按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃What do you call it； Seсorita Walker？〃
〃Big Boy。 That means chamaco in English。〃 This was ad libbing； but she was a performer after all。
〃Have you had it long； Seсorita Walker？〃
〃No； I only got it today。 It was sent to me by a friend。〃
A leer creased the corners of the interviewer's eyes。 〃May we say a special friend； Seсorita Walker？〃
Kiki dropped her eyes； coyly rotated the toothpick thrust through the olive in her glass。 〃Yes； you may；〃 she conceded at last。
〃What do you feed it； Seсorita Walker？〃
She was at a loss only for a moment。 〃Oh； a little bit of this and a little bit of that；〃 her stage presence came to her aid。
It was at this point that it happened。 No two versions were alike afterwards as to what the immediate cause was。 Some said a Pekingese passing in a car along the street just then had gone into a tantrum of barking； arousing it。 Others said somebody at one of the other tables had tossed it a small piece of meat while Kiki was occupied with the interviewers； in a spirit of idle mischief； to see what it would do。 Still others were inclined to believe that the intermittent flashes from the photographic apparatus had finally irritated its nervous system beyond endurance。
At any rate； there was no warning。 Its furled legs suddenly shot up under it like steel springs； a disembodied snarl winged its way along the underside of the awning without seeming to have any source； the lightweight table went over； and Kiki and chair with it； and the circle of interviewers scattered like chaff。
Panic blazed up among the overcrowded tables like fire spreading through straw。 There was a mass stampede to the rear； indoors； where doors could be closed protectively against it； even though they were largely glass。 Women screamed； and this time not for effect； men shouted hoarsely； waiters' trays went crashing down flat with tinny reverberations； tables and chairs toppled on all sides； glasses broke； those in tbe rear stumbled and fell to their hands and knees now and then in their efforts to get through ahead of those before them； finally； even one of the veranda door panes itself shivered and disintegrated in the melee。 No one was quite sure where it was any more； nor what it was doing； and no one stopped to find out。
Kiki； screaming berserkly； couldn't extricate herself for a minute from the position she had fallen into。 She was flat on her back； but the chair seat； upended against her； held her legs helplessly in air。 She had a horrifying glimpse of an infuriated black head looming upon her； ears flat； jaws balefully open in spite of the inadequate muzzle that still clung to them； to reveal a set of needlepointed fangs。
There was no time to do anything。 A thick； blue…glass； mesh…protected siphon of seltzer had rolled unbroken toward her from somebody's table。 She snatched it up； hugged it to her chest； closed her eyes expiringly； and played it madly around her in all directions。 Whether that saved her or the fear…maddened beast had had no intention of attacking her anyway and was only seeking its own escape； is one of those moot points that are never satisfactorily decided afterwards。
Moments later； eyes still tightly shuttered to avoid seeing what she could not escape from and the contents of the siphon beginning to ebb dangerously； she felt herself being hoisted upright again by helping hands that had e back belatedly to rescue her now that the acutest point of danger was past。
〃Where did it go？〃 she shuddered； opening her eyes and looking blankly around at the carnage on all sides of her。
Brakes were screaming hectically out in the middle of the road。 Somebody pointed。 It had managed； almost miraculously； to breast the heavy evening traffic unharmed and get to the other side。 She was just in time to see its loping black form； all the way across the Alameda； turn up into a threadlike little alley； a veritable crack between the buildings； that opened on that side； and disappear in the gloom。
〃How are you going to get it back； seсorita？〃 somebody asked fatuously； fanning her with his hat while a restorative was held to her lips。
Kiki flipped her hands violently downward； her face a mask of wreathed weeping。 〃I don't want it back！〃 she screamed hysterically。 〃I don't care if I never see it again！ Look at the way I look！〃 She pawed helplessly at her disarrayed hair tumbling loosely down her shoulder。 〃Help me back to my car；〃 she sniffled after a moment or two。 〃I want to go home…〃
Two of the men assisted her falteringly out to the edge of the curb between them； and the Packard was brought up。 Manning； fortunately for himself； was no longer in it； he had jumped out to give chase； along with a few of the bolder spirits in the crowd。
Kiki flopped limply into the back seat； still weeping gently； or at least simmering in a resemblance to weeping； into a handkerchief held just under her mouth。 For once she was not putting on any act； her nervous system had just received a bad shock； and she felt the way she was acting。
To plete the catastrophic misadventure； the main body of the crowd； as it ebbed back amidst the littered debris of the cafй terrace； had turned definitely unfriendly toward her； seeming to hold her personally responsible for ruining its aperitif hour。 Hisses and boos could plainly be heard。 And when a Latin crowd hisses you； it's like bricks and rotten eggs up North。
A very disheveled； discredited； and thoroughly unnerved lady was driven away from the scene of the fiasco。
It had been plainly seen to enter that alley at the Alameda end； by dozens of people。 There could be no doubt on that point。 It was a chasm of a lane； winding its way back through derelict buildings。 This was an old section in here； one of those leftovers that dot all large cities； in spite of its proximity to the fashionable and ultramodern Alameda。
It should； then； have been simply a matter of following it through to the other side； overtaking it； and holding it at bay…if not physically recapturing it…until the police had a chance to arrive。 At least in keeping it in sight； if nothing else。
It wasn't。
It was dusk； but the visibility was still fairish； even if dark…blue…tinted。 The distance to be traversed wasn't long。 Not only that； but the more venturesome spirits in the crowd that had been around Kiki at the Globo； Manning at their head； were only moments behind it in pursuit。
Yet it had dropped from sight； been swallowed up； disappeared pletely somewhere along that short byway； in one of the most built…up； hemmedin parts of the city！ For when the advance posse； Manning still foremost； came surging out into the Plaza de los Mбrtires； a small； busy； palmbordered square that the alley gave onto at its other end； a case of mass astigmatism seemed to have resulted。 And it was not one brought on by fright and excitement； as sometimes happens； either。 The plaza was bustling with people； yet not one person could be found who had seen or heard anything amiss； much less anything so striking as a jet…black jaguar rushing headlong out of an alley mouth into their midst。 A shoeshine boy less than a yard past the t