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〃Of party pieces。〃 she said； with a little smile。 〃Who did what to whom。 And how many times。〃
〃You're kidding！〃
She turned the lock one more time； and then pushed down on the handle and pulled the door。 There was a cracking sound； as the decayed rubber seal broke。 Then the door swung wide。
〃Are there any candles？〃 she said to him。 〃Look in the cupboard there between the columns； will you？〃
Todd did as he was instructed； and found several boxes of plain white candles on the shelves。 One was open； and the heat of many summers had turned the contents into a single box…shaped slab of white wax。 But the contents of the other two boxes were in better condition： under the first layer； which was partially melted； there were salvageable candles。 He set up six of them on the bar； seating them in their own dribblings so that they wouldn't fall over。
Their flickering yellow light flattered the marble interior； and by some strange arrangement of the walls it seemed he heard the whispering of the flames multiplied。 Indeed they almost sounded like voices； uncannily so。 He looked around； half…expecting to see somebody flitting between the columns。
〃Ah； voilá！〃 said Katya； reaching into the depths of the safe。
She brought a small； thick book out of the little safe along with a sheaf of photographs and set them all down on the bar in the light from the candles。 The book looked like a journal； bound in dark red leather。 When she opened it he saw that its handwritten contents were arranged symmetrically； two columns to each page。
〃Take a look；〃 she said； obviously delighted with her find。
He picked up the book and flicked through it。 Almost three…quarters of its pages were written on； sometimes in the two…column configuration； sometimes simply filled up from top to bottom。 He turned to a page of the former variety。 On the left hand side of the pages was a column of names； on the right hand； a column that was far harder to make sense of。 Occasionally there were names； but more often letters and symbols； some of them resembling obscure mathematical equations。 His puzzlement amused her。
〃Think of it as a history book；〃 she said； offering a teasing smile along with the clue。
〃A history of what？〃
〃Of better times。〃
Todd flipped through the pages。 Now and again； amongst the names； he came upon some he knew： Norma Talmadge； Theda Bara； John Gilbert； Clara Bow； all movie stars of another era。
〃You knew all these people？〃 he said to her。
〃Yes； of course。 This was the place to e； when you wanted to have some fun。 Every weekend； we'd have parties。 Sometimes in the pool。 Sometimes in the house。 Sometimes we'd have hunts； all through the Canyon。〃
〃Animal hunts？〃
〃No。 People hunts。 People treated like animals。 We whipped them and we chained them up and。。。well； you can imagine。〃
〃I'm beginning to。 Wow。 You had Charlie Chaplin up here； I see。〃
〃Yes； he came up here often。 He used to bring his little girls。〃
〃Little girls？〃
〃He liked them young。〃
Todd raised a quizzical eyebrow。 〃And you didn't mind？〃
〃I don't believe in Thou Shall Not。 That's for people who are afraid to follow their own instincts。 Of course when you're out there in the world you've got to play by the rules； or you'll spend your life behind bars。 They'd lock you up and throw away the key。 But this isn't the world。 This is my Canyon。 They called it Coldheart Canyon； because they said I have a soul like ice。 But why should I care what people say？ Let them say whatever they want to say； as long as their money pays for the little luxuries in life。 I want my Kingdom to be a place where people could take their pleasures freely； without judgment or punishment。
〃This is Eden； you see？ Only there's no snake。 No angel to drive you out either； because you did a bad thing。 Why？ Because there were no bad things。〃
〃Literally none？〃
She looked at him； her stare luminous。 〃Oh you mean murder； perhaps？ We had one or two murderers here。 And we had sisters who'd fucked their brothers； and sons who fucked their mothers； and a man who liked having children suck him off。〃
〃What？〃
〃Ha！ Now you're shocked。 His name was Laurence Skimpell； and he was as handsome a man as I've ever met。 He had a contract at Warner Brothers； and they were going to make him a star。 A big star。 Then this woman turns up at the studios with a child； who she said was Skimpell's。 Warner Brothers have always been very loyal。 They offered the woman money； said they'd put the child up for adoption。 But as she got up and left she said： you don't understand； this isn't his offspring。 This is his lover。〃
〃Oh Jesus Christ。〃
〃That was the last we ever heard of Laurence Skimpell。〃
〃That's a ridiculous story。 I don't believe a word of it。〃
She laughed； as though perhaps this time she was inventing a little。 〃You're in here；〃 he said； ing to some mentions of Katya Lupi。 〃And there's a long list of Men。。。〃
〃Oh that was a petition we had。〃
〃You had all these men？〃
〃It was my canyon。 It still is。 I can do what I like here。〃
〃So you let people do what they wanted？〃
〃More or less。〃 She returned to the book。 〃You see the symbols beside the names？〃
Todd nodded； somewhat tentatively。 The conversation had taken a turn he was by no means certain he liked。 It was one thing to talk about freedom in Coldheart Canyon； it was another to have her boasting about babies sucking dicks。 〃All the symbols mean something different；〃 she said。 〃Look here。 That squiggle there； that means snakes。 That knotted rope？ That means being bound up。 The more knots in the rope the more bound the person likes to be。 So。。。here。。。Barrymore。。。his rope has six knots in it。 So he liked to be very well tied up。 And then there's a little flame beside him。 That means…〃
〃He liked to be burned？〃
〃When he was sober。 In the end； I stopped inviting him because he got so drunk and so abusive he wasn't any fun。〃
〃Ah！ So you did make a judgment。〃
She considered this for a moment。 〃Yes。 I suppose I did。〃
〃Did he spoil the secret？ Once you didn't invite him anymore。 Did he start telling everyone about what it was like up here？〃
〃Of course not。 What was he going to say？ Even he had a reputation to keep。 Besides； half of Hollywood swam in that pool at one time or another。 And the other half wished they could。 Nobody said anything but everybody knew。〃
〃What。。。exactly。 That there were orgies here。 That women got fucked with snakes？〃
〃All of that yes。 But mostly that people came back from Coldheart Canyon spiritually changed。〃
〃You mean that？ Spiritually。〃
〃Yes。 Spiritually。 Don't look so surprised。 The flesh and the soul are tied together。〃
Todd looked confused。
〃Louise Brooks said to me once： there's nothing they can give that would be worth my freedom。 She parried with the rest of us； but in the end she gave it all up； and moved away。 She said they were trying to take her soul by boring her to death。〃
〃So she gave up making movies？〃
〃Indeed she did。 But Louise was a rare example。 You know what usually happens： you get addicted。 And the studio knows you're addicted。 You need your hit of fame every couple