inent collapse in Germany and Sweden； talk too of the sabotage that had instigated this catastrophe。 It seemed to be the conventional wisdom among these prophets that only an elaborate plan…one that had been in preparation for several years…could have damaged the fortunes of the corporation so fundamentally。 There were murmurs of secret government interference； of a conspiracy of the petition。 The paranoia in the house knew no bounds。
There was something about the way these men fretted and fought； hands carving up the air in their efforts to contradict the previous speaker's remarks； that struck Marty as absurd。 After all； they never saw the billions they lost and gained； or the people whose lives they so casually rearranged。 It was all an abstraction； numbers in their heads。 Marty couldn't see the use of it。 To have power over notional fortunes was just a dream of power； not power itself。
On the third day； with everyone drained of gambits； and praying now for a resurrection that showed no sign of ing； Marty encountered Bill Toy； engaged in a heated debate with Dwoskin。 To his surprise Toy； seeing Marty passing by； called him across； cutting the conversation short。 Dwoskin hurried away scowling； leaving Toy and Marty to talk。
〃Well； stranger；〃 said Toy； 〃and how are you doing？〃 〃I'm OK；〃 Marty said。 Toy looked as if he hadn't slept in a long while。 〃And you？〃 〃I'll survive。〃 〃Any idea of what's going on？〃 Toy offered a wry smile。 〃Not really；〃 he said； 〃I've never been a moneyman。 Hate the breed。 Weasels。〃 〃Everyone's saying it's a disaster。〃 〃Oh； yes；〃 he said with equanimity； 〃I think it probably is。〃 Marty's face fell。 He'd been hoping for some words of reassurance。 Toy caught his disfort； and its origins。 〃Nothing terrible's going to happen；〃 he said； 〃as long as we stay levelheaded。 You'll still be in a job； if that's what you're worried about。〃 〃It did cross my mind。〃 〃Don't let it。〃 Toy put his hand on Marty's shoulder。 〃If I thought things looked that bad； I'd tell you。〃 〃I know。 I just get jittery。〃 〃Who doesn't？〃 Toy tightened his grip on Marty。 〃What say the two of us go on the town when the worst of this is over？〃 〃I'd like to。〃 〃Ever been to the Academy Casino？〃 〃Never had the money。〃 〃I'll take you。 We'll lose some of Joe's fortune for him； eh？〃 〃Sounds good to me。〃 The anxiety still lingered on Marty's face。
〃Look；〃 said Toy； 〃it's not your fight。 You understand me？ Whatever happens from now on； it won't be your fault。 We've made some mistakes along the way； and now we've got to pay for them。〃 〃Mistakes？〃 〃Sometimes people don't forgive； Marty。〃 〃All this〃…Marty spread a hand to take in the whole circus…〃because people don't forgive？〃 〃Take it from me。 It's the best reason in the world。〃 It struck Marty that Toy had bee an outsider of late； that he wasn't the pivotal figure in the old man's worldview that he had been。 Did that explain the sour look that had crept across his weary face？
〃Do you know who's responsible？〃 Marty asked。
〃What do boxers know？〃 Toy said with an unmistakable trace of irony； and Marty was suddenly certain the man knew everything。
The panic days stretched into a week without any sign of letup。 The faces of the advisers changed； but the smart suits and the smart talk remained the same。 Despite the influx of new people； Whitehead had bee increasingly laxer with his security arrangements。 Marty was required to be with the old man less and less； the crisis seemed to have put all thoughts of assassination out of Papa's head。
The period was not without its surprises。 On the first Sunday Curtsinger took Marty aside and undertook a labored seduction speech that began with boxing； moved laterally to the pleasures of intermale physicality； and ended up with a straight cash offer。 〃Just half an hour； nothing elaborate。〃 Marty had guessed what was in the air several minutes before Curtsinger came clean； and had prepared a suitably polite refusal。 They parted amicably enough。 Such diversions aside； it was a listless time。 The rhythm of the house had been broken； and it was impossible to establish a fresh one。 The only way Marty could preserve his sanity was by keeping out of the house as much as he could。 He ran a great deal that week； often chasing his tail around and around the perimeter of the estate until an exhaustion fugue set in； and he could go back to his room； threading his way through the well…dressed dummies who loitered in every corridor。 Upstairs； behind a door that he happily locked （to keep them out； not to keep himself in） he would shower and sleep for long hours the deep； dreamless sleep he enjoyed。
Carys had no such liberty。 Since the night the dogs had found Mamoulian she had taken it into her head； on occasion； to play the spy。 Why this was； she wasn't certain。 She'd never been much interested in goings…on at the Sanctuary。 Indeed she'd actively avoided contact with Luther； and Curtsinger； and all the rest of her father's cohorts。 Now； however； strange imperatives stirred her without warning： to go into the library； or into the kitchen or the garden； and simply watch。 She got no pleasure out of this activity。 Much that she heard she found impossible to understand； much more was simply the vacuous gossip of financial fishwives。 Nevertheless she would sit for hours； until some vague appetite was satisfied； and then she'd move on； perhaps to listen in on another debate。 Some of the conversationalists knew who she was； to those who didn't she offered the plainest of introductions。 Once her credentials had been established nobody questioned her presence。
She also went to see Lillian and the dogs at that dispiriting pound behind the house。 It wasn't because she liked the animals； she simply felt impelled to see them； for the sake of seeing； to look at the locks and the cages and at the pups playing around their mother。 In her mind she charted the position of the kennels relative to the fence and to the house； pacing it out in case she needed to find them in the dark。 Why she would ever need that facility escaped her。
In these trips she was careful not to be seen by Martin； or Toy； or worst of all； her father。 It was a game she was playing； though its precise purpose was a mystery。 Maybe she was making a map of the place。 Was that why she walked from one end of the house to the other several times； checking and rechecking its geography； working out the length of the corridors； memorizing the way the rooms let on to each other？ Whatever the reason； this foolish business answered some unspoken need in her； and when it was done； and only then； would that need pronounce itself satisfied； and let her be for a while。 By the end of the week she knew the house as she never had before； she'd been in every room except that one room of her father's； which was forbidden even to her。 She had checked all the entrances and exits； stairways and passages； with the thoroughness of a thief。
Strange days； strange nights。 Was this insanity； she began to wonder？
On the second Sunday…eleven days into the crisis…Marty was summoned to the library。 Whitehead was there； looking somewhat tired perhaps； but not substantially cowed by the enormous pressure he was under。 He was dressed for the outdoors； the fur…collared coat he'd worn the first day； on that symbolic visit to the kennels。
〃I haven't left the house in several days； Marty；〃 he announced； 〃and my head's getting stale。 I think we should take a walk； you and I。〃 〃I'll fetch a jacket。〃 〃Yes。 And the gun。〃 They headed out the back way； avoiding the newly arrived delegations who still thronged the stairs and hallway； waiting for access to the holy of holies。
It was a balmy day； the nineteenth of April。 The shadows of light…headed clouds passed across the lawn in dissolute troupes。 〃We'll go to the woods；〃 the； old man said； leading off。 Marty walked a respectful couple of yards behind； acutely aware that Whitehead had e out here to clear his mind； not to talk。
The woods were buzzing with activity。 New growth poking through the rot of last year's fall； daredevil birds plummeting and rising between the trees； courtship voices on every other branch。 They walked for several mi