I watched Aunt Augusta with fascination. I had never seen her taking orders from anyone before.
Sit down, sit down, my friends, Mr. Visconti said. You must forgive the rough nature of our chairs. We have passed through a period of some privation, but all our difficulties, I hope, are over. Soon we shall be able to entertain our friends in proper fashion. Mr. OToole, I raise my glass to the United States. I have no ill feelings towards you or your great country.
Thats big of you, OToole said. But tell me, whos the man in the garden?
In my position I have to take precautions.
He didnt stop us.
Only against my enemies.
Which do you prefer to be called, Izquierdo or Visconti? OToole asked.
By this time I have grown quite accustomed to both. Let us finish this bottle and open another. Champagne, if you are seeking the truth, is better than a lie-detector. It encourages a man to be expansive, even reckless, while lie-detectors are only a challenge to tell lies successfully[298].
Youve had experience of them? Otoole asked.
I had a session with one before I left BA. The results, I suspect, were not very useful to the police or to you. You received them, I imagine? I had prepared myself beforehand very carefully. They strapped two rubber belts around my arms and I thought at first they were taking my blood pressure. Perhaps they were doing that among other things. They warned me that however much I lied the machine would always tell the truth. You can imagine my reaction to that. Scepticism is inbred in a Catholic. First they asked me a number of innocent questions, such as what was my favourite food, and did I become breathless going upstairs? As I answered those innocent questions I thought very hard of what a joy it would one day be for me to see again my dear friend here and my heart beat and my pulses jumped, and they couldnt understand what was making me so excited about walking upstairs or eating cannelloni. Then they allowed me to calm down and afterwards they shot the name Visconti at me. Are you Visconti? Youre Visconti, the war criminal, but that had no effect on me at all because I had trained my old daily woman to call me Visconti in the morning when she drew the curtains. Visconti, you war criminal, wake up. It had become a homely phrase to me, meaning Your coffee is ready. After that they went back to the question about going upstairs and this time I was very calm, but when they asked me why I liked cannelloni, I thought of my darling and I got excited again, so that at the next question, which was a serious one, the cardiogram if thats what it was called became much calmer because I stopped thinking of my dear. In the end they were in quite a rage both with the machine and with me. You notice how champagne makes me talk. I am in the mood to tell you everything.
Ive come here to propose an arrangement, Mr. Visconti. Id hoped to have you out of circulation for a while so that I could convince Miss Bertram in your absence.
Ive come here to propose an arrangement, Mr. Visconti. Id hoped to have you out of circulation for a while so that I could convince Miss Bertram in your absence.
I would have agreed to nothing, my aunt said, until I had talked to Mr. Visconti.
We could still make a pack of trouble[299] for you here. Every time we put pressure on the police it would cost you money in bribes. Now suppose we persuaded Interpol to close the files on you and we told the police we were not interested any more, that you were free to come and go
I wouldnt entirely trust you, Mr. Visconti said, I would prefer to stop here. Besides I am making friends.
Sure, stay, if you want to. The police wouldnt be able to blackmail you any more.
Its an interesting proposal, Mr. Visconti said. You obviously imagine I have something to offer you in return? Let me fill your glass again.
We are prepared to do a deal, OToole said.
Im a business-man, Mr. Visconti replied. In my time Ive had dealings with many governments. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the Vatican.
And the Gestapo.
They were not gentlemen, Mr. Visconti said. Force of circumstances alone impelled me. His way of speaking reminded me of Aunt Augustas. They must have grown together with the years. You realize, of course, Ive had other offers of a private nature.
A man in your position cant afford private offers. Unless you deal with us, youll never be able to live in this house of yours. I wouldnt bother about buying the furniture.
The furniture, Mr. Visconti said, is no longer a problem. My Dakota did not return empty yesterday from Argentina. Miss Bertram had already arranged with Harrods at Buenos Aires to deliver the furniture to a friends estancia. So many chandeliers for so many cigarettes. The bed was an expensive item. How many cases of whisky did we pay, my dear? To my friend, of course, not to Harrods. An honourable firm. It takes a lot of whisky or cigarettes in these days to furnish a few essential rooms, and I admit frankly that I could do with a little ready cash. A beefsteak is sometimes more necessary than a chandelier. Panama cannot deliver again for two weeks. Im in the position of a sound business with good prospects, but short of petty cash.