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〃For someone in a hospital bed？〃
〃This is Conn MacCleary we're talking about。〃
〃Yes；〃 Deborah agreed with a nod。
〃And he lays out this beautiful spread； abuses the doctor and nurse； tells me to eat up。 And he drinks all the booze。〃
〃Conn MacCleary；〃 Deborah said in punctuation。
〃But that's not the half of it。 I never knew the man to be away from a bottle for long。 It's a wonder he lived past twenty…one。〃
〃The Egyptians are making a push up through the Negev。 We're near there。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Never mind。 Will you let me finish？ Besides； none of that stuff about wheres。 Read my official biography if you want to know wheres。〃
〃I bet they're the wrong wheres。〃
〃Stop that shit； Remo。 Just stop and listen。 Because if you want to play question and answer with me； I can go to Dr。 Brewster and plain about nasty interference from you agents…kind…bf…people； and he'll beat you within an inch of your life。 Hah。〃
〃Okay。 No more shit。〃
〃Okay。 We are near the action and Conn is desperately gathering copper tubing。 Uncle David says； 'Hah。 You see。 Secret weapon。 I told you。 Technology。 American technology。' And Conn is being very secretive。 No one can go near where he is preparing his technology。 One day I followed him。 And there behind some rocks； sandbagged。。。 let me tell you； sandbagged。。。 we should have that kind of defense on the Suez Canal today。。。 it looks like he has emptied the Sinai into burlap。 He had all the children stripping the entire village of sandbags for this。 And my Uncle David was leading it。 Sandbags for the secret weapon of our village。 Well； since it is so top secret no one is allowed to look。 But I look。 I knew he would not punish me'。 I was his favorite； but he loved all the children。〃
〃Con love children？〃
〃Oh yes。 That was his big love； I believe。 And I believe because he never had children was why he drank。 He would tell us stories at night。 We all loved him。〃
〃Conn？ Children？〃
〃Shut up。 Let me finish。 I crawl over the sandbags and I peek。 There he is with a cup underneath this copper tubing which is all twisted and connected to a small boiler。 He had made a still and I can't describe him waiting for the drip； drip； drip with the cup。 This grown man； bending over in this incredible heat made hotter by the sandbags； the defense of our village by the way； just waiting for the drip； drip； drip。〃
Renio shook his head。 〃Yeah； that's Conn。 But I can't imagine his stripping a village's defense for it。〃
〃Well； the sandbags were not really that important； and he knew that within a half hour for every bag he got； it would be replaced。 We were not short of sand。〃
〃Tell me though。 What happened there to make him hate the Arabs so？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Well； once I heard him call the Arabs vicious mean animals。 For Conn； 'bastard' usually sufficed。〃
〃I don't understand。〃〃
〃Well； he must have seen some Arab atrocity that really rankled。 You know he had been around。〃
Deborah searched the past and her face was a jewel of concentration。 〃No； no。 Not near our village。 As you know we were in the South and the only danger was from Egyptian regulars。 And they were all right。 No。 Conn never dealt with anyone but the Arabs in our village。 And they are fine people。 Some； I am sorry to say； left at the …time。〃
〃Sorry？〃
〃Certainly。 We wanted to build a country； not create a refugee problem。 As you know we had 2；000 years as refugees。 Some left because they thought we would lose and they did not want to be there when we did。 Others thought they could return and get back their own homes plus ours。 And some were frightened of us。 But we never drove them out。 Never。 Especially our village。 And of course some stayed。 Like the vice president of the Knesset。 He is an Arab。 Did you know that？〃
〃No； I didn't。〃
〃Remo； that tells me something about you。〃
〃What does it tell you？〃
〃Some of the things you're not。〃
Remo accepted the statement and made no ment on it。 Deborah switched the subject。 〃I can't think of any atrocity he would have seen。〃
〃He was vehement； Debby。 Can I call you Debby？〃
〃No。 Deborah。 What would make him vehement？〃 Suddenly she clasped a hand to her mouth。 She shook her head； but there was laughter in her eyes。 〃Oh； that man； he is impossible。 Impossible。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃You know Conn MacCleary？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And I told you of the still？〃
〃Yes。〃 Remo looked at Deborah quizzically。 He was supposed to be able to figure something out and now he wanted to very much。
〃e on。 You knew Conn。 What were his exact words？〃
Remo thought back； and if he had not tried so hard； he knew he would remember。 〃I can't remember exactly。〃
〃Would degenerate scum animals refresh your memory？〃
〃Yes。 That's right。 That is what he called them。〃
〃Well； then； what is the greatest atrocity on earth for Conn MacCleary？〃
〃The murder of children？〃
〃That's a tragedy； Remo。 I'm talking about MacCleary。 An atrocity。〃
〃An atrocity？ Degenerate scum animals？〃 He paused； then asked almost as a question； but it was not a question。 He knew。
〃They got his still？〃
Deborah reached her hand to Remo's shoulder。 〃The Egyptian Air Force blasted it to smithereens。' It was incredible。 They saw the sandbags； I mean it was obvious from the air。 The still had changed their colors and the damned thing glowed at night。 They hit it with everything they had。 Spitfires。 The whole thing。 But as you know； if you're bombing stills you're not bombing fortifications or towns。 He must have saved the village。 But the still was wiped out。〃
And both Deborah and Remo said in unison： 〃The degenerate scum animals。〃
〃Remo； you should have seen Mm。 That was all he talked about for days。 Degenerate scum animals。 He volunteered for the Negev front but he was not accepted。 Then he left and I guess your conflict with the Russians started heating up。 Espionage war。 And he returned to your service。 Where I am sure you met him。〃
〃Hush； hush；〃 Remo said。
〃And I know now why you are here and I am not afraid。 Friend。〃 She extended her hand and Remo took it。
〃Friend；〃 he said。 And he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips。 And she kissed him。
Softly； she said； 〃Not tonight。〃 Which can never really be said without hurting someone who wants you。
〃Okay；〃 Remo said； 〃not tonight。〃
〃You will see me tomorrow？〃
〃I think I can make it。〃
〃You're full of shit。 You'll make it。〃
〃Maybe；〃 Remo said。 And he reached an arm behind her back and pulled her to him standing up。 They both stood and kept their lips together and Remo moved a hand to her blouse and then over a breast which he pressed with warmth。
〃You bastard；〃 she whispered。 〃I really did not want to tonight。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because I do not want it that way。 Not you ing in and then。。。 not that way。 Tomorrow night。〃
〃You do not want me？〃
〃I wanted you from the moment you said Conn's name。 Your face then was beautiful。 You showed goodness and I am so alone here。 And for a moment we were not alone anymore。〃
〃I almost got killed out in the circle； looking at you。〃
〃You're a stupid man。 Looks。 Like every man。 I'm just looks to you。〃
〃You began as looks。〃
〃Remo。 I want you tonight。 Very