Deliberately I followed. So we went up to the second floor—he fumbling along just ahead of me, I holding back.
I stood behind him while he unlocked his door. But weak as he was physically, he never once let down in his attitude of ignoring my existence. I am not so certain that he is a coward. I am certain only that the human creature is extremely complex, extremely difficult to classify and formulate.
He went in, and made an effort to shut the door in my face. But I caught it on my elbow, and followed him in, closing it behind me.
He sank into a chair, and looked up at me. Now, at last he had to speak.
“Well—” he asked, “what is it? Why do you come in here?”
I kept my voice well in hand. Heloise must not hear this.
“To ask you several questions,” I replied. “Where is Crocker?”
“At the Wagon-lits—still drunk.”
“You know this?”
“I saw him, only a few hours hack. Went to his room, in fact.”