Chapter Forty-Four
Shortly after this discussion, Gangakanta was walking down a corridor, when Curtis/Thaddeus approached him, shouted in his face, “There’s no investigation, cretin!”, and shoved him against the wall. Flustered, and not the sort of gentleman to retaliate, Gangakanta merely brushed himself off and mumbled, “You are a very rude man.” At this retort, the porter stuck out his tongue, then turned and went on his way.
The next time Gangakanta saw Enid, he informed her of the porter’s incivility; and the next time Enid saw Curtis/Thaddeus, she stopped him and demanded an explanation.
“I’m a perfectly well-behaved gentleman, I am,” he protested.
“That’s not what I hear,” she countered. “You leave poor Sri Gangakanta alone, do you hear me?”
The porter looked down at the floor. He kicked at a tumbleweed of dust. “Aw, gee, miss!”
“You know you’ve done wrong, haven’t you?”
Curtis/Thaddeus nodded.
“And I know you’re a much better boy than that, really. Aren’t you?”
He nodded, but would not meet her eye.
She considered him. “You intrigue me, young man. Where do you come from? I’d like to hear your story.”
“None of your business!” he spat. “I’m my own man, I tell you!”
“Yes, yes, I understand that. I’d just like to try to get to know you.”
“I hate you!” he screamed. “You’re a whore and a villain! You’re all whores and villains, all of you!” And he ran off, deaf to her demands to return and say sorry.