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.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlpeddle her assets elsewhere.But how much saintliness can be reasonably askedof anyone, when the tramp happens to be an Iantha Lamb?"May I think it over?" said the Saint.She nodded calmly."But don't think too long I'm leaving for Rome next week to start a picture.Unless you're in a travelling mood."He wondered long afterwards what decision he might eventually have come to hewas not hidebound by any of the usual conventions, but there was somethingabout the manner of her offer which reminded him uncomfortably of a decadentempress requesting the services of a vassal, a request that was almost acommand and at the same time a favor.The impediment to reacting with properindignation was that she actually was a kind of empress in the echelons of thetwentieth century in which he was a kind of buccaneer, and her favor was animpossible pipe dream for which millions of men would have deliriously giveneverything that they owned.In all honesty, he sometimes thought that the onlything that stopped him from capitulating on the spot might have been an absurdreluctance to be the pushover which she had so many good reasons to expect.More fortunately than he probably deserved, the dilemma was resolved for himthat time at what could have been the last moment before it became crucial.Two evenings later when he returned to Grosvenor House from the movie wherehe had finished the afternoon it was a recent Iantha Lamb picture for which abillboard had caught his eye after lunch, and the curiosity of seeing it inthis peculiar context had been too much for him he found three telephonemessages in his box recording attempts by Russell Vail to reach him during theday.The latest was time-stamped only minutes before, and Simon yielded toanother curiosity and called the number it asked him to directly he got to hisroom."Glad I got you at last," boomed the hunter."It's a bit late, I know, but Iwas hoping you could have dinner with us tonight.I mean, with Iantha andElias.We all thought you'd make a good fourth."Simon reserved the observation that only an Iantha Lamb would considerherself and three men a good foursome.The breezy tone of Vail's voice seemedto dispose of a possibility which he had been half prepared for when hereturned the call, that Vail might have had the phantasmagoric notion ofwarning him that trespassing rights on Ellas Usebio's marital property werealready bespoke.He had nothing else planned; and seeing Iantha again underthe maximum conceivable chaperonage might help, somehow, to produce a solutionto the problem which he had been trying to ignore."That's nice of you," he said."Fine.Suppose we pick you up at seven.""I'll be downstairs.""Don't dress up.We thought we'd drive out to a place in the country.""Suits me.""And one other thing.Could you bring along some of your professional gear Imean, something to pick a lock with?"Page 36 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlThe Saint's eyebrows edged upwards."There's something funny about this telephone," he said."It sounded exactlyas if you said you wanted me to bring something to pick a lock with.""I did.""What sort of lock?""On a big iron gate.Don't worry we're not going to steal anything.We'llexplain it all later.But bring something.See you at seven."Simon was waiting in the lobby when Vail came in, shook hands heartily, andlooked around as if in search of some luggage that the Saint should have hadwith him."You didn't think I was joking about that lock, did you, old boy?"Simon touched his breast pocket."If this gate isn't on a bank vault, I can probably handle it.If you've gota good reason.""Later.I think it might appeal to you.But first, dinner."In the back courtyard there was a shiny new Jaguar with Iantha Lamb at thewheel and a vacant seat beside her.As Simon approached it, he saw that EliasUsebio was already sitting in the back.The commissionaire opened the off-sidefront door with a flourish, and Vail nudged the Saint forward."The place of honor for the guest of honor," he said."No argument, old boy.That's the drill."Simon had no desire to argue.He made himself comfortable beside Iantha, andhoped that her husband and Vail were equally relaxed in the back seat."Are you afraid of women drivers?" she asked, as they ploughed into thetraffic complex of Marble Arch."Not so much when I'm on their side," he replied."And when there's nothingto worry about but their own car this is your own, I hope?""Elias just gave it to me the other day, to take to Rome.You notice it'sbuilt for driving on the right.""I'm glad you've noticed that they drive on the left here," he said."Eliasmight have to put off his retirement to buy you another if you broke it up.""Hewouldn't, but I would.He's the rich one.He's earned a lot more than Ihave, and hardly spent apeseta.""I was not brought up to treat money like old newspapers," said Usebiogently."Or to pay ninety per cent income taxes," retorted his wife.They were heading north, and the car moved as if it held the road onlybecause it was perfectly disciplined, not because it didn't have the power tolift up and fly if it wanted to.Page 37 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Where are we going?" Simon inquired presently."St Albans, first," said Iantha.He thought that over."They've got some Roman ruins there," he said, "but you'll see much betterones when you get to Rome.""They've got a good pub, too, Russell says.""Is it so exclusive that we have to break into it?""We'll tell you about the lock business afterwards," said Vail."We'll giveyou a good dinner first, and then see if you feel like tackling it."The pub was quaintly named The Noke, but it had the air of substantialserenity which the connoisseur of English hostelries recognizes at once.Theyhad cold dry martinis in the pleasantly timbered bar, except for Usebio, whowould take nothing stronger than St Raphael.They ordered smoked salmon androast grouse, which were excellent, as was the Chateau Smith Haut Lafittewhich the proprietor suggested.The conversation was brightly enjoyable but totally unimportant; only Usebioseemed a little apart and preoccupied with serious private thoughts, thoughhis rare responses were unfailingly courteous.It would have been a perfectlypleasant and unquoteworthy dinner party except for the enigma that went withit, the motivation under which Simon had been included, which nobody wouldrefer to any more.He had to reach back deliberately for the first psychichunch he had had, and remind himself that both the other men were dealers indeath by training and vocation
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