Mr. Bridge_ A Novel - Evan S. Connell [90]
“When you say I treat you all like strangers, whom do you mean?”
“Douglas. Cork. Me. There are times you treat Mother like you never saw her before.”
“I am not aware of that,” he said, and began to wipe his fingers on the napkin. “If so, Ruth, that certainly was the last thing on my mind. I believe you must have misinterpreted something I said or did.”
“No. It’s the way you are. Everybody who knows you knows it. Dr. Sauer said you were a consummate Puritan.”
“I am not sure I understand.”
“Oh Christ, let’s forget the whole thing.”
“I will not. I want to get to the bottom of this. If I have done something wrong I wish you would tell me. Your mother, your brother, your sister, and you yourself mean more to me than anything in the world. I hope you are aware of this.”
“Will you please quit? I may be about to cry.”
“I intend to get to the bottom of this matter.”
She hid her face in her hands and whispered, “For once in your life can’t you let something go?”
He was embarrassed and puzzled. He looked around to see if anyone was watching. Then he said, “I seem to have upset you without meaning to. I’m sorry. I do not know what this is all about and I am trying to find out.”
“Let’s not quarrel.”
“We are not quarreling, so far as I know. You have made a statement which is most disturbing. I am attempting to discover what it is that I have done wrong.”
“Listen, I’m exhausted. I’m terribly tired. I really must go back to the apartment and get some sleep.”
“Wouldn’t you care for dessert?”
“No. No. No! I don’t want dessert. I don’t want any God damned dessert. Will you please let me alone?”
“As you wish.”
He beckoned the waiter to bring the check. Then they rode back to her apartment without speaking. He could not understand why she refused to explain. He wanted to ask again, but he was afraid she would become hysterical.
94 Jussi Bjoerling
Before saying goodnight she asked if he would like to attend the Bjoerling recital.
“Whatever you wish,” he smiled, and took out his wallet and gave her twenty dollars, saying, “I have no idea what the tickets are, but this should be sufficient.” Then he asked where it was to be, and at what time. The recital was in Carnegie Hall the following night at eight thirty.
He got there at eight o’clock and waited on the top step with his arms crossed. The number of people arriving for the concert surprised him. Presently he saw Ruth get out of an expensive foreign car. She found him at once, as though she knew where he would be standing. She waved as she came up the steps, and then for a few minutes they remained outside while she smoked a cigarette. She was smoking too much, but he wanted this evening to be pleasant so he did not mention it. He gestured at the crowd.
“Great Scott, you’d think it was a movie premiere. If this fellow gave his concert in Kansas City he wouldn’t draw anywhere near this many people.”
Ruth dropped her cigarette, stepped on it, and took him by the arm. In the lobby he bought a program and after they were settled in their seats he opened it, read about the artist, and contemplated his picture. Bjoerling had somewhat fleshy features and dark hair. As for the songs, none were familiar. Having seen what he wished to see, he gave the program to Ruth.
As soon as the singer appeared from the wings there was an enthusiastic ovation. He was short, dignified, rather portly, and for some reason his feet looked uncommonly small.
The lights dimmed and the concert began.
Before the end of the first song Mr. Bridge was thinking about other matters and the music sounded far away, as though the man was singing in a different hall.
95 The Lecture on El Greco
Two days later, Saturday, Ruth suggested another cultural excursion, this time to the Metropolitan Museum where there was to be a lecture on El Greco by a famous art historian. Again he agreed. He had visited the museum once before, about ten years ago. Since then he had made a number of trips to New York and several times