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hing of youth and natural beneficence。
I opened my mouth。 I ached with thirst。 All the awakened flesh sang with thirst or cursed me with it。 It was as if a thousand crushed and muted cells were now chanting for blood。
〃I have to have more。 I have to。 Stay away from me。〃 I hurried past Benji； who all but danced at my side。
〃What do you want； what can I do？ I'll get another one。〃
〃No； I'll get him for myself。〃 I fell on the victim and slipped loose his silk tie。 I quickly undid the buttons of his shirt。
Benji fell at once to unbuckling his belt。 Sybelle； on her knees； tugged at his boots。
〃The gun； beware of the gun；〃 I said in alarm。 〃Sybelle； back away from him。〃
〃I see the gun；〃 she said reprovingly。 She laid it aside carefully； as if it were a freshly caught fish and might flop from her hands。 She peeled off his socks。 〃Armand； these clothes；〃 she said； 〃they're too big。〃
〃Benji； you have shoes？〃 I asked。 〃My feet are small。〃
I stood up and hastily put on the shirt； fastening the buttons with a speed that dazzled them。
〃Don't watch me； get the shoes；〃 I said。 I pulled on the trousers； zipped them up； and with Sybelle's quick fingers to help； buckled the flapping leather belt。 I pulled it as tight as I could。 This would do。
She crouched before me； her dress a huge flowered circle of prettiness around her； as she rolled the pant legs over my brown bare feet。
I had slipped my hands through his fancy linked shirt cuffs without ever disturbing them。
Benji threw down the black dress shoes； fine Bally pumps； never even worn by him； divine little wretch。 Sybelle held one sock for my foot。 Benji gathered up the other。
When I put on the coat it was done。 The sweet tingling in my veins had stopped。 It was pain again； it was beginning to roar； as if I were threaded with fire； and the witch with the needle pulled on the thread； hard； to make me quiver。
〃A towel； my dears； something old； mon。 No； don't； not in this day and age； don't think of it。〃
Full of loathing I gazed down at his livid flesh。 He lay staring dully at the ceiling； the soft tiny hair in his nostrils very black against his drained and awful skin； his teeth yellow above his colorless lip。 The hair on his chest was a matted swarm in the sweat of his death； and against the giant gaping slit lay the pulp that had been his heart； ah； this was the evil evidence which must be shut from the eyes of the world on general principles。
I reached down and slipped the ruins of his heart back into the cavity of his chest。 I spit upon the wound and rubbed it with my fingers。
Benji gasped。 〃Look at it heal； Sybelle；〃 he cried。
〃Just barely；〃 I said。 〃He's too cold； too empty。〃 I looked about。 There lay the man's wallet； papers； a bag in leather； lots of green bills in a fancy silver clip。 I gathered all this up。 I stuffed the folded money in one pocket； and all else in the other。 What else did he have？ Cigarette； a deadly switchblade knife； and the guns； ah； yes； the guns。
Into my coat pockets I put these items。
Swallowing my nausea； I reached down and scooped him up； horrid flaccid white man in his pitiable silk shorts and fancy gold wristwatch。 My old strength was indeed ing back。 He was heavy； but I could easily heave him over my shoulder。
〃What will you do； where will you go？〃 Sybelle cried。 〃Armand； you can't leave us。〃
〃You'll e back！〃 said Benji。 〃Here； gimme that watch； don't throw away that man's watch。〃
〃Sshhh； Benji；〃 Sybelle whispered。 〃You know damned good and well I've bought you the finest watches。 Don't touch him。 Armand； what can we do now to help you？〃 She drew close to me。 〃Look！〃 she said pointing to the dangling arm of the corpse which hung just below my right elbow。 〃He has manicured nails。 How amazing。〃
〃Oh； yeah； he always took very good care of himself；〃 said Benji。 〃You know the watch is worth five thousand dollars。〃
〃Hush up about the watch；〃 she said。 〃We don't want his things。〃 She looked at me again。 〃Armand； even now you're still changing。 Your face； it's getting fuller。〃
〃Yes； and it hurts；〃 I said。 〃Wait for me。 Prepare a dark room for me。 I'll e back as soon as I've fed。 I have to feed now； feed and feed to heal the scars that are left。 Open the door for me。〃
〃Let me see if there's anyone out there；〃 said Benji with a quick dutiful rush to the door。
I went out into the hallway； easily carrying the poor corpse； its white arms hanging down； swinging and banging against me just a little。
What a sight I was in these big clothes。 I must have looked like a mad poetical schoolboy who had raided the thrift stores for the finest threads and was off now in fancy new shoes to search out the rock bands。
〃There isn't anyone out here； my little friend；〃 I said。 〃It's three of the clock and the hotel's asleep。 And if reason serves me right； that's the door of the fire stairs there； at the very end of the hall； correct？ There isn't anyone in the fire stairs either。〃
〃Oh； clever Armand； you delight me！〃 he said。 He narrowed his little black eyes。 He jumped up and down soundlessly on the hallway carpet。 〃Give me the watch！〃 he whispered。
〃No；〃 I said。 〃She's right。 She's rich； and so am I； and so are you。 Don't be a beggar。〃
〃Armand； we'll wait for you；〃 said Sybelle in the doorframe。 〃Benji； e inside immediately。〃
〃Oh； listen to her now； how she wakes up！ How she talks！ 'Benji； e inside；' she says。 Hey； sweetheart； don't you have something to do just now； like perhaps play the piano？〃
She gave a tiny burst of laughter in spite of herself。 I smiled。 What a strange pair they were。 They did not believe their own eyes。 But that was typical enough in this century。 I wondered when they would start to see； and having seen； start screaming。
〃Goodbye； sweet loves；〃 I said。 〃Be ready for me。〃
〃Armand； you will e back。〃 Her eyes were fall of tears。 〃You promise me。〃
I was stunned。 〃Sybelle；〃 I said。 〃What is it that women want so often to hear and wait so long to hear it？ I love you。〃
I left them； racing down the stairs； hefting him to the other shoulder when the weight on the one side became too hurtful。 The pain passed over me in waves。 The shock of the outside cold air was scalding。
〃Feed；〃 I whispered。 And what was I to do with him？ He was far too naked to carry down Fifth Avenue。
I slipped off his watch because it was the only identification on him left； and almost vomiting with revulsion from my closeness to these fetid remains； I dragged him by one hand after me very fast through the back alley； and then across a small street； and down another sidewalk。
I ran into the face of the icy wind； not stopping to observe those few hulking shapes that hobbled by in the wet darkness； or to take stock of the one car that crept along on the shining wet asphalt。
Within seconds I had covered two blocks； and finding a likely alleyway； with a high gate to keep out the beggars of the night； I quickly mounted the bars and flung his carcass to the very far end of it。 Down into the melting snow he