Universe Twister - Keith Laumer [239]
"Daphne—that was all a mistake! I wasn't really me then, but I am now!"
"No, you're not; you're a stranger! And Lafayette is a horrid man with a gold ring in his ear and the whitest teeth, and the most immense black eyes, and . . ."
"That's Zorro, the crook!" O'Leary yelled. "I was him for a while, while Quelius was me, but now I'm me again, and so is he!"
"I recognized him when he kissed me—"
"Almost kissed you," Lafayette corrected. "I stopped in time, remember?"
"I mean the next time. And then . . . and then he went away with that little dark-eyed creature with the knife—and he . . . he stole my gold bracelet before he left!"
"Daphne! What's been going on here? Don't tell me! Zorro is Zorro—and I'm me! Lafayette! Look at me! Don't you know me, Daphne?"
"My dear Countess," Jorlemagne started, "I assure you—"
"Stay out of this!" O'Leary yelled. "Daphne! Remember the fountain in the gardens where we used to sit and feed the goldfish? Remember the time you dropped the chamber pot on Alain's head? Remember the dress—the rose-colored silk one? Remember the time you saved me when I was falling off the roof?"
"If . . . if you're actually Lafayette," Daphne said, facing him, "when is my mother's birthday?"
"Your mother's birthday? Ah . . . let's see . . . uh . . . in October?"
"Wrong! What night are we supposed to play bridge with the duchess?"
"Er . . . Wednesday?"
"Wrong! When is our anniversary?"
"I know that one," Lafayette cried in relief. "The third of next month!"
"He's an imposter," Daphne wailed. "Lafayette never remembered our anniversary!" She turned and fled into the room, threw herself facedown on the bed, weeping. Lafayette hurried after her.
"Don't touch me!" she cried as he bent over her.
"Oh, this is fine," O'Leary groaned. "Just perfect! Why did I have to do such a convincing job of selling you on my identity when I was Zorro?"
"It wasn't so much what he said," Daphne wept, "it was the way he made love that convinced me . . . and now he's gone . . ."
"Daphne! I keep telling you—you—what?" O'Leary's voice rose to a squeak. "Give me air!" he yelped, and plunged through the doors to the balcony—
And fell twenty feet into a rhododendron bush.
4
Daphne was sitting on the ground, cradling his head in her lap.
"Lafayette—is it really you—"
"I . . . I've been telling you . . ."
"But it has to be. The false Lafayette was the one who ordered the balcony removed, when he tried to lock me in our apartments. He would have known it wasn't there. And besides—nobody but my very own Lafayette falls down quite the way you do!"
"Daphne," O'Leary murmured, and drew her down to him . . .
"I just happened to think," Daphne said later. "If you were Zorro—just what was your relationship with that little brunette baggage named Gizelle?"
"I was wondering what your sleeping arrangements were—up until that four-flusher showed his true colors—"
"But then," Daphne went on as if he hadn't spoken, "I decided there are some questions best left unasked."
Editor's Afterword
THE END
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The Universe Twister
Table of Contents
THE TIME BENDER
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Epilogue
THE WORLD SHUFFLER
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
THE SHAPE CHANGER
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Editor's Afterword