and white, with an occasional red thread drawn
through. "That's it," he decided; "that's it, with
braid. What will that damage me?"

The clerk consulted the sign appended to the
sample, then raced through a smaller, supplementary
volume, where he located the item in question.
"That cloth you picked out," he announced importantly,
"is one of the best the Chicago Sartorial
Company put out. Cut ample, with sleeves lined
in silkaleen and back in A1 mohair, it'll stand you
thirty-eight dollars. Genuine Eytalian thread silk
lining will come at four and a half more."

"She'll do," Gordon told him, "with the silk and
the braid edge."

The clerk noted the order; then with a tape measure
affixed to a slim, wooden angle, came from
behind the counter. "Remove the coat, please."

Gordon, with a patent self-consciousness, took off
his coat, revealing a flimsy white silk shirt striped
like a child's stick of candy in vivid green.

The whistle arose with renewed force; gnarled
and blackened fingers gingerly felt the shirt's
texture. "Man dear! The lily of Lebanon.
Arrayed like a regular prostitute... silk shirt
tails."

The clerk skillfully conducted a series of measurements,
noting results on a printed form; outer and
inner seams were tallied, chest and thigh and knee

[[151]]

p150 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p151w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p152

v?