THE HEART OF THE PARK
car and came halfway down the slope to the pool. He stood there
a minute as if he were looking for somebody and then he sat down
stiffly on the grass. He had on a suit that looked as
if
it had glare
in it. He sat with
his
knees drawn up. "Well, I'll be dog," Enoch
said. "Well, I'll be dog."
He began crawling out the bushes immediately, his heart moving
so fast it was like one of those motorcycles at fairs that the fellow
drives around the walls of
a
pit. He even remembered the man's
name--Mr. Hazel Weaver. In a second he appeared on all fours at
the end of the obelia and looked across the pool. The blue figure
was still sitting there in the same position. He had the look of being
held there, like by an invisible hand, like if the hand lifted up, the
figure would spring across the pool in one leap without the expres–
sion on his face changing once.
The woman came out the bath house and went straight to the
diving board. She spread her arms out and began to bounce, making
a big heavy flapping sound with the board. Then suddenly she swirled
backwards and disappeared below the water. Mr. Hazel Weaver's
head turned very slowly, following her down the pool.
Enoch got up and went down the path behind the bath house.
He came stealthily out on the other side and started walking toward
Haze. He stayed on the top of the slope, moving softly in the grass
just off the sidewalk, and making no noise. When he was directly
behind him, he sat down on the edge of the sidewalk.
If
his arms
had been ten feet long, he could have put his hands on Haze's shoul–
ders. He studied
him
quietly.
The woman was climbing out the pool, chinning herself up on
the side. First her face appeared, long and cadaverous, with
a
band–
age-like bathing cap coming down almost to her eyes, and sharp
teeth protruding from her mouth. Then she rose on her hands until
a large foot and leg came up from behind her and another on the
other side and she was out, squatting there, panting. She stood up
loosely
and shook herself, and stamped in the water dripping off her.
She was facing them and she grinned. Enoch could see a part of
Hazel Weaver's face watching the woman. It didn't
grin
in return
but it kept on watching her as she padded over to a spot of sun
almost directly under where they were sitting. Enoch had to move
a
little to see.
141
