The Last Gentleman

now.”
    â€œYes sir. That is very interesting. But the reason I came, if you will recall, is that you told me—”
    â€œBut she changed, you see, and that was when we parted company. I could make some sense of her notion of being the surviving remnant of her Catholic Thing (which has to prevail, you see, in spite of all, yes, I don’t mind that) set down back there in that God-forsaken place. That was fitting. But she changed, you see. She became hopeful. She goes to confraternity meetings in Mobile. She has dealings with the Methodist preacher, even the Baptists. She corresponds with scientists. She begs from the Seven-Up man and slips him a K.C. pamphlet (‘How many churches did Christ found?’). She talks the Klonsul into giving her a gym. In short, she sold out. Hell, what she is is a Rotarian.”
    â€œYes sir, very true, but what I want to—”
    â€œBarrett.”
    â€œSir?”
    â€œWhich is the best course for a man: to live like a Swede, vote for the candidate of your choice, be a good fellow, healthy and generous, do a bit of science as if the world made sense, enjoy a beer and a good piece (not a bad life!). Or: to live as a Christian among Christians in Alabama? Or to die like an honest man?”
    â€œI couldn’t say,” said the engineer. He was bitterly disappointed by Sutter’s refusal to take him seriously.
    â€œHow is Jamie?” asked Sutter.
    â€œBetter,” said the other absently. “I am on my way there now. If you will answer my question, I’ll leave.”
    â€œWhat question?”
    â€œThe last time I saw you you said you had something to tell me. What was it?”
    â€œI don’t remember.”
    The engineer, who had been pacing the tiny porch, which abutted Wells Fargo on one side and the O.K. Corral on the other, paused and fixed Sutter with a lively clairvoyant expression. Now at last he remembered everything, knew what he knew and what he didn’t know and what he wished to know. He even remembered every sentence in Sutter’s notebook.
    â€œI want to know what it was you discovered while you were in the, ah, hospital out here last summer.”
    â€œWhat?” said Sutter, coming down hard on all four legs of the captain’s chair.
    The engineer was not disconcerted. “I’ve finished your casebook. I wish to know whether you meant only that when you’re in a bad way things look better than they do ordinarily.”
    â€œOh,” said Sutter, replacing his feet. “That. I don’t remember. That was a long time ago and, as I told you, I attach no importance to that stuff. It was written to be rid of it, excreta, crap, and so intended.”
    â€œI just finished speaking to Kitty.” The engineer drew up another sheriff’s chair. “We spoke for two hours. It cost twenty-four dollars. I had to reverse the charges.”
    â€œGood Lord. I can’t imagine talking to Kitty for five minutes.”
    â€œWe settled a great many things,” said the engineer, frowning—who in hell was Sutter to patronize Kitty?
    â€œAre you getting married?” asked Sutter politely, turning his chair a few degrees but keeping his pale eyes fixed on the brown schematic mountain.
    â€œYes. After—things are more settled. But that is not why I drove out here this afternoon. I want to know this,” he said, leaning over and grabbing the rim of Sutter’s chair so hard that his knuckles turned white. “I want to know why you brought Jamie out here.”
    Sutter tried to tear his eyes from the mountain. “You’re right. It didn’t work, did it?”
    â€œRight? What do you mean? What didn’t work?”
    Sutter shrugged. “Jamie’s little idea of a vacation.”
    â€œJamie’s? But according to what you wrote, it was your idea too. What did you expect him to do?”
    â€œIt’s not what I expected.”
    â€œThen he expected something?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHe expected something to happen.”
    â€œWhat? Not get well?”
    Sutter shrugged.
    â€œBut you brought him out. You must have hoped for something.”
    â€œOnly that he might get a little better.”
    â€œGet better?” He watched the other like a hawk. “No, you mean die better, don’t you?”
    Sutter shrugged and said nothing.
    â€œYou didn’t answer,” said the engineer after a