WEDEFEHECITYasbestwecould.Thearrowsoftheanchescameinclouds.Thewarclubsoftheanchesclatteredo,yellowpavements.TherewereearthworksalongtheBoulevardMarkClarkandthehedgeshadbeehsparklingwire.Peopleweretryingtouand.IspoketoSylvia."Doyouthinkthisisagoodlife?"Thetableheldapples,books,long-playingrecords.Shelookedup."No."

    Patrolsofparasandvolunteerswitharmbandsguardedthetall,flatbuildings.Weinterrogatedthecapturedawoofusforcedhisheadbackwhileanotherpouredwaterintohisnostrils.Hisbodyjerked,hechokeda.Notbeliev?ingahurried,careless,andexaggeratedreportofthenumberofcasualtiesierdistrictswheretrees,lamps,swanshadbeenreducedtoclearfieldsoffireweissuedentrengtoolstothosewhoseemedtrustworthyandturheheavy-onspahatwecouldnotbesurprisedfromthatdire.AndIsattheregettingdrunkeranddrunkerandmoreinloveandmoreialked.

    "DoyouknowFauresDolly?"

    "WouldthatbeGabrielFaure?"

    "Itwould."

    "ThenIknowit,"shesaid."MayIsaythatIplayitatcertaintimes,whenIamsad,orhappy,al?thoughitrequiresfourhands."

    "Howisthatmanaged?"

    "Iaccelerate,"shesaid,"ignthetimesigna?ture."

    AheyshottheseinthebedIwon?deredhowyoufeltuheeyesofthecamera?men,grips,juicers,meninthemixingbooth:ex?cited?stimulated?AheyshottheseintheshowerIsandedahollow-coredocarefullyagainsttheillustrationsisandwhis?peredinstrusfromonewhohadalreadysolvedtheproblem.Ihadmadeafterallothertables,onewhilelivingwithNan