Page 70 - tender-is-the-night

lected Abe. ‘Each man stood on the edge of a precipice, so if
he was hit at all he was done for.’
This seemed very remote and academic to McKisco, who
stared at him and said, ‘What?’
‘Do you want to take a quick dip and freshen up?’
‘No—no, I couldn t swim.’ He sighed. ‘I don’t see what
it’s all about,’ he said helplessly. ‘I don’t see why I’m doing
it.’
It was the first thing he had ever done in his life. Actu-
ally he was one of those for whom the sensual world does
not exist, and faced with a concrete fact he brought to it a
vast surprise.
‘We might as well be going,’ said Abe, seeing him fail a
little.
‘All right.’ He drank off a stiff drink of brandy, put
the flask in his pocket, and said with almost a savage air:
‘What’ll happen if I kill him—will they throw me in jail?’
‘I’ll run you over the Italian border.’
He glanced at Rosemary—and then said apologetically
to Abe:
‘Before we start there’s one thing I’d like to see you about
alone.’
‘I hope neither of you gets hurt,’ Rosemary said. ‘I think
it’s very foolish and you ought to try to stop it.’

70 Tender is the Night