guilt, I took them out and counted them slowly.There are not many of them.I put the money back, tried to laugh at myself for having such a lack of trust in others, then turned on the light, went into the bathroom, and alternated cold and hot water over my body until I was relatively clear-headed.After this, I was about to change into clean underwear when a key turned the lock and Henry Eckleberg entered with two packaged bottles under his arm.He looked at me with what I thought was genuine caring.

"A man who can sleep as deeply as you is a hero, Walter," he said appreciatively, "I took the key quietly so as not to wake you up. I've got to get some food and some more Good wine. I drank some myself, I said it was against my principles, but today is a special day. But, from now on we can relax a little bit - I mean the drinking thing. Before it's over , we can't be too nervous." As he spoke, he opened a bottle of wine and poured me a small glass.I drank the wine gratefully, and immediately felt a small warm current surging in my blood. "I guess you must have checked the money in your pocket." Henry finished, grinning at me.I felt my face turn red, but I didn't say anything. "Well, man, you're doing the right thing. How much do you know about Henry Eckleberg anyway? I've done a few other things, too." He pulled a handful from his hip pocket behind his back. Short automatic pistol. "If these boys want a hard shot," he said, "I don't mind a five-dollar pistol. The Ecklebergs never miss a shot."

"I don't like that, Henry," I said gravely. "It's against the agreement." "Damn the agreement," Henry said, "those bastards got the money and there's no police, I gotta watch them hand over Those marbles, instead of slicks on the soles of your feet." I see no point in arguing with him, so I get dressed and get ready to leave the apartment.We each had another glass of wine, and Henry pocketed the bottle before leaving. He explained to me in a low voice as we walked down the corridor to the elevator: "I hired a taxi to follow you—in case those bastards think the same as us. You might as well walk around a few quiet blocks." , so I can find out, but I don't think they start tracking you until they get near the beach."

"It must be costing you a lot to do these things, Henry," I told him, and handed him another twenty-dollar bill from my wallet as we waited for the elevator to come up.He took the money reluctantly, but finally folded it up and put it in his pocket. I did as Henry suggested—after a few laps up and down the North Hollywood Boulevard ramps, I soon heard the unmistakable honking of the horn behind me.I pulled over and Henry got out of the taxi, gave the driver the money, and got in the car and sat next to me. "Obviously," he said, "no one's following you. I'll keep bending over. You'd better find a grocery store somewhere. If we're going to get rough with these guys, it's better to feed yourself Very helpful."

So I headed west, stopped at a packed drive-thru on Sunset Boulevard, sat down at a table, had a light dinner - omelette and black coffee - and continued on my way up.When we got to Beverly Hills, Henry made me walk in and out of several residential blocks a few more times while he peered carefully through the rear window. We finally drove back to Sunset Boulevard with satisfaction, passing Bel-Air and the outskirts of Westwood in a smooth ride, almost to the polo-field holiday home.Here, in the valley, there is a place called Mandeville's Canyon, which is a very quiet place.Henry let me drive some distance up the hill, and then we stopped for a drink of whiskey from his pocket, and he climbed into the back of the car, his huge body curled up on the trunk floor, covered with a blanket, and automatically Pistols and whiskey bottles were within easy reach of him.When everything was ready, I set off again.

The residents of Pacific Palisades seem to be used to going to bed early. When I arrived at this place called the commercial center, all the shops were closed-except for this pharmacy next to the bank.I stopped the car, Henry still hiding quietly under the blanket in the trunk, except as I stood on the edge of the dark sidewalk, I heard the soft gurgling of a drink.Then I walked into the pharmacy and saw the clock on the wall saying it was 15 minutes to 8.I bought a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and stood by the open phone booth. The pharmacist was a chubby, red-cheeked man of indeterminate age who was listening to some stupid soap opera with the little radio turned up loud.I asked him to turn down the volume and told him I was expecting an important call.He did, but reluctantly, and immediately he went behind the counter of the pharmacy, and I saw him staring maliciously at me through a small window.

Just as the clock in the pharmacy was a minute before eight o'clock, the bell in the telephone box suddenly rang.I rushed in to answer the call, closing the booth door tightly.I picked up the receiver and trembled a bit. It was still that cold, metallic voice: "Gage?" "I'm Mr. Gage." "Did you do what I told you?" "Yes," I said, "the money is in my pocket now, and I'm here alone." I don't like the audacity of lying, even to a thief, but I let myself force it. Get over it. "Well, listen. Go back 300 feet the way you came, and there's a closed gas station next to the fire station, painted red, green, and white. From there, it's a dirt road going south. , go three quarters of a mile down the dirt road and you'll come to a place where there's a white fence running across the middle of the road and you can barely drive through on the left. Dim your lights and go through there, Go on downhill for a bit, into a valley full of sage. Park there, turn off the lights, and wait for us, understand?"

"Understood," I said coldly, "I'll do exactly what I want." "Listen, friend, there's no one in there for half a mile. You've got to be there in ten minutes, and you're under surveillance from now on, and you'd better get there as fast as you can, and alone— Otherwise, you will have good fruit to eat. When you come, you are not allowed to light a fire, and you are not allowed to use a flashlight." The phone hung up and I stepped out of the booth.As soon as I stepped out the door of the pharmacy, the pharmacist rushed to the radio and turned it up loud.I got in the car and turned around and drove straight back down Sunset Boulevard with Henry in the back and it was as quiet as a cemetery.

I'm very nervous now, but all the wine we brought is at Henry's.In the blink of an eye I was at the firehouse, and through the front window I could see four firemen playing cards inside.I turned right onto a dirt road, past gas stations painted red, green and white.Although I could hear the soft engine sound of the car, I seemed to fall into silence for a moment. I could even hear crickets and tree frogs from all directions, and from nearby puddles. The hoarse and piercing call of a lonely bullfrog. The dirt road was undulating, and there was a yellow window in the distance.Then, in front of me, in the dark night without even the moonlight, a faint white fence lay across the middle of the road like a ghost.I found the side gap, dimmed the headlights, drove through the gap carefully, and then followed a short rough ramp to an oval valley.The valley is surrounded by low bushes, and the ground is littered with glass bottles, cans and waste paper.In the darkness, with a complete desolation in front of me, I stopped the car, turned off the engine and lights, held the steering wheel with both hands, and waited without moving.

There was no sound from Henry behind me.I waited about 5 minutes - it felt like longer - but nothing happened.Still so quiet, so quiet around, so lonely, I feel very uncomfortable. Finally, there was a rustling sound behind me, and I looked back to see Henry's pale face hiding under the carpet, staring at me. He said urgently in a low voice, "What's the matter, Walter?" I shook my head vigorously at him, and he pulled the blanket back on immediately.I heard little grunts. I didn't dare move until a full 15 minutes had passed.By this time the tension of waiting had stiffened me, so I boldly opened the door, got out, and stepped onto the rough ground.Nothing at all.I put my hands in my pockets and walked back and forth slowly a few times.Time passed by, and more than half an hour passed, and I became more and more impatient.I went to the rear window and spoke softly into it.

"Henry, I'm afraid we've been played so easily. I'm afraid it's only a low joke. What you did to Gandesi last night--it may be his revenge. There's not even a soul here, And there's only one way in. It doesn't seem to me like the place we expected to meet." "These sons of bitches!" Henry whispered back, and the gurgle sounded again in the dark car.Then after a slight movement, he lifted the blanket.The door opened, Henry stared at my body, poked his head out, and scanned everything within his vision. "Sit on the running board," he whispered. "I'm going out. They'll only see a head if they watch in the bushes." I did as Henry said, and turned up my collar and pulled my hat over my eyes.Henry got out of the car without a sound, closed the door, and stood directly in front of me like a shadow.I could see the faint glint of his pistol.We waited like this for another 10 minutes. Henry got angry and cursed in the wind, "Tricked!" He shouted, "Do you know what happened, Walter?" "No, Henry, I don't know." "It's just a test, that's all. Somewhere along the way, the jerks have checked you to see if you're playing by the rules, and then they've checked at the drug store. I dare you to use two platinum Bike Wheels bet you that the calls you get there are from far away." "Yes, Henry, now that you say it like this, I think it must be so." I said depressedly. "Look, boy, those bastards ain't even out of town. They're sitting around a plush-lined spittoon playing you around like this. The guy will call you back tomorrow and tell you so far so good , they are just to be on the safe side, and then maybe go back to Fernando Valley to meet tomorrow night, the price will go up to 10,000 yuan - as a reward for them to solve these additional problems. I should go back and wring the neck of that Gandesi , so that he can only see his left leg." "Well, Henry," I said, "after all, I didn't do exactly what they said, because you insisted on coming with me. Maybe they're smarter than you think. I think we'd better go back to town now." I hope I have a chance to try again tomorrow. You must promise me that you will never interfere again." "Fool!" said Henry angrily, "they'll play with you like a cat with a canary if I'm not with you. You're a gentleman, Walter, but you don't know the answers like Baby Leroy That's a lot. These bastards are thieves, and if they handle this string of marbles carefully, they could make twenty thousand dollars. They are eager to sell, but they will definitely find ways to defraud the money. I am now Gotta go back to that Italian Gundesi, and I'm going to give him a good look, and I'm going to do it to him in ways he can't think of." "Come on, Henry, calm down," I said. "Ha," Henry roared, "these bastards make my ass hurt from anger," he brought the wine bottle in his left hand to his mouth, and couldn't wait to take a few sips.He lowered his volume a little and sounded much calmer. "Better keep the money safe, Walter, the party is over." "Perhaps you're right, Henry," I sighed. "I have to admit that my stomach has been shaking like a leaf in the autumn wind for over half an hour." I bravely stood beside him, poured a few mouthfuls of spirits down my throat, and immediately cheered up.I handed the bottle to Henry, who placed it carefully on the footboard, and stood beside me, throwing his automatic pistol up and down in his broad hand. "I don't need this thing to deal with those bastards, go to hell." With a wave of his arm, he threw the pistol into the bushes, and the pistol fell to the ground with a muffled sound.He walked away from the car and stood with his hands on his hips, looking up at the sky. I walked to his side and looked at his side face through the blurred night, a strange sadness welled up in my heart.Although I haven't known Henry for long, I already like him very much. "So, Henry," I said at last, "what's the next step?" "Go home, I suppose," he said slowly and sadly, "and get him drunk." He agreed, shaking slowly.Then he turned his face to me, "Yeah," he said, "there's nothing more to do. Go home, boy, it's the only way we can do it." "Not necessarily, Henry," I said softly. I pulled my right hand out of my pocket - I have a big hand - clutching the wrapped roll of coins I got from the bank this morning, my fist got big as I clutched it . "Good night, Henry," I said softly, and threw out my fist with all the strength I had. "You hit me twice, Henry," I said, "and I haven't done enough yet." But Henry could no longer hear what I said, and my hand holding the coin precisely hit him on the jaw, his legs went limp, and he fell straight forward.When I fell down, I brushed my sleeve, so I stepped aside quickly. Henry Eckleberg just lay motionless on the ground, as limp as a rubber glove. I looked down at him sadly, waiting for him to turn around - but he didn't move a muscle.He lay still, completely unconscious.I put the roll of coins back in my pocket, bent down to get closer to him, searched him thoroughly, and turned him over like meat.It took me a long time to find the pearls, they were wrapped around his ankle in the sock of his left leg. "Well, Henry," I said to him for the last time, though he couldn't hear me, "you're a gentleman, though you're a thief. You've had dozens of chances this afternoon to take the money, what? Not for me either. Just now, when you had a gun in your hand, you could have snatched the money, but even that repulsed you. You threw the gun away, just the two of us. No one came to help, no one came to make trouble, and even then, you hesitated. Oh, Henry, I actually think you hesitated a little too long for a successful thief. But as a competitive My man, you have my highest esteem. Farewell, Henry, and good luck." I took out my wallet, took out a hundred-dollar bill from it, and carefully put it into the pocket where I usually see Henry put money.Then I went back to the car, got out a bottle of whiskey, corked the bottle, and put it in his hand. I'm sure he'll need it when he wakes up.