Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry Page A

overhauling the glasses ever more slowly, for an opening to say or do something. He set the glass he wasdrying down. Then he picked up the Consul’s cigarette, which was consuming itself in an ashtray at the counter edge, inhaled it deeply, closing his eyes with an expression of playful ecstasy, opened them and pointed, scarcely exhaling now the slow billowing smoke from his nostrils and mouth, at an advertisement for
Cafeaspirina
, a woman wearing a scarlet brassière lying on a scrolled divan, behind the upper row of
tequila añejo
bottles.‘
Absolutamente necesario
,’ he said, and Yvonne realized it was the woman, not the
Cafeaspirina
, he meant (the Consul’s phrase doubtless) was absolutely necessary. But he hadn’t attracted the Consul’s attention, so he closed his eyes again with the same expression, opened them, replaced the Consul’s cigarette, and, still exuding smoke, pointed once more to the advertisement – next to it she noticed one for the local cinema, simply,
Las Manos de Orlac, con Peter Lorre
– and repeated: ‘
Absolutamente necesario
.’
    â€˜A corpse, whether adult or child,’ the Consul had resumed, after briefly pausing to laugh at this pantomime, and to agree, with a kind of agony, ‘
Sí, Fernando, absolutamente necesario
’– and it is a ritual, she thought, a ritual between them, as there were once rituals between us, only Geoffrey has gotten a little bored with it at last – resumed his study of a blue and red Mexican National Railways time-table. Then he looked up abruptly and saw her, peering shortsightedly about him before recognizing her, standing there, a little blurred probably because the sunlight was behind her, with one hand thrust through the handle of her scarlet bag resting on her hip, standing there as she knew he must see her, half jaunty, a little diffident.
    Still holding the time-table the Consul built himself to his feet as she came forward.’ —
Good
God.’
    Yvonne hesitated but he made no move towards her; she slipped quietly on to a stool beside him; they did not kiss.
    â€˜Surprise party. I’ve come back… My plane got in an hour ago.’
    â€˜ –when Alabama comes through we ask nobody any questions,’ came suddenly from the bar on the other side of the glass partition: ‘We come through with heels flying!’
    â€˜ — From Acapulco, Hornos… I came by boat, Geoff, from San Pedro — Panama Pacific. The
Pennsylvania
. Geoff –’
    â€˜â€“ bull-headed Dutchmen! The sun parches the lips and they crack. Oh Christ, it’s a shame! The horses all go away kicking in the dust! I wouldn’t have it. They plugged ’em too. They don’t miss it. They shoot first and ask questions later. You’re goddam right. And that’s a nice thing to say. I take a bunch of goddamned farmers, then ask them no questions. Righto I –smoke a cool cigarette –’
    â€˜Don’t you love these early mornings?’ The Consul’s voice, but not his hand, was perfectly steady as now he put the timetable down. ‘Have, as our friend next door suggests,’ he inclined his head towards the partition, ‘a –’ the name on the trembling, offered, and rejected cigarette package struck her: Alas!’ –’
    The Consul was saying with gravity: ‘Ah, Hornos. — But why come via Cape Horn? It has a bad habit of wagging its tail, sailors tell me. Or does it mean ovens?’
    â€˜ –
Calle Nicaragua, cincuenta dos
.’ Yvonne pressed a
tostón
on a dark god by this time in possession of her bags who bowed and disappeared obscurely.
    â€˜What if I didn’t live there any longer.’ The Consul, sitting down again, was shaking so violently he had to hold the bottle of whisky he was pouring himself a drink from with both hands. ‘Have a drink?’
    â€˜ –’
    Or should she? She