Читать книгу The Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald онлайн

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(The door swings open and three men enter. The first, Lamarque, is a tall man, lean and with a thin straggly beard. The second, Destage, is short and fat, white-bearded and bald. The third, François Meridien, is slender, with black hair streaked with grey and a small moustache. His face is pitifully weak, his eyes small, his chin sloping. He is very nervous. They all glance with dumb curiosity at Chandelle.)

Pitou—(including all three with a sweep of his arm) Here they are, Monsieur; they can tell you more than I. (turning to the others) Messieurs, this gentleman desires to know about—

Chandelle—(rising hastily and interrupting Pitou) About a friend of my father’s. Pitou tells me you knew him. I believe his name was—Chandelle.

(The three men start and François begins to laugh nervously.)

Lamarque—(after a pause) Chandelle?

François—Jean Chandelle? So he had another friend besides us?

Destage—You will pardon me, Monsieur; that name—no one but us had mentioned it for twenty-two years.

Lamarque—(trying to be dignified, but looking a trifle ridiculous) And with us it is mentioned with reverence and awe.