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n； honey。 Let's git out of hyah。 Yuh done look so swell 'n Ah jist wan' mah frens tuh see usn together。'
'Yuh done look okay yoself； honeychile；' said the man； mollified by the tribute to his elegance； 'an' dat's da troof。 But Ah mus' spressify dat yuh stays close up tuh me an keeps yo eyes offn dat lowdown trash 'n his hot pants。 'N Ah may say；' he added threateningly；' dat ef Ah ketches yuh makin' up tuh dat dope Ah'll jist nachrally whup da hide off'n yo sweet ass。'
'Shoh ting； honey；' whispered the girl excitedly。
Bond heard the man's foot scrape off the seat to the ground。
'Cmon； baby； lessgo。 Waiduh！'
Bond put down the menu。 'Got the gist of it；' he said。 'Seems they're interested in much the same things as everyone else … sex； having fun； and keeping up with the Jones's。 Thank God they're not genteel about it。'
'Some of them are；' said Leiter。 'Tea…cups； aspidistras and tut…tutting all over the place。 The Methodists are almost their strongest sect。 Harlem's riddled with social distinctions； the same as any other big city； but with all the colour variations added。 Gome on；' he suggested； 'let's go and get ourselves something to eat。'
They finished their drinks and Bond called for the check。
'All this evening's on me；' he said。 'I've got a lot of money to get rid of and I've brought three hundred dollars of it along with me。'
'Suits me；' said Leiter； who knew about Bond's thousand dollars。
As the waiter was picking up the change； Leiter suddenly said； 'Know where The Big Man's operating tonight？'
The waiter showed the whites of his eyes。
He leant forward and flicked the table down with his napkin。
'I've got a wife'n kids； Boss；' he muttered out of the corner of his mouth。 He stacked the glasses on his tray and went back to the bar。
'Mr。 Big's got the best protection of all；' said Leiter。 'Fear。〃
They went out on to Seventh Avenue。 The rain had stopped； but 'Hawkins'； the bone…chilling wind from the north which the negroes greet with a reverent 'Hawkins is here'； had e instead to keep the streets free of their usual crowds。 Leiter and Bond moved with the trickle of couples on the sidewalk。 The looks they got were mostly contemptuous or frankly hostile。 One or two men spat in the gutter when they had passed。
Bond suddenly felt the force of what Leiter had told him。 They were trespassing。 They just weren't wanted。 Bond felt the uneasiness that he had known so well during the war； when he had been working for a time behind the enemy lines。 He shrugged the feeling away。
'We'll go to Ma Frazier's； further up the Avenue；' said Leiter。 'Best food in Harlem； or at any rate it used to be。'
As they went along Bond gazed into the shop windows。
He was struck by the number of barbers' saloons and 'beauticians'。 They all advertised various forms of hair…straightener … 'Apex Glossatina； for use with the hot b'； 'Silky Strate。 Leaves no redness； no burn' … or nostrums for bleaching the skin。 Next in frequency were the haberdashers and clothes shops； with fantastic men's snakeskin shoes； shirts with small aeroplanes as a pattern； peg…top trousers with inch…wide stripes； zoot suits。 All the book shops were full of educational literature … how to learn this； how to do that … and ics。 There were several shops devoted to lucky charms and various occultisms … Seven Keys to Power； 'The Strangest book ever written'； with sub…titles such as： 'If you are CROSSED； shows you how to remove and cast it back。' 'Chant your desires in the Silent Tongue。' 'Cast a Spell on Anyone； no matter where。' 'Make any person Love you。' Among the charms were 'High John the Conqueror Root'； 'Money Drawing Brand Oil'； 'Sachet Powders； Uncrossing Brand'； Tncense； Jinx removing Brand'； and the 'Lucky Whamie Hand Charm； giving Protection from Evil。 Confuses and Baffles Enemies'。
Bond reflected it was no wonder that the Big Man found Voodooism such a powerful weapon on minds that still recoiled at a white chicken's feather or crossed sticks in the road … right in the middle of the shining capital city of the Western world。
'I'm glad we came up here；' said Bond。 'I'm beginning to get the hang of Mr。 Big。 One just doesn't catch the smell of all this in a country like England。 We're a superstitious lot there of course … particularly the Celts … but here one can almost hear the drums。'
Leiter grunted。 'I'll be glad to get back to my bed；' he said。 'But we need to size up this guy before we decide how to get at him。'
Ma Frazier's was a cheerful contrast to the bitter streets。 They had an excellent meal of Little Neck Clams and Fried Chicken Maryland with bacon and sweet corn。 'We've got to have it；' said Leiter。 'It's the national dish。'
It was very civilized in the warm restaurant。 Their waiter seemed glad to see them and pointed out various celebrities； but when Leiter slipped in a question about Mr。 Big the waiter seemed not to hear。 He kept away from them until they called for their bill。
Leiter repeated the question。
'Sorry； Sah；' said the waiter briefly。 'Ah cain't recall a gemmun of dat name。'
By the time they left the restaurant it was ten…thirty and the Avenue was almost deserted。 They took a cab to the
Savoy Ballroom； had a Scotch…and…soda； and watched the dancers。
'Most modern dances were invented here；' said Leiter。 'That's how good it is。 The Lindy Hop； Truckin'； the Susie Q； the Shag。 All started on that floor。 Every big American band you've ever heard of is proud that it once played here … Duke Ellington； Louis Armstrong； Cab Galloway； Noble Sissle； Fletcher Henderson。 It's the Mecca of jazz and jive。'
They had a table near the rail round the huge floor。 Bond was spellbound。 He found many of the girls very beautiful。 The music hammered its way into his pulse until he almost forgot what he was there for。
'Gets you； doesn't it？' said Leiter at last。 'I could stay here all night。 Better move along。 We'll miss out Small's Paradise。 Much the same as this； but not quite in the same class。 Think I'll take you to 〃Yeah Man〃； back on Seventh。 After that we must get moving to one of Mr。 Big's own joints。 Trouble is； they don't open till midnight。 I'll pay a visit to the washroom while you get the check。 See if I can get a line on where we're likely to find him tonight。 We don't want to have to go to all his places。'
Bond paid the check and met Leiter downstairs in the narrow entrance hall。
Leiter drew him outside and they walked up the street looking for a cab。
'Cost me twenty bucks；' said Leiter； 'but the word is he'll be at The Boneyard。 Small place on Lenox Avenue。 Quite close to his headquarters。 Hottest strip in town。 Girl called G…G Sumatra。 We'll have another drink at 〃Yeah Man〃 and hear the piano。 Move on at about twelve…thirty。'
The big switchboard； now only a few blocks away； was almost quiet。 The two men had been checked in and out of Sugar Ray's； Ma Frazier's and the Savoy Ballroom。 Midnight had them entering 'Yeah Man'。 At twelve…thirty the final call came and then the board was silent。
Mr。 Big spoke on the house…phone。 First to the head waiter。
'Two white men ing in five minutes。 Give them the Z table。'
'Yes； Sir； Boss；' said the head waiter。 He hurrie