Read Online Small g by Patricia Highsmith - Free Book Online Page A

Luisa.
    “Rickie,” the man called Philip said, “the glasses—the funny ones!”
    “In due time,” replied Rickie, raising a finger, looking round for Renate and happy not to see her.
    “. . . no, I’m an apprentice seamstress,” Luisa was saying to Ernst.
    “Really? You mean—fancy—sewing work?”
    Luisa looked at Rickie. “Ernst thought I was a model!”
    “That is because you are pretty,” Rickie replied.
    “I have seen you here—with the couturiere.” This was from the woman called Evelyn, who looked the soberest of all present.
    “Yes. Frau Hagnauer often comes here for a coffee in the mornings.”
    “And to snoop,” Rickie put in genially.
    A giggle rose in Luisa, irrepressible.
    “Ha!” This from Philip. “What else has the old witch got to do? Goggle-goggle!” He put his hands up to his eyes, as if he looked through binoculars. “Rickie, show Luisa the glasses! Put ’em on Lulu!”
    Lulu barked once on hearing her name, and put a white foot gently on the table edge. She looked around for orders, making an “Ooo-ooo” sound as if she were dying to talk.
    “Sit till I finish my coffee, Lulu,” Rickie said and the dog took her paw from the table.
    “Evelyn, show Luisa your castle,” said the young man called Claus.
    Evelyn carefully unrolled a cylinder of paper that she had been holding across her lap. “This is for children, you understand, Luisa. I’m a librarian—in a school.” She stood up, and with the aid of Claus held the corners of the black-and-white drawing of the spired castle.
    It looked dreamy to Luisa, reminding her of stories half remembered, when she had been small. The castle made her feel for a few seconds like a four-year-old looking into picture books when she could believe in them.
    “Rickie copied a boy’s drawing for me—on his machine,” Evelyn shouted over the table conversation.
    “You’re going to pin them on the wall? Or give them as prizes?” There seemed to be at least six.
    Luisa never heard an answer, because of a clap of laughter: Rickie had put on a pair of joke glasses, and was clowning with his espresso cup in hand. Luisa’s Coke had arrived, and a few more beers. Rickie’s glasses had eyes painted on them, rather sleepy, stupid dark eyes with blue eyeshadow above them, set farther apart than Rickie’s own.
    “Put ’em on Lulu!”
    Lulu pranced in her chair.
    “Anyone got a scarf?” Rickie asked.
    Philip Egli pulled a blue muffler from a jacket pocket.
    Lulu’s winter-cruise tableau again. Rickie obliged, and settled the glasses on Lulu’s nose.
    “Ha-ha! Look! Look!”
    Applause for Lulu! Rickie glowed with satisfaction.
    “Take her on a tour!” Ernst yelled.
    Rickie went with Lulu on the lead into the larger, more lighted part of Jakob’s, now bordered with tables and chairs. One by one people spotted Lulu and pointed.
    “Look at the dog !”
    “Hello, Lulu.”
    “ Very becoming!”
    Patters of applause.
    “Hi, Rickie!”
    A few were Rickie’s neighbors, lived in his building. Steadied by Lulu’s confident lead, Rickie walked past the table where Renate and Luisa usually sat, and returned at a leisurely pace to the back terrace.
    Luisa had watched from the open doorway between terrace and the big section, trembling inside with laughter, while her eyes filled with tears, tears that even ran down her cheeks. Was she laughing or crying? It had turned into a wonderful evening!
    “Friend of Petey’s,” Luisa heard Rickie say to someone at the table. “And you know, Petey’s birthday is tomorrow. He’d have been twenty-one.” He went on, “It’s my party tonight. Nobody pays anything.”
    The librarian Evelyn groaned, smiling. “Come on, Rickie.”
    “Thanks, Rickie, some other time. I left some money under my glass. No argument!”
    Luisa found another Coca-Cola in front of her. She glanced at her watch and saw that more than an hour had gone by since she had left the house! “Rickie—”
    He was on her left, and