She went back to the living room, hoping that her threat would silence Aimee for good. She picked up Jake's coat and bag and left the apartment. Her knees gave as she went down the stairs and she was trembling; but her eyes sparkled and her face wore a triumphant smile. And when, on the street, she tasted blood from a cut inside her mouth, she spat into the gutter with the cocky assurance of a kid who has won his first fight. CHAPTER XIV Lennox awoke in the role of Mr. Lefty Leftwich from Brockton, Mass. He turned over in bed like a ship launched sideways and immediately began bellowing the ballad about feet, feet, marching up and down again, with which he had annoyed the patrons of the Baroque until Chris Barakatrones had been forced to throw him out. Gabby heard the racket and ran into the bedroom and turned on the lights. Lennox winced, closed his eyes, and sneezed three times in stately waltz tempo. "Less light," he muttered. "A switch on Goethe. I am excessively educated. Need more crud in my blood." He began to roar again. "Stop that noise, Lefty," Gabby called from the door. She came to the bed and sat down beside Lennox. She was wearing a grey skirt and a slate blue sweater. Lennox immediately reached up and seized her breasts with his heavy hands. "The All-Mother," he laughed. He hurt her. She eased his hands and said: "Yes, that's how they're tattooed, Lefty." He began to wrestle with her, trying to tear off the sweater. "Take it easy," she said. "Or do you want to hurt me?" "No, no, lady," Lennox apologized. "Act of homage. 'Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast. To feel forever its soft fall and swell....' Etcetera. Etcetera. Sonnet by J. Keats. Theme song of L. Leftwich." He hauled her down on the bed. She kissed him once and then bit his ear until he roared with pain. "Jesus!" he complained. "Did I hurt you?" she inquired. "Christ, yes!" "I'm sorry, Lefty." She kissed the injured ear and bit the other until he roared again. "Listen, lady," he said, half annoyed, half ecstatic, "No fair. You play Boys' Rules. I'm the fella. You're supposed to be the girl." "Male Supremacy," Gabby said. "I am so the girl. Feel your fair love's ripening breast." She pulled his face down into her bosom and banged the back of his head with her fists. She rolled him over in bed and bit his mouth. He struggled up, protesting. She caught him and huffed and puffed against his bulk until he collapsed again. "Fins," he said. "You give up?" "I give up. Fins." She braced herself on her arms and looked down at him. He looked up and grinned. "You're the first one that played Boy's Rules with me. Why aren't there more like you, lady?" "All girls want to, Lefty." "Why don't they?" "Because men won't let them." "Why not?" "They want girls to be girly-girly." "Why?" "Because it makes them feel manly." "Crazy." He tapped the tips of her breasts. "Double-relish," he said. "What's that mean, Lefty?"