The Prize

‘Marta Norberg invited me to lunch.’

Immediately, Craig had been attentive. ‘Who? Did you say Norberg?’

‘Yes. What’s so unusual about that? She’s very plain and friendly if you get to know her.’

‘Where did you get to know her?’

Leah had shown exasperation with him. ‘My God, Andrew, what a memory you’ve got. The night before last at the Hammarlund dinner. I spent a good deal of time with her.’

‘Oh, yes.’ He had almost added, ‘She told me,’ but had held his tongue in time.

‘As a matter of fact,’ Leah had gone on, ‘we talked about you. She wanted to know what you were writing, and I mentioned the new book, and I think she’s very interested in it for a movie or play. You may be hearing from her.’

Craig had not replied to this. Instead, he had inquired, ‘When did she invite you to have lunch with her?’

‘When? Why, at Hammarlund’s. She said there’s a wonderful restaurant called-it’s a crazy name-Bacchi-Bacchi Wapen, and she wanted me to see it. I’m sure she really wants to talk about you. I think she’s very impressed with you. Isn’t it wonderful-all the excitement here-the people-’ She had peered at her watch. ‘My God, the time. I’ll be late. I wouldn’t dare keep Marta Norberg waiting.’

She had hurried into the bedroom, and ever since, Craig had felt a vague uneasiness. He had speculated on the outcome of this lunch. Originally, Norberg had probably made the date to learn more of his project, and had then taken the initiative to act faster and got in touch with New York. Now, she would have no use for Leah, yet she had not cancelled the meeting. What did Norberg want? Would she mention to Leah, at all, the events of last night? And if so, how much would she reveal of them?

The questions had persisted inside him as he had gone down to the lobby in the elevator, and they persisted still as he sat at his table awaiting the Marceaus. His mind had strayed far from the Marceaus, the purpose of seeing them, and now he tried to recollect clearly what it was that he wished to pass on to them.

He had no more than half a minute to think, when he saw Denise Marceau, alone, looking less plump than usual in a smart charcoal suit, walking towards him. He leaped to his feet, welcoming her with social smile, and she beamed at him cheerfully and took the chair that he held, and placed her bag and gloves on the table.

‘How nice of you to invite us, Mr. Craig, but I hope you will not mind if it is me all by myself?’

Craig sat down. ‘I couldn’t be more pleased.’

‘Poor Claude,’ she sighed. ‘He cannot say no to invitations. He had agreed for us to speak to the United Societies, and I prayed for any excuse to be out of it, and, mon Dieu, you gave me the excuse, so I thank you doubly, for that and for the invitation to lunch. Claude is off to his appearance, furious with me and sending you his regrets, and I am happy and festive. Would it be dreadful of me to ask you for a drink? A Bacardi cocktail, I think. Be sure to emphasize cocktail, or they always give you straight Bacardi.’

Craig summoned the waiter and ordered a Bacardi cocktail and a double Scotch, and then lit Denise’s cigarette.

‘Well,’ she said, exhaling smoke, ‘here we are. I owe you an apology at once, Mr. Craig.’

‘For what?’

‘I have never read a book of yours. Is that not shameful? Normally, I do not read novels, except the French classics. We have so many scientific papers to keep up with. But when I learned that you had won, and we would be together here, I determined to buy your novels and studiously read them so that if ever I was thrown in your company, I would have something intelligent to say about your work. But here we are, and I have nothing to say.’

Her good humour surprised Craig. On the few occasions that he had seen her before, she had appeared highly-strung and vexed. Now, at lunch, she seemed transformed and entirely at ease.

‘You’re forgiven,’ he told her. ‘After all, what do I know of spermatozoa?’

‘Then we are equal,’ she said, as the waiter set the drinks before them. She lifted her Bacardi. ‘Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite.’

He touched her glass with his. ‘Entente cordiale,’ he said. They drank, and then he said, ‘Actually, we do have something to talk about. That was primarily why I invited you to lunch.’

‘Your note was very mysterious.’

‘I didn’t mean it to be, but it is a private matter, and it does concern your husband and you.’

For the first time, Denise was solemn, her brow wrinkling. ‘What is it you want to tell me?’

‘This,’ he said. ‘Last night, I happened to be in the company of a woman who is a close friend of Ragnar Hammarlund. Her name is unimportant. What she had to say to me could be important. To begin with, whatever you may believe, Hammarlund is an unsavoury character.’

She shrugged. ‘But what else? Of course, he is evil. I would trust Judas Iscariot or Rasputin before I would trust Ragnar Hammarlund. What has he to do with this?’

‘The friend of his I heard from-she is in his confidence-spoke of certain designs Hammarlund has-a scheme, if you will-to get you and your husband to work for him.’

‘How ridiculous.’

‘He’s determined to make a major breakthrough in the synthetic food field, so that he can have it first, control it, and corner the world market.’

‘I have listened to his idiocy about synthetics. He makes no secret of it.’

‘Well,’ said Craig, ‘he seems confident he can win you and your husband over. I was led to believe that he already is sure you are interested in the findings of one of his chemists. And he seems to feel that he can-has the means to-how shall I put it?-convince, yes, convince your husband that he, too, both of you, must devote your next years to his work.’

Denise laughed. ‘But that is impossible. We have not given him the slightest encouragement, neither my husband nor I. He has approached us, in his unsubtle way, but without success, I assure you. What on earth could make us collaborate with a horrible man like that?’

Craig bit his lip nervously. ‘Maybe I should tell you one more fact. That might be useful to you, throw a new light on what he’s up to. I was told his entire house is wired to record anything spoken privately, between guests, in any room, and on the telephone. In short, every word any of us said at his party-every word is in his possession.’

The merriment had again gone from Denise’s face. ‘Fils de putain,’ she said under her breath.

‘My description of him exactly.’

‘So-now I know what you are trying to tell me. He has some information on my husband, is that so?’

‘Well-’

‘It is so. He knows about my husband’s affair with that mannequin from Paris. Were you told that? Was it mentioned?’

‘I’m afraid it was, Dr. Marceau. It’s embarrassing, but I thought you should know, and since you know about your husband-hell, I wouldn’t have brought that up-’

‘The devil with my husband,’ said Denise suddenly. ‘There is me.’

‘I heard nothing about you.’

‘No,’ she said, thinking hard, ‘because the thing about me was too recent. You say every room of his house has a microphone?’

‘So I was told.’

‘His private laboratory out in the rear. Was anything said of that?’

‘Not that I remember.’

‘No matter. That would be wired, too. Well-’ Suddenly, she grinned and looked at Craig. ‘I gave Mr. Hammarlund quite an earful yesterday. I do not mind telling you, since you already know about my husband. In fact, you can probably be of assistance to me. You are a famous author-you do know everything about plots-’

‘My books do not always have happy endings, Dr. Marceau.’

‘I will take my chances. You see, Mr. Craig, I have worked out an intricate little plot of my own. I do not know if it will have a happy ending. It probably will not. But I am proud of my creative bent.’

‘Are you sure you want to tell me about it?’

‘Of course, I do. If an enemy already knows, why should not a friend?’ She sipped her Bacardi and then set it