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officer inspecting his unit. I would have liked to reprove the old lady for wearing the artificial daisies askew on her hat and to speak sharply to Mr Bowles for a lack of polish on his ear-appliance. A touch on my elbow and I handed out my 200 token to the lady who cadged. ‘Move more smartly to it,’ I wanted to say to her, ‘the arm should be extended at full length and not bent at the elbow, and it’s time you did something about your hair.’ They watched me pass with expressions of nervous regret, waiting for me to choose my table, and when I halted somebody rose and offered me a seat. But I had not come to win – I had come symbolically to make my first loss and go. So courteously I declined the seat, laid out a pattern of tokens and with a sense of triumph saw them shovelled away. Then I went back to the hotel.
    Cary wasn’t there, and I was disappointed. I wanted to explain to her the importance of that symbolic loss, and instead I could only undress and climb between the humdrum sheets. I slept fitfully. I had grown used to Cary’s company, and I put on the light at one to see the time, and I was still alone. At half past two Cary woke me as she felt her way to bed in the dark.
    â€˜Where’ve you been?’ I asked.
    â€˜Walking,’ she said.
    â€˜All by yourself?’
    â€˜No.’ The space between the beds filled with her hostility, but I knew better than to strike the first blow – she was waiting for that advantage. I pretended to roll over and settle for sleep. After a long time she said, ‘We walked down to the Sea Club.’
    â€˜It’s closed.’
    â€˜We found a way in – it was very big and eerie in the dark with all the chairs stacked.’
    â€˜Quite an adventure. What did you do for light?’
    â€˜Oh, there was bright moonlight. Philippe told me all about his life.’
    â€˜I hope you unstacked a chair.’
    â€˜We sat on the floor.’
    â€˜If it was a madly interesting life tell it me. Otherwise it’s late and I have to be . . .’
    â€˜â€œUp early for the Casino.” I don’t suppose you’d find it an interesting life. It was so simple, idyllic. And he told it with such intensity. He went to school at a lycée .’
    â€˜Most people do in France.’
    â€˜His parents died and he lived with his grandmother.’
    â€˜What about his grandfather?’
    â€˜He was dead too.’
    â€˜Senile mortality is very high in France.’
    â€˜He did military service for two years.’
    I said, ‘It certainly seems a life of striking originality.’
    â€˜You can sneer and sneer,’ she said.
    â€˜But, dear, I’ve said nothing.’
    â€˜Of course you wouldn’t be interested. You are never interested in anybody different from yourself, and he’s young and very poor. He feeds on coffee and rolls.’
    â€˜Poor fellow,’ I said with genuine sympathy.
    â€˜You are so uninterested you don’t even ask his name.’
    â€˜You said it was Philippe.’
    â€˜Philippe who?’ she asked triumphantly.
    â€˜Dupont,’ I said.
    â€˜It isn’t. It’s Chantier.’
    â€˜Ah well, I mixed him up with Dupont.’
    â€˜Who’s Dupont?’
    â€˜Perhaps they look alike.’
    â€˜I said who’s Dupont.’
    â€˜I’ve no idea,’ I said. ‘But it’s awfully late.’
    â€˜You’re unbearable.’ She slapped her pillow as though it were my face. There was a pause of several minutes and then she said bitterly, ‘You haven’t even asked whether I slept with him.’
    â€˜I’m sorry. Did you?’
    â€˜No. But he asked me to spend the night with him.’
    â€˜On the stacked chairs?’
    â€˜I’m having dinner with him tomorrow night.’
    She was beginning to get me in the mood she wanted. I could stop myself no longer. I said, ‘Who the hell is