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〃Have we met before？〃 Clo…Clo asked with polite uncertainty。
〃Have we met before！〃 he scowled。 〃You were ing back in five minutes； and I sat up there alone waiting for you all the rest of the night； like a fool！ The whole hotel staff was laughing at me behind their hands； when I had to walk out in front of them by myself the next morning！〃
Clo…Clo shoveled her hands ingenuously toward him。 〃I couldn't find the room again； when I tried to get back to you。 There were so many halls and turns； I got lost。 Was it my fault？〃
〃You know what you are？ You're a cheat。 A false alarm。〃
She touched the underside of his chin lightly with one finger。 〃Don't be sore。 Look at all the fun you'd already had out of me by then； anyway。 You told me so yourself。 You shouldn't be a hog。〃
〃I wasn't out for fun；〃 he let her know aggrievedly。 He reached。 〃C'mere； you。 I've got something ing to me。〃
Clo…Clo did the back…step again。 〃No you haven't；〃 she laughed。 〃That was then； this is now。 No long…term credit extended。〃 She shifted around to the opposite side of an octagonal advertisement kiosk； saw to it that it stayed between them。
〃C'mere； or I'll e over there and get you。 You're ing with me if I have to drag you by the back of the neck。〃
She just laughed； flirted her handbag out toward him at the end of its strap。
He saw that threatening wouldn't work； he tried bribery。 〃C'mere； he coaxed； 〃I'll buy you a drink。〃
She made a face at him。 〃I've just had a drink。〃 Return engagements； she knew by long experience； were no good。 Never any good。 Not with her； anyway。 There was always a redoubled vigilance on the part of the investor； remembering how he had been given the slip the first time； and she found it twice as hard to get away。 Fool them once and then stay away from them was the best policy。
He held out both hands toward her； appealingly。 〃Ah； e on； won't you？ I like you。 I can't help it； moma； there's something about you that's gotten to me。 You're so hard to pin down。 First you're here； and then you're not here。〃
〃Isn't it the truth； though？〃 she laughed。 〃And now take a good look； I'm not here。〃
She glanced back once； a wholly precautionary measure to make sure that he wouldn't rush after her and try to take her by surprise； and he was still standing there forlornly where she'd left him； in the middle of the sidewalk。 Looking after her sort of wistfully； as though hoping she'd change her mind。 She really must have made an impression on him； she reflected indifferently。 As for her； she already couldn't have told what he'd looked like very precisely； although she'd just left him。
She took a look into the Select from the outside first。 It was a little bit slow tonight in there； for some reason； so she decided on the Tabarin instead。 It always paid to reconnoiter first。 After all； even the best of places had its off…nights； and once you'd sunk your own twenty centavos into a grenadine； you couldn't get it back again。
The Tabarin was brimming over。 She retouched herself at a mirror panel in the lobby and went sauntering in。
You couldn't demand a cut in these swell places。 You had to be glad if they'd let you in at all。
The barman looked her over； got her immediately。 〃Take the one on the end；〃 he said； just as she was about to e to rest on one of the coral leather stools。 〃I want the middle left clear for paying customers。〃
She shifted acquiescently； at the same time letting him know pertly： 〃Don't let it worry you； I don't expect to be on it very long。〃
An unacpanied； rather insipid…looking youth with a needle…pointed mustache came up the steps out of the dancing room； stood up to the bar； and gulped a quick drink between pieces without taking the time to sit down。
He felt the eye flash and turned to look at her； glass in hand。 She smiled； blew a slender wand of smoke at his face。 It didn't reach； but there was no mistaking her aim； she'd pointed it with her mouth。 He must have had someone waiting for him in there。 He turned away again as though he hadn't seen her； just a trifle more priggishly than was necessary。 He threw down a coin； went back again； just as the next tango got under way。
The barman cautioned her； as soon as he'd gone； 〃Now listen； nothing too raw； understand？ Leave off this smoke…ring stuff。 Watch your manners。〃
〃How much are you charging to give lessons in deportment？〃 she asked wearily。 〃Who dolls the place up more； me or that dead…fish face you frighten them away from your bar with？〃
〃There are worse faces than mine；〃 he grunted。
〃You've been looking at people upside down。〃 It wasn't really a wrangle； they understood one another too well。 Just idle repartee while they were both killing time。
She would have gone back to the Select after all； only she'd already invested her twenty…five centavos here and she was going to cash in on it。
Somebody else came up the steps from the lower level； presently。 This time it was a somewhat portly； dignified…looking gentleman of uncertain years； whose florid mustache was just beginning to whiten at the tips。 He carried himself erect enough； and his skin had a healthy coppery tint to it； as though he spent a great deal of time in the open； but just now he wore a harassed expression； as though he had been greatly bored； was wishing he was anyplace but here。 He threw away the mangled remnants of a cigar and stepped up to the bar。
〃Could you tell me…〃 Then he became aware of Clo…Clo； muffled the rest of it。
The barman said； 〃Where that page is standing； seсor。〃
Just before the door closed after him he took another brief look at her。 The page turned and entered after him； probably to be on hand in case he required a whisk broom or hairbrush。
He emerged and headed back toward the dancing room； but not without throwing still one more quick look in her direction。
〃Technique a little rusty；〃 Clo…Clo thought with a chuckle。 〃Probably has had a wife since the last time he tried it。〃
She put Out her cigarette； got up； sauntered over to the page； drink in hand。 The barman looked like the kind that would empty it out on you behind your back； if you left it unguarded； to get you out of the place。
〃How'd you do just now？〃 she inquired with ready camaraderie。
The boy's eyes rounded enthusiastically。 〃A whole solid peso for doing nothing！ He just looked at himself in the glass； asked if I knew who you were； and asked me about how old I would take him to be！〃
〃Ricardo； you're on duty；〃 the barman warned disapprovingly。
〃So am I…from now on；〃 Clo…Clo said to herself； drifting back to her original perch again。 She'd found out all she wanted to know。
She gambled on it and waited patiently； although if she had turned out to be wrong； the time wastage would have been irretrievable。 But she was usually right； and she turned out to be this time too。 Two tangos later he had e back again。
He advanced halfway to the bar； took a good hard look at her； then made an abrupt turn and went in the same doorway as previously。
〃He didn't e back here to go in there； he came back to see if I was still out here；〃 she told herself knowingly。
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