The Two Faces of January by Patricia Highsmith

Author:Patricia Highsmith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grove/Atlantic Inc.
Published: 2014-06-05T16:00:00+00:00

12

Chester was hiding, or rather he had collapsed, beside a clump of bushes only thirty yards from the Knossos gate and across the road from it. He was alternately shaking from shock, then going absolutely limp, as though he had no muscles in his body. The rain was a low hum in his ears. His clothes were soaked. He was in a half-seated, half-lying position, propped up on one arm, his palm flat on the rough, wet ground. It was a long while, it was starting to grow dark, before he could think, and then his first thought was simply that it was growing dark. From then on, he progressed.

Rydal must have gone by. Rydal must be waiting for him at that hotel in Irakilon, where he had left his suitcases. And Colette still lay in the rain on the terrace. The thought tore through him like a swift catastrophe, and again he was panting, shaking. It was Rydal’s fault. Anger filled the void of pain. Rydal would pay. Chester cautiously got up. He was beginning to be able to plan. He walked along the road towards Iraklion. His hands felt empty, and then he realized he’d left the Guide Bleu at the palace, back on the upper terrace of the palace. He smiled, and then he wept a little. Then he pulled out his comb and ran it through his thin wet hair a couple of times. He would have to get on a bus. No chance of a taxi on this country road.

He had walked slowly for about thirty-five minutes before a bus going in the direction of Iraklion came into view. There had been at least three buses going in the other direction. Chester flagged it, and it stopped for him. He got on, looking frantically over its lighted interior for Rydal. Only solemn Greek faces stared back at him, some dark with unshaven beards, none Rydal.

Chester looked again for Rydal in the square where the bus unloaded. Rydal was no doubt at the Hotel Corona. Chester remembered its name now. He hadn’t been able to think of it a few minutes ago. He made his way somewhat slowly, in an effort to appear casual, towards a café whose lights he saw from the square. He had the feeling people stared at him. He wished he had his hat, but it had fallen off at Knossos.

The next twenty minutes would have been a nightmare to Chester under ordinary circumstances, but Chester bore them with an inexhaustible patience. First, he had to look up hotels in the telephone directory under xenodochaion, a word he knew. Then his problem was to call the Hotel Corona and ask them to send the luggage he had left under the name Chamberlain to the Hotel Hephaestou, whose name Chester had just discovered in the directory. Though he got someone at the Corona who spoke English, he either could not make himself clear, or the man was unwilling to lose a customer.

“I’ll pay you for tonight, if you like,” said Chester.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.