Aimez-vous Brahms Read Free Page B

the time to talk it over with him. But she felt in good form, sure of herself, and he looked so tired . . . She backed down.
    "No, Roger. There are times, it's true, when I feel a bit lonely, not so young as I was, unable to keep up with you. But I'm happy."
    "You're happy?"
    "Yes."
    He lay back. She had said: "I'm happy", and now he could rid his mind of the minor disquiet which had dogged him all day. That was all he asked.
    "You know, those little flirtations of mine are . . . you don't need me to tell you what they're worth."
    "Of course not," she said.
    She looked at him; she found him childish, lying there with his eyes shut, so tall, so hefty and asking such puerile questions: "You're happy?" He reached his hand towards her; she took it and moved closer to him. He kept his eyes shut.
    "Paule," he said. "Paule . . . Without you, you know, Paule ..."
    "Yes."
    She bent and kissed him on the cheek. He was already asleep. Insensibly he removed his hand from Paule's, lifted it up and placed it on his heart. She opened a book.
    An hour later he woke with great excitement, consulted his watch and decreed that it was time to go dancing and drinking, so as to forget all those damned lorries. Paule felt sleepy, but no argument could withstand Roger's wants.
    He took her somewhere new: a shadowy cellar in the Boulevard Saint-Germain which had been given an outdoor look and was alive with the Latin-American rhythms of a record player.
    "I can't go out every night," said Paule as they sat down. "I shall feel a hundred tomorrow. This morning was bad enough ..." It was only then she remembered Simon. She had entirely forgotten him. She turned to face Roger.
    "This morning—can you imagine?—I ..."
    She broke off. Simon was standing in front of her.
    "Good evening," he said.
    "Monsieur Ferttet, Monsieur Van den Besh," said Paule.
    "I was looking for you," said Simon. "I've found you—it's a good sign."
    And without waiting to be asked, he flopped on to a stool. Roger bridled.
    "I've been looking for you everywhere," Simon continued. "I was beginning to think you were just a dream."
    His eyes sparkled. He laid his hand on Paule's arm. She was speechless.
    "Haven't you a table of your own?" said Roger.
    "You're married?" Simon asked Paule. "I liked to think you weren't."
    "He bores me," Roger said aloud. "I'm going to pack him off."
    Simon looked at him, then propped his elbows on the table and put his head in his hands.
    "You're right, Monsieur: you must forgive me. I think I've had rather a lot to drink. But I discovered this morning that I had done nothing with my life. Nothing."
    "Then do us a favour and clear off."
    "Let him be," Paule said gently. "He's unhappy. We've all had a little too much to drink some time or other. Besides, he's your . . . Teresa's son."
    "He's what!" said Roger, with a start. "Well, I'll be . . .!"
    He leaned forward. Simon had sunk his head on to his arms.
    "Wake up," said Roger. "We'll have a drink together. You can tell us your troubles. I'll go and fetch the drinks: the service is too slow."
    Paule was beginning to have fun. The thought of a conversation between Roger and this young will- o'-the-wisp tickled her. Simon had raised his head; he was watching Roger fight his way between the tables.
    "There goes a man," he said. "Huh? A real hunk of man? I loathe those beefy, masculine types with their wholesome ideas and their ..."
    "People are never that simple," Paule said tartly.
    "Do you love him?"
    "That's no concern of yours."
    A lock of hair hung over his eyes, the candlelight hollowed out his face, he was superb. At the next table, two women surveyed him blissfully.
    "Forgive me," said Simon. "Gosh, I've done nothing but apologise all day long. I must be pretty uncouth."
    Roger returned with three drinks and growled that it happened to everyone some time or other. Simon drained his glass at a gulp and maintained a discreet silence. He sat beside them and made no move to go. He watched them dance