'He'll know,' I said.

'You're by appointment, then?'

'You can put it that way it you like.'

'Seems silly to you, I guess, but we have to be very careful. Some strange types come around here.'

'So I've heard.' He shifted his chewing-gum to another side and entered the lift. I waited. I had no idea what to say to Pyle. This was a scene I had never played before. The policeman returned. He said grudgingly, 'I guess you can go up. Room 12A. First floor.'

When I entered the room I saw that Pyle wasn't there. Joe sat behind the desk: the Economic Attache: I still couldn't remember his surname. Phuong's sister watched me from behind a typing desk. Was it triumph that I read in those brown inquisitive eyes?

'Come in, come in, Tom,' Joe called boisterously. 'Glad to see you. How's your leg? We don't often get a visit from you to our little outfit. Pull up a chair. Tell me how you think the new offensive's going. Saw Granger last night at the Continental. He's for the north again. That boy's keen. Where there's news there's Granger. Have a cigarette. Help yourself. You know Miss Hei? Can't remember all these names -- too hard for an old fellow like me. I call her "Hi, there!" -- she likes it. None of this stuffy colonialism. What's the gossip of the market, Tom? You fellows certainly do keep your ears to the ground. Sorry to hear about your leg. Alden told me...'

'Where's Pyle?'

'Oh, Alden's not in the office this morning. Guess he's at home. Does a lot of his work at home.'

'I know what he does at home.'

'That boy's keen. Eh, what's that you said?'

'Anyway, I know one of the things he does at home.'

'I don't catch on, Tom. Slow Joe -- that's me. Always was. Always will be.'

'He sleeps with my girl -- your typist's sister.'

'I don't know what you mean.'

'Ask her. She fixed it. Pyle's taken my girl.'

'Look here, Fowler, I thought you'd come here on business. We can't have scenes in the office, you know.'

'I came here to see Pyle, but I suppose he's hiding.'

'Now, you're the very last man who ought to make a remark like that. After what Alden did for you.'

'Of yes, yes, of course. He saved my life, didn't he? But I never asked him to.'

'At great danger to himself. That boy's got guts.'

'I don't care a damn about his guts. There are other parts of his body that are more a propos.'

'Now we can't have any innuendos like that, Fowler, with a lady in the room.'

'The lady and I know each other well. She failed to get her rake-off from me, but she's getting it from Pyle. All right. I know I'm behaving badly, and I'm going to go on behaving badly. This is a situation where people do behave badly.'

'We've got a lot of work to do. There's a report on the rubber output...'

'Don't worry, I'm going. But just tell Pyle if he phones that I called. He might think it polite to return the visit.' I said to Phuong's sister, 'I hope you've had the settlement witnessed by the notary public and the American Consul and the Church of Christ Scientist.'

I went into the passage. There was a door opposite me marked Men. I went in and locked the door and sitting with my head against the cold wall I cried. I hadn't cried until now. Even their lavatories were air-conditioned, and presently the temperate temperate air dried my tears as it dries the spit in your mouth and the seed in your body.