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to a marriage； and that Mary and I survived as long as we did was； I assure you； due only to the depth and strength of her character。 And even she couldn't keep me from losing my faith in God。。。
The minister was silent； staring into his glass as though he read there a strange and terrible secret which he could not quite believe。 The stillness was absolute； no flames danced in the fireplace。 I caught Doc Webster's eye； and he seemed to e back from somewhere else with a start。
〃What happened to Corinne？〃 he asked hoarsely。
Hauptman put down his glass suddenly； and looked around at us incuriously。 〃I've been told she died that night；〃 he said conversationally； 〃and I rather hope it's true。 Miranda was。。。 an animal。〃
〃Couldn't the American Embassy do anything to get you out？〃 asked Long…Drink quickly； and I saw Callahan nod approval。
〃The American Embassy；〃 replied Hauptman bitterly； 〃neither had the slightest knowledge of our incarceration； nor cared to know。 If anyone at all was aware of our presence in Pasala； he must have assumed we had been killed in the uprising； and he undoubtedly heaved a great sigh when he realized he had no idea who to send condolences to。〃 His words came like machinegun bullets now。
〃We were listed in the prison records as ‘Hidalgo； Tomaso and Maria； subversives；' and that was quite good enough for the State Department； if they checked at all。 El Supremo was quite an embarrassment to the United States； and when they had him assassinated two years later； the puppet presidentes they installed were far too busy entertaining American oil executives to be bothered inspecting the palace dungeons。 The only human we saw for nine years was a perpetually drunken jailer who brought such of our food as he didn't eat himself。 I'd be there now； except that when。。。 when Mary died； th … they。。。〃 He broke off； got a fresh grip on himself and continued； 〃Someone noticed her body being removed for burial； and became curious as to why Maria Hidalgo looked like an American。 It was a year before I was released； owing to； let me see now； 'political plications of an extremely delicate nature in the Middle East；' I think they said。。。 my god； I just realized what they meant！ It sounded insane at the time； and I hadn't thought about it since。〃 He laughed bitterly。 〃Well； what do you know？ Anyway； for the last six months I was there I had Red Cross food and a blanket； so that was hunky…dory。 Turned out there was a man from Baltimore four cells down； part of the hospital staff； and he was released too。 If Mary hadn't died we'd both still be there。〃 The minister laughed again； gulped down the rest of his gin…and…gin and made a face。 〃She was always getting me out of scrapes。〃
More gin appeared before him； he gulped it noisily。
〃You know；〃 he said with a dangerous high note in his voice； 〃in all the nine years the prayers never stopped rising from that filthy little cell。 For the first three years； we prayed that someone would depose El Supremo。 For approximately the next three years； Mary prayed constantly that my faith in God would return。 Then； for about a year； 'I prayed to I … don't … know … who that Mary would live。 And after malaria took her； I spent my time praying to anyone who would listen for a chance to kill El Supremo with my own hands。
〃I mean to say； isn't it ironic？ All that prayer； and none of it did the slightest good。 El Supremo was dead all the time； I never seemed to get that belief back； and Mary。。。〃 He broke off short and began to laugh softly； a laugh that got shriller and shriller until the glass burst in his hand。 He then just sat and looked at his bleeding palm until Doc Webster came over and gently took it away from him。
〃Well； at least this damned thing is disinfected；〃 the Doc grumbled。 〃Don't ever pull that with an empty glass。〃 Someone fetched his battered black bag； and he began applying a dressing。
Along about that point； everyone in the place got real interested in the floor or the ceiling。 It somehow didn't seem as though there was a single intelligent thing that could be said； and it was slowly being necessary that somebody say something。
Callahan was right there。
〃Reverend；〃 he rumbled； hooking a thumb in his belt； 〃that's a right sad story。 I've heard an awful lot of blues； and I can't say I ever heard worse。 But what I would like to have explained to me is how； if you follow me； the hell does all this bring you into my joint with a heater in your fist？〃 There was steel in his voice； and the minister looked up sharply； guilt replacing the agony on his features。 Bravo； Callahan； I thought。
See； I knew what the preacher couldn't： that when there's anger in Callahan's voice； it's just got to be theatrics； because when Callahan is good and truly pissed off he don't bother to talk at all。
The little minister was a while finding words。 〃You see；〃 he said finally； as the Doc finished bandaging his hand； 〃it was ten years。 Ten years。 I。。。 I don't know if you can understand what I mean。 I know it's been two years since Mary died … it's not just that。 But you see； she was all I know for such a long time； and now I don't know anything at all。
〃You must understand； in all that time we never saw a newspaper or a magazine or a TV broadcast； never heard so much as a radio。 We had utterly no munication with the outside world； we were as isolated as two human beings can be。〃
〃Hell；〃 said Tommy Janssen； 〃that sounds like what I could use to straighten out my head once and for all。〃 I was thinking about a Theodore Sturgeon story called 〃And Now The News；〃 and I kind of agreed with Tommy； which shows how well I'd read the story。
〃Straighten your head out！〃 Hauptman exploded。
〃Now； you know perfectly well what the boy means；〃 Long…Drink interceded。 〃No one is saying those years weren't nightmares for you； but you know； they were nothing to write home to mother about for us。 You missed a lot of turmoil； and lot of bad times and trouble； and maybe in that at least you were better off。 I know most of us here have probably wished we could get away from everything for a long spell； and you did it。 What's wrong with isolation？〃
〃Nothing； per se； 〃 Hauptman said quietly。 〃The problem is this： the world won't wait for you。 You drop out for more than a short time； and brother； the world goes on without you。〃
〃I think；〃 said Callahan slowly； 〃I begin to see what you mean。〃
〃You don't even begin；〃 Hauptman said flatly。 〃You can't。 You're too close to it。 The whole world turns upside down in ten years； but you turn upside down with it； and so to you it's right side up。 It all happens over days and weeks and months； and most people can adapt that fast。 But I don't recognize the first thing about this world … I didn't live through it。
〃Let me give all you good people a history lesson。〃
He got up； walked to the bar and put out his hand。 Callahan put a glass of gin in it。 He turned； faced us all； took a long swallow； and cleared his throat pedantically。
〃Mary and I left for Pasala in February of 1963；〃 he said。 〃I've since had occasion to supplement my own memories with references from The New York Times； and you