第13部分(第1/7 頁)

take　her　arm　and　lead　her　away；　presumably　to　his　inner　office。

〃Whooo！〃　Wendy　said；　smiling。　〃There's　a　dude　who　earns　his　money。〃

〃But　he　didn't　like　that　lady；〃　Danny　said　immediately。　〃He　was　just

pretending　to　like　her。〃

Jack　grinned　down　at　him。　〃I'm　sure　that's　true；　doc。　But　flattery　is　the

stuff　that　greases　the　wheels　of　the　world。〃

〃What's　flattery？〃

〃Flattery；〃　Wendy　told　him；　〃is　when　your　daddy　says　he　likes　my　new　yellow

slacks　even　if　he　doesn't　or　when　he　says　I　don't　need　to　take　off　five　pounds。〃

〃Oh。　Is　it　lying　for　fun？〃

〃Something　very　like　that。〃

He　had　been　looking　at　her　closely　and　now　said：　〃You're　pretty；　Mommy。〃　He

frowned　in　confusion　when　they　exchanged　a　glance　and　then　burst　into　laughter。

〃Ullman　didn't　waste　much　flattery　on　me；〃　Jack　said。　〃e　on　over　by　the

window；　you　guys。　I　feel　conspicuous　standing　out　here　in　the　middle　with　my

denim　jacket　on。　I　honest　to　God　didn't　think　there'd　be　anybody　much　here　on

closing　day。　Guess　I　was　wrong。〃

〃You　look　very　handsome；〃　she　said；　and　then　they　laughed　again；　Wendy　putting

a　hand　over　her　mouth。　Danny　still　didn't　understand；　but　it　was　okay。　They　were

loving　each　other。　Danny　thought　this　place　reminded　her　of　somewhere　else

（the　beak…man　place）

where　she　had　been　happy。　He　wished　he　liked　it　as　well　as　she　did；　but　he

kept　telling　himself　over　and　over　that　the　things　Tony　showed　him　didn't　always

e　true。　He　would　be　careful。　He　would　watch　for　something　called　Redrum。　But

he　would　not　say　anything　unless　he　absolutely　had　to。　Because　they　were　happy；

they　had　been　laughing；　and　there　were　no　bad　thoughts。