The Adventures of Augie March - Saul Bellow [176]
doing another guy a favor, huh? You've never been between this doll's legs? You've been living next door to her without touching her? Listen, we're no more ten years old, kid. I've seen that tramp. She wouldn't let you alone even if you wanted to be let alone. And you didn't. Don't try to tell me you're not horny. We all are, in our family. What do you think started us out in the first place all three of us? Someone found he could come ring the bell whenever he wanted. Do you think I care if you were laying that girl? But you had to get tied up this way too--in dutch good and solid; that's wway it has to be to feel right. You must really be like Ma. Well, that's nothing to me if you have to do it that way. But I won't let you get me in trouble with the Magnuses." "There isn't any reason why you should be in trouble with the Magnuses. Listen, I'll tell you about this tomorrow." "No, you won't. Not after tomorrow either. You're not with me from here on. Just bring back the car." "I'll come by and tell you what this really is--" "Stay away, that's the last and only thing I'll ever ask you." "You sonofabitch!" I yelled with tears. "You shit! I hope to see you dead!" Padilla came running for me and called into the sitting room, "Hurry, cut out the gabbing." Bawling, I shoved and kicked past the wicker or paper furniture and plunged out. "What's the matter? What's the tears for? This too much for you?" I answered when able, "No, I had a scrap." "Let's go. You want me to drive?" "No, I can." We drove first to the hospital where she had had her operation. Soberer in the cold air, she said she would go in herself. We led her up to the emergency entrance and let her walk in, then sat in the car, hoping she would not come out. But presently, through the gilded, frosted drops of the windshield, I saw her appear in the door and I rushed to get her. "I said--" "Why didn't they take you in?" "There's this guy. When I told him he said, 'We got no room in a place like this for people like you. Why didn't you have the kid? Go home and wait for the undertaker.' " "Chinga su madre!" Padilla helped me lead her back to the car. "I think I know a guy in a hospital on the North Side working in a lab, if he's still there. I'll call him." I drove him to a cigar store and he went in to phone. "We should try it," he said when he returned. "We should say she did it to herself. Lots of women do. He told me who to ask for. If this other guy is on duty. He's supposed to be a good guy." In lower tones he said, "We may have to dump her there and beat it. She's just about passing out. What will they do? They can't put her in the street." "No, we won't dump her." "Why not? They see you and throw her right back at you because they don't want her on their hands. They pick what troubles they want to help. But let's use our heads. I'll go in first and case the doctor." However, we all eptered together. I couldn't wait in the car with her and was determined anyhow that they would take her in or I'd smash everything in sight. So we went through the near-empty first rooms; I made a one-handed grab at a guy in an orderly's gray coat who advanced in the way. He ducked and Padilla said to me, "What the Jesus are you doing! You're going to queer everything. Now take her over there and sit down till I find out if this buddy of mine is on duty." Mimi drooped on me, and I felt her heat in the cheek. She could no longer sit; I held her propped until a stretcher was brought for her.; Padilla had gone, and they had me, at first, as if in arrest. There was a cop on duty. Together with the orderly he came out of a side door with a cup of coffee, in blue shirt, even holding a club. "Now what's the story?" said a doctor. "Instead of asking, why don't you take care of her?" "Did you smack this guy?" said the cop. "Did, he swing on yon?" "He swung, but he didn't hit." Conceivably the-cop now observed that I wore a tuxedo, because he wasn't quite so deadly packed in the flesh of the neck and small-eyed when he spoke to me. I was in the clothes of a gentleman, and therefore why should