Free The Kremlin Letter by Noel; Behn Page A

take the lot. Are you on?”
    â€œI’ll take the fat one for a hundred,” Rone called back.
    â€œIs my credit good?” the white-bearded man shouted.
    â€œIt’s good.”
    â€œThen you have yourself a bet!”
    â€œNita! Suba! The crotch! Hit that big cow in the crotch! Will you listen? Will you listen to me? Blast her in the box!”
    The women turned and twisted and rolled. One of the smaller girls freed herself and crawled a few feet away. She stood up and looked over to the man.
    â€œIn the cojones,” he roared at her, pointing to his own anatomy.
    The girl nodded and picked up a crude wooden ladle that had fallen from the caldron. She cautiously approached the thrashing pile, raised her weapon high above her head, waited for the right moment, and brought it crashing down between the fat woman’s legs. There was an agonized shout. Rone’s entry doubled up and rolled helplessly out of the pile. She lay there immobile as the other women got to their feet.
    â€œNot a bad act,” said the man, crossing to Rone. “I’m thinking of taking it to Honduras. Say, chap, you do have that hundred on your person, don’t you?”
    Rone handed the man six fifty-dollar bills.
    â€œThey can fight again in an hour if you like.” He walked over to the motionless body on the ground. “Sorry, old cow, maybe this will take away the ache.” He dropped two of the bills in front of her. The fat woman was in too much pain to do anything but stare at them blankly. The four other women had not bothered to dress. They stood silently near the hut wiping the blood and dirt from their naked bodies. The man handed each a fifty-dollar bill. They exploded like children at a birthday party, covering him with kisses and hugs. Then they ran to the crumpled body and cheerfully dragged her inside.
    The man sat down in a frayed wicker rocking chair at the far end of the ledge and motioned to Rone.
    â€œWell, you’ve seen the lot of them, take your pick. Between you and me, chappie, that fat cow is magnifico . Absolutely magnifico . She can do things to you no other woman you will ever meet can equal. Her muscular control is sheer artistry.” He rocked back in the chair and examined Rone’s reaction. “But you’re an American, aren’t you?” He frowned. “I forgot. You fellows are only interested in faces. Then you’d better take one of the others. They are all superb. Trained them myself. They’ll even put their clothes back on if you find that more enticing. It’s a shame about your state of mind, though—the fat cow is brilliant, but you’ll never know how to enjoy her, will you?”
    The man looked dejected for a moment, then the smile returned. “Why worry about national fetishes at a time like this? Absolution is at hand. Take your pick. For twenty dollars any one of them is yours. For thirty you can have two. For fifty take the entire stable.”
    â€œThe Tillinger Fund is planning an expedition,” Rone said.
    â€œBully for the Tillinger Fund. The business at hand is more important. For forty dollars you can have them all.”
    â€œThe Highwayman expects you.”
    â€œOf course he does, chappie. I’m the best there is—in my line.” He leaned toward Rone and spoke confidentially. “I’ll toss you double or nothing. Eighty dollars or the whole batch for free. Now what about that for fair play?”
    â€œI have a plane waiting,” said Rone.
    â€œDammit, man,” bellowed Janis. “Where’s your sense of proportion? You’re talking business and I’m offering aesthetics. Are you or are you not going to flip a coin?”
    â€œThe plane’s waiting,” Rone repeated.
    â€œThen let it wait,” Janis burst out in anger. He regained his composure quickly and studied Rone for a moment. “Am I to assume that if I don’t wish to go, you have to