THE LAST MOHICAN
193
the porch of St. Peter's, trying, from his remembrance of Giotto's
sketch, to see the mosaic as it had been before its many restorations.
He hazarded a note or two in shaky handwriting, then left the
church and was walking down the sweeping flight of stairs, when he
beheld at the bottom-his heart misgave him, was he still seeing
pictures, a sneaky apostle added to the overloaded boatful?-ecco,
Susskind! The refugee, in beret and long green GI raincoat, from
under whose skirts showed his black-stockinged, rooster's
ankles-–
indicating knickers going on above though hidden-was selling black
and white rosaries to all who would buy. He held several strands of
beads in one hand, while in the palm of the other a few gilded medal–
lions
glinted in the winter sun. Despite his outer clothing, Susskind
looked, it must be said, unchanged, not a pound more of meat or
muscle, the face though aged, ageless. Gazing at him, the student
ground his teeth in remembrance. He was tempted quickly to hide,
and unobserved observe the thief; but his ' impatience, after the long
unhappy search, was too much for him. With controlled trepidation
he appoached Susskind from his left as the refugee was busily engaged
on the right, urging a sale of beads upon a woman drenched in
black.
"Beads, rosaries, say your prayers with holy beads."
"Greetings, Susskind," Fidelman said, coming shakily down the
stairs, dissembling the Unified Man, all peace and contentment. "One
looks for you everywhere and finds you here. Wie gehts?"
Susskind, though his eyes flickered, showed no surprise to speak
of.
For a moment his expression seemed to say he had no idea who
was
this,
had forgotten Fidelman's existence, but then at last re–
membered-somebody long ago from another country, whom you
milled on, then forgot.
"Still here?" he perhaps ironically joked.
"Still," Fidelman was embarrassed at his voice slipping.
"Rome holds you?"
"Rome," faltered Fidelman, "-the
air."
He breathed deep and
exhaled with emotion.
Noticing the refugee was not truly attentive, his eyes roving upon
potential customers, Fidelman, girding himself, remarked, "By the
way,
Susskind, you didn't happen to notice-did you?-the brief
case I
W3!
carrying with me around the time we met in September?"
