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t you see that？ You're hot now。 I felt it was gonna happen a year ago and now I know I was right。 You really want to walk away from that now？'
'I don't think want is the right word；' Nicholas said。 'Have to is more like it。'
Goldman took out a cigar from a thick wooden humidor； contemplated it。 'Nick； I won't bore you by telling you how many bright guys would give their left nut for your job …'
'Thanks；' Nicholas said dryly。 'I appreciate that。'
'Everyone's gotta do for himself。' Goldman's eyes regarded the cigar's tip。 He took a bite off the end； struck a long wooden match。
'I wish you wouldn't？' Nicholas said。 'I've given up smoking。'
Goldman eyed him； the flame in mid…air。 'Just like you；〃 he said flatly。 'Everything at once。' He puffed at the flame； flicked the match into a wide glass ashtray。 But； unwilling perhaps to admit unconditional defeat； he stuck the cold cigar unhappily in his mouth； chewed on it meditatively。 'You know； Nick； I like to think of myself as more than just your boss。 It's been a lotta years since I picked you up right off the boat。'
'Plane。'
Goldman waved his hand。 'Whatever。' He took the cigar out of his mouth。 'As a friend； I think you owe me some kind of an explanation。'
'Look； Sam …'
He put his hand up； palm outwards。 'Hey； I'm not gonna try to stop you from going。 You're a big boy now。 And I can't say I'm not disappointed； because I am。 Why the hell should I lie to you？ Only； I'd just like to know。'
Nicholas got up； went over to the window。 Goldman swung his chair around to follow his progress like a radar tracking station。
'It's not even very clear to me yet； Sam。' He rubbed a hand across his forehead。 'I don't know； it's like this place has bee a prison。 A place to get out of instead of e into。' He turned to face Goldman。 'Oh； it isn't this place； itself。 There's nothing wrong … I suspect。。。' He shrugged。 'Perhaps it's advertising。 I feel lost within the medium now； as if the electronicization has no meaning for me。 As if I've slipped back； somehow； into another age； another time。' He leaned forwards； a peculiar kind of tension lacing his upper torso。 'And now I'm beginning to feel as if I'm adrift； far out at sea where there's no sign of land in any direction。'
'Then there's nothing I can do to change your mind。'
'Nothing； Sam。' …Goldman sighed。 'Edna will be very upset。'
For several moments their eyes locked in a kind of silent struggle where each； it seemed； was sizing the other up。
Goldman put his thick hands flat on the desktop。 'You know；' he said quietly； 'years ago in the police department of this city it used to be that the only way you got ahead was if you had a rabbi down at headquarters。 Someone who looked after you when things got rough or' … he shrugged … 'who knows？ Used to be the way of the world … all over。' He put the unlit cigar into the opposite side of his mouth。 'Now； maybe； it's different。 Corporations； they don't know from rabbis。 You gotta confirm。 You gotta suck up to all the vice…presidents； get invited to their weekend parties； be nice to their wives who're so horny and unhappy they'd hump a tree if it could tell them how pretty they look； you gotta live in that certain part of Connecticut where they all live in their two…storey houses with the semi…circular drives。 Used to be they had button…down minds； now they got puter minds。 That's getting ahead； Nick； business…wise。 So they tell me。 Me； I wouldn't know。 Not first…hand anyway。 I'd retire before they'd get me into that kind of trap。' His eyes were clear and they sparkled despite the fact that the light was so dull and leaden。 'Me； I was brought up with rabbis。 They're in my system； no way I can get 'em out now； even if I wanted to。' He
sat forwards in his high…backed chair； his elbows on the desk top； levelled his gaze at Nicholas。 'You get what I mean？'
Nicholas looked at him。 'Yes； Sam；' he had said； after a time。 'I know exactly what you mean。'
The aching cries of the circling gulls hid the sound of the siren for a time； but； as the ambulance drew nearer； its wailing rise and fall； rise and fall； blotted out all other sound。 People were running silently along the expanse of the beach； looking birdlike and rather awkward as they tried to pensate for the too soft footing。
He had e out to West Bay Bridge early in the season。 In order to survive now； he had to push it all away from him； into a forting middle distance； not too close； not too far away。 The agency； Columbia； everything。 Not even a discovery of some drowned corpse was going to interrupt his solipsistic world； it was too much like the city。
Oddly enough； it put him in mind of the call。 It had e only a few days after he had left the agency。 He had been in the middle of the Times's Op…Ed page and his second Irish coffee。
'Mr Goldman was good enough to give me your home number； Mr Linnear；' Dean Whoolson said。 'I trust I've not intruded。〃
'I still don't understand why you've e to me；' he said。
'It's quite simple； really。 There has been； of late； a renaissance of interest in the field of Oriental Studies。 The students here are no longer satisfied with the superficiality； shall we say； of many of our oriental courses。 I'm afraid they view us as sadly out of date in that area。'
'But I'm hardly qualified as a teacher。'
'Yes； we are well aware of that。' The voice was rather dry； like a pinch of senescent snuff floating through the air。 But underneath there was an unmistakable note of sincerity。 'Naturally we are aware that you do not possess a teaching license； Mr Linnear； but； you see； this course I have in mind would be perfect for you。' He chuckled； an odd； startling sound as if made by a cartoon character。 For us； too； I might add。'
'But I have absolutely no familiarity with the curriculum；' Nicholas said。 'I wouldn't have any idea where to begin。'
'Oh； my dear fellow； it's a piece of cake；' Dean Whoolson said； his voice now radiating confidence。 'The course is a seminar； you see。 Taught by four professors。 Well； three now that Dr Kinkaid has fallen ill。 It meets twice a week during the spring semester with the four … I'm including yourself； of course … rotating。 You see the beauty of it； Mr Linnear？ You can leave the curriculum to the others and stick to what you know better than anyone else in the Western Hemisphere。' That strange； oddly likeable chuckle came again； reminding Nicholas of mint chocolates and crime sweets。 'I don't imagine you would have to concern yourself with overlapping the others' material； would you？ I mean to say；' he rushed on； as if enraptured by the whole…hearted assurance of his own voice； 'the kind of things … uh； insights； as it were … into the Japanese mind are just the kind of things we are looking for。 The students would be delighted； no doubt … as would we。'
There was a singing discernible on the line in the ensuing silence between them and； faintly； Nicholas could make out the inconstant sibilances of other voices； like ghosts'； raised in argument。
'Perhaps you would care to see the campus；' Dean Whoolson said。 'And； naturally； it is most beautiful in the spring。'
Why not try something different？ Nicholas had thought。 'All right；' h