''I wish,'' she said.
The Martinis were icy cold and true Montgomerys, and, after touching the edges, they felt them glow happily all through their upper bodies.
''And what have you been doing?'' the Colonel asked.
''Nothing.
I still wait to go away to school.''
''Where now?''
''God knows.
Wherever I go to learn English.''
''Turn your head and raise your chin once for me.''
''You're not making fun?''
''No.
I'm not making fun.''
She turned her head and raised her chin, without vanity, nor coquetry, and the Colonel felt his heart turn over inside him, as though some sleeping animal had rolled over in its burrow and frightened, deliciously, the other animal sleeping close beside.
''Oh you,'' he said. ''Would you ever like to run for Queen of Heaven?''
''That would be sacrilegious.''
''Yes,'' he said. ''I suppose it would and I withdraw the suggestion.''
''Richard,'' she said. ''No I can't say it.''
''Say it.''
''No.''
The Colonel thought, I order you to say it.
And she said, ''Please never look at me like that.''
''I'm sorry,'' the Colonel said. ''I had just slipped into my trade unconsciously.''
''And if we were such a thing as married would you practice your trade in the home?''
''No.
I swear it.
I never have.
Not in my heart.''
''With no one?''
''With no one of your sex.''
''I don't like that word your sex.
It sounds as though you were practicing your trade.''
''I throw my trade out of that God-damn window into the Grand Canal.''
''There,'' she said. ''You see how quickly you practice it?''
''All right,'' he said. ''I love you and my trade can gently leave.''
''Let me feel your hand,'' she said. ''It's all right.
You can put it on the table.''
''Thank you,'' the Colonel said.
''Please don't,'' she said. ''I wanted to feel it because all last week, every night, or I think nearly every night, I dreamed about it, and it was a strange mixed-up dream and I dreamed it was the hand of Our Lord.''
''That's bad.
You oughtn't to do that.''
''I know it.
That's just what I dreamed.''
''You aren't on the junk, are you?''
''I don't know what you mean, and please don't make fun when I tell you something true.
I dreamed just as I say.''
''What did the hand do?''
''Nothing.
Or maybe that is not true.
Mostly it was just a hand.''
''Like this one?'' The Colonel asked, looking at the misshapen hand with distaste, and remembering the two times that had made it that way.