〃They're not Italian；〃 David said。 〃The one is nice but she could make you nervous blushing。〃
〃She's in love with you。〃
〃Sure。 She saw me in Nice。〃
〃Well I can't help it if she is with me。 It isn't the first girl that ever was and a lot of good it did them。〃
〃How about Nina？〃
〃That bitch；〃 Catherine said。
〃She was a wolf。 I suppose it should be amusing。〃
〃I didn't think it was amusing；〃 Catherine said。 〃I thought it was sad。〃
〃So did I。〃
〃We'll find another cafe；〃 she said。 〃They're gone now anyway。〃
'They were spooky。〃
〃I know；〃 she said。 〃For me too。 But the one girl was nice。 She had beautiful eyes。 Did you see？〃
〃She was an awful blusher though。〃
〃I liked her。 Didn't you？〃
〃I suppose so。〃
〃People that can't blush are worthless。〃
〃Nina blushed once；〃 David said。
〃I could be awfully rude to Nina。〃
〃It wouldn't touch her。〃
〃No。 She's well armored。〃
〃Do you want another drink before we go home？〃
〃I don't need one。 But you have one。〃
〃I don't need one。
〃Have another。 You usually have two in the evening。 I'll take a small one to keep company。
〃No。 Let's go home。〃
In the night he woke and heard the wind high and wild and turned and pulled the sheet over his shoulder and shut his eyes again。 He felt her breathing and shut his eyes again。 He felt her breathing softly and regularly and then he went back to sleep。
Chapter Eleven
IT WAS THE SECOND DAY of the wind and it had not slackened。
He left the ongoing narrative of their journey where it was to write a story that had come to him four or five days before and had been developing； probably； he thought； in the last two nights while he had slept。 He knew it was bad to interrupt any work he was engaged in but he felt confident and sure of how well he was going and he thought he could leave the longer narrative and write the story which he believed he must write now or lose。
The story started with no difficulty as a story does when it is ready to be written and he got past the middle of it and knew he should break off and leave it until the next day。 If he could not keep away from it after he had taken a break he would drive through and finish it。 But he hoped he could keep away from it and hit it fresh the next day。 It was a good story and now he remembered how long he had intended to write it。 The story had not come to him in the past few days。 His memory had been inaccurate in that。 It was the necessity to write it that had come to him。 He knew how the story ended now。 He had always
known the wind and sand…scoured bones but they were gone now and he was inventing all of it。 It was all true now because it happened to him as he wrote and only its bones were dead and scattered and behind him。 It started now with the evil in the shamba and he had to write it and he was very well into it。
He was tired and happy from his work when he found Catherine's note that she had not wanted to disturb him； had gone out and would be back for lunch。 He left the room and ordered breakfast and； as he waited for it； Monsieur Aurol； the proprietor； came in and they spoke about the weather。 Monsieur Aurol said the wind came this way sometimes。 It was not a true mistral； the season guaranteed that； but it would probably blow for three days。 The weather was insane now。 Monsieur had undoubtedly noticed that。 If anyone kept track of it they would know that it had not been normal since the war。
David said he had not been able to keep track of it because he had been travelling but there was no doubt that the weather was strange。 Not only the weather； said Monsieur Aurol； every thing was changed and what was not changed was changing fast。 It might very well all be for the best and he； for one； did not oppose it。 Monsieur； as a man of the world； probably saw it in the same way。
Undoubtedly； said David； seeking for a decisive and terminal idiocy； it was necessary to review the cadres。
Precisely； said Monsieur Aurol。
They left it at that and David finished his caf6 creme and read the Miroir des Sports and began to miss Catherine。 He went into the room and found Far Away and Long Ago and came out onto the terrace and settled himself in the sun by the table out of the wind to read the lovely book。 Catherine had sent to Galignani's in Paris for the Dent edition for a present for him and when the books had come they had made him feel truly rich。 The figures in his bank balances； the franc and dollar accounts； had； ever since
Grau du Roi； seemed completely unreal and he had never con sidered them as actual money。 But the books of W。 H。 Hudson had made him feel rich and when he told Catherine this she was very pleased。
After he had read an hour he started to miss Catherine very badly and he found the boy who served at table and asked him to bring a whiskey and Perrier。 Later he had another。 It was well past lunch when he heard the car come up the hill。
They came along the walk and he heard their voices。 They were excited and happy； then the girl was suddenly silent； and Catherine said； 〃Look who I brought to see you。
〃Please； I know I should not have come；〃 the girl said。 It was the dark handsome one of the two they had met at the cafe yesterday； the one who blushed。
〃How are you？〃 David said。 She had evidently been to the coiffeur's and her hair had been cropped short the way Catherine's had been at Biarritz。 〃I see you found the place。〃
The girl blushed and looked at Catherine for courage。 〃Look at her；〃 Catherine said。 〃Go muss her head up。〃 〃Oh Catherine；〃 the girl said。 Then she said to David； 〃You can if you want。〃
〃Don't be frightened；〃 he said。 〃What do you think you've got into？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃I'm just so happy to be here。〃
'Where have you two been？〃 David asked Catherine。 〃Jean's of course。 Then we just stopped and had a drink and I asked Marita if she'd come to lunch。 Aren't you glad to see us？〃'
〃I'm delighted。 Will you have another drink？〃
〃Would you make martinis？〃 Catherine asked。 〃One won't hurt you；〃 she said to the girl。
〃No please。 I have to drive。〃
〃Do you want a sherry？〃
〃No please。〃
David went behind the bar and found glasses and some ice and made two martinis。
〃I'll taste yours if I may；〃 the girl said to him。
〃You're not afraid of him now are you？〃 Catherine asked her。 〃Not at all；〃 the girl said。 She blushed again。 〃It tastes very good but terribly strong。
〃They are strong；〃 David said。 〃But there's a strong wind today and we drink according to the wind。〃
〃Oh；〃 said the girl。 〃Do all Americans do that？〃
〃Only the oldest families；〃 Catherine said。 〃Us； the Morgans； the Woolworths； the Jelkses； the Jukeses。 You know。〃
〃It's rugged in the blizzards and in hurricane months；〃 David said。 〃Sometimes I wonder if we'll get through the autumnal equinox。〃
〃I'd like to have one sometime when I didn't have to drive；〃 the girl said。
〃You don't have to drink because we do；〃 Catherine said。 〃And don't mind that we make jokes all the time。 Look at her David。 Aren't you glad I brought her？〃
〃I love it that you make jokes；〃 the girl said。 〃You must forgive me that I'm so happy to be here。〃
〃You were nice to come；〃 David said。
When they were at lunch in the dining room out of the wind； David asked； 〃What about your friend Nina？〃
〃She's gone away。
〃She was handsome；〃 David said。
〃Yes。 We had a very big fight and she went away。
〃She was a bitch；〃 Catherine said。 〃But then I think almost everyone is a bitch。〃
〃Usually they are；〃 the girl said。 〃I always hope not but they are。
〃I know plenty of women who aren't bitches；〃 David said。
〃Yes。 You would；〃 the girl said。
〃Was Nina happy？〃 Catherine asked。
〃I hope she will be happy；〃 the girl said。 〃Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know。〃
〃You haven't had such a long time to find out about it。
〃If you make mistakes you find out faster；〃 the girl said。
'You've been happy all morning；〃 Catherine said。 〃We had a wonderful time。〃
〃You don't need to tell me；〃 the girl said。 〃And I'm happier now than I can remember ever。〃
Later； over salad David asked the girl； 〃Are you staying far from here along the coast？〃
〃I don't think I'm staying。〃
〃Really？ That's too bad；〃 he said and felt the tension come to the table and draw taut as a hawser。 He looked from the girl with her eyelashes down so they touched her cheeks to Catherine and she looked at him very straight and said； 〃She was going back to Paris and I said why not stay here if Aurol has a room？ Gome on up to lunch and see if David likes you and if you like the place。 David do you like her？〃
〃It's not a club；〃 David said。 〃It's a hotel。〃 Catherine looked away and he moved fast to help her； going on as though it had not been stated。 〃We like you very much and I'm sure Aurol has room。 He should be delighted to have someone else here。〃
The girl sat at the table with her eyes down。 〃I think I'd better not。〃
〃Please stay a few days；〃 Catherine said。 〃David and I would both love to have you。 I've no one here to keep me company while he works。 We'd have good times the way we did this morning。 Tell her David。〃
The hell with her； David thought。 Fuck her。
〃Don't be silly；〃 he said。 〃Call Monsieur Aurol please；〃 he told the boy who served。 〃We'll find out about a room。
'You won't mind truly？〃 the girl asked。
96 97
〃We wouldn't have asked you if we minded；〃 David said。 〃We like you and you're very decorative。〃
〃I'll be useful if I can；〃 the girl said。 〃I hope I'll find out how to be。〃
〃Be happy the way you were when you came in；〃 David told her。 〃That's useful。〃
〃I am now；〃 the girl said。 〃I wish I'd taken the martini now that I don't have to drive。〃
〃You can have one tonight；〃 Catherine said。
〃That will be lovely。 Can we go and see the rooms now and get it over with？〃
David had driven her down to retrieve the big old Isotta convertible and her bags from where the car had been parked in front of the cafe in Cannes。
On the way she said； 〃Your wife is wonderful and I'm in love with her。〃
She was sitting beside him and David did not look to see if she blushed。
〃I'm in love with her too；〃 he said。
〃I'm in love with you also；〃 she said。 〃Is that all right？〃 He dropped his arm and closed his hand on her shoulder and she leaned close against him。
〃We'll have to see abou