I said, “I remember my grandmother’s cheeks and hands, her cardigan, her smell, with nothing but love. She had learned things, which made me feel safe. Anyhow, you haven’t been old yet. How do you know you won’t like it?”

“I haven’t died yet. Or visited Northampton. I just know they won’t agree with me.”

He kept looking at me as though there was something he wanted to know or ask me.

I said, “I’ll only be here a minute. All I want to do is relax.”

“You do that. I’ve got a party to run.”

“Right.”

Somewhat self-consciously, I turned to look out at the dark sea, hoping that when I turned back he’d be gone. I heard him lock the door. Before I could speak, I was hit, and lost my bearings.

Instinctively, I imagined Matte had struck me from behind, smashing his fist onto the back of my head with some strength. That was how it felt. But he had encircled my neck with his arm, kicked my legs away, and forced me to my knees. I thought: Now he’s going to shoot me in the back of the head. During this I recalled, incorrectly I hope, a line from Webster: “Of all the deaths, a violent one is best.”

“What are you doing?”

“Leo, shut it! If you keep still I won’t damage you.”

“Keep still for what?”

He was searching in my hair, not unlike the way I would grab my kids and examine their heads for nits. I said, “I never had you down for a madman.”

“’Scuse me,” he said, relaxing his grip. “I found the mark.”

“Mark?”

“Didn’t you know? I guess they like to believe it’s all seamless. You can get up now. How old are you really? No need to pretend. I am nearly eighty. A good age in a man, don’t you think?”

I murmured, “You look well.”

“Thanks. So do you.”

6

HE SAID, “Senex bis puer.”

“An old man is twice a boy?”

“That’s the one. I’ve just taken up wrestling, along with the kickboxing.” He put up his hands. “Wonderful sport. I’ll show you a few moves later.”

I wiped my face. “I think I’ve got the idea.”

But I pushed him then, a couple of times, quickly, and he fell back. He was flushed with fury. For a moment, I thought we’d be wrestling. We’d have enjoyed that. But before he could react, I’d dropped my hands and was laughing, so the argument was whether he’d lose his temper or not.

He managed not to, distracting himself by opening a cabinet within which there was a monitor. He switched it on and flicked to a channel showing the orgy room. I spotted Alicia dancing alone, naked. She looked freer than I had seen her before.