Эрнест Хемингуэй - Across the River and Into the Trees

He reached into his pocket and unscrewed the top of the medicine bottle and shook two of the big tablets into his left hand. With them in his hand, he screwed the top back on the bottle. It was no feat for a man with a bad right hand.

'I said I didn't want to drink anything.'

'I know, Daughter. But I thought you might need one. We can leave it on the bar. Or I can drink it myself. Please,' he said. 'I did not mean to be brusque.'

'We haven't asked for the little negro that will look after me.'

'No. Because I did not want to ask for him until Cipriani came in and I could pay for him.'

'Is everything that rigid?'

'With me, I guess,' the Colonel said. 'I'm sorry, Daughter.'

'Say daughter three times straight.'

' Hija, figlia , Daughter.'

'I don't know,' she said. 'I think we should just leave here. I love to have people see us, but I don't want to see anybody.'

'The box with the negro in it is on top of the cash register.'

'I know. I've seen it for some time.'

The bar–tender came, with the two drinks, frost cold from the chilled coldness of the glasses and he brought the glass of water.

'Give me that small packet that came in my name and is on top of the cash register,' the Colonel said to him. 'Tell Cipriani I will send him a cheque for it.'

He had made another decision.

'Do you want your drink, Daughter?'

'Yes. If you don't mind me changing my mind too.'

They drank, after touching glasses very lightly, so lightly that the contact was almost imperceptible.

'You were right,' she said, feeling its warmth and its momentary destruction of sorrow.

'You were right too,' he said, and palmed the two tablets.

He thought taking them with the water now, was in bad taste. So, when the girl turned her head a moment to watch a morning drinker go out to the door, he swallowed them with the Martini.

'Should we go, Daughter?'

'Yes. By all means.'

'Bar–tender,' the Colonel said. 'How much are these drinks? And do not forget to tell Cipriani I am sending him a cheque for this nonsense.'

They ate lunch at the Gritti and the girl had unwrapped the small ebony negro's head and torso and pinned it high on her left shoulder. It was about three inches long and was quite lovely to look at if you liked that sort of thing. And if you don't you are stupid, the Colonel thought.

But do not even think rough, he told himself. You have to be good now in every way until you say good–bye. What a word, he thought, good–bye.

It sounds like a Valentine slogan.

Good–bye and bonne chance and hasta la vista . We always just said merde and let it go at that. Farewell, he thought, that is a nice word. It sings well, he thought. Farewell, a long farewell and take it with you where you go. With handles, he thought.

'Daughter,' he said. 'How long has it been since I told you that I loved you?'

'Not since we sat at the table.'

'I tell you now.'

She had combed her hair with patience when they came into the hotel and she had gone into the room for women. She disliked such rooms.

She had used lipstick to make the sort of mouth she knew he most desired and she had said to herself, making the mouth correctly, 'Don't think at all. Don't think. Above all don't be sad because he is going now.'

'You look beautiful.'

'Thank you. I would like to be beautiful for you if I could and if I could be beautiful.'

'Italian is a lovely language.'

'Yes. Mister Dante thought so.'

' Gran Maestro ,' the Colonel said. 'What is there to eat in this Wirtschaft ?'

The Gran Maestro had been observing, without observing, with affection and without envy.

'Do you want meat, or fish?'

'It's Saturday,' the Colonel said. 'Fish is not compulsory. So I'll take it.'

'It is sole,' the Gran Maestro said. 'What do you want, my Lady?'

'Whatever you decide. You know more about food than I do and I like it all.'

'Make a decision, Daughter.'

'No. I would rather leave it to someone who knows more than me. I have a boarding–school appetite.'

'It will come as a surprise,' the Gran Maestro said with his long and loving face with the grey eyebrows over the softly hooded eyes and the ever happy face of the old soldier who is still alive and appreciates it.

'Is there any news from the Order?' the Colonel asked.

'Only that our leader, Himself, is in trouble. They have confiscated everything he owns. Or at any rate they have intervened.'

'I hope it is not serious.'

'We will have confidence in our leader. He has ridden out worse tempests than this.'

'To our leader,' the Colonel said.

He raised his glass, which had been filled with the decanted new and true Valpolicella. 'Drink to him, Daughter.'

'I can't drink to that swine,' the girl said. 'Besides I do not belong to the Order.'

'You are a member now,' the Gran Maestro said. ' Por merito di guerra .'

'I'll drink to him then,' she said. 'Am I really a member of the Order?'

'Yes,' the Gran Maestro said. 'You have not received your parchment yet but I appoint you Super Honorary Secretary. My Colonel will reveal to you the secrets of the Order. Reveal, please, my Colonel.'

'I reveal', the Colonel said. 'There are no pitted folk about?'

'No. He is out with his Lady. Miss Baedeker.'

'O.K. then,' the Colonel said. 'I will reveal. There is only the major secret that you must know. Correct me, Gran Maestro , if I fall into error.'

'Proceed to reveal,' the Gran Maestro said.

'I proceed to reveal,' the Colonel said. 'Listen carefully, Daughter. This is the Supreme Secret. Listen. 'Love is love and fun is fun. But it is always so quiet when the gold fish die.'

'It has been revealed,' the Gran Maestro said.

'I am very proud and happy to be a member of the Order,' the girl said. 'But it is, in a way, a rather rough Order.'

'It is indeed,' the Colonel said. 'And now, Gran Maestro , what do we actually eat; without mysteries?'

'Some crab enchillada , in the style of this town, but cold, first. Served in the shell. Then sole for you and for my lady a mixed grill. What vegetables?'

'Whatever you have,' the Colonel said.

The Gran Maestro was gone and the Colonel looked at the girl and then at the Grand Canal outside the window and he saw the magic spots and changes of light that were even here, in the end of the bar, which had now by skilful handling been made into a dining–room, and he said, 'Did I tell you, Daughter, that I love you?'

'You haven't told me for quite a long time. But I love you.'

'What happens to people that love each other?'

'I suppose they have whatever they have and they are more fortunate than others. Then one of them gets the emptiness for ever.'

'I won't be rough,' the Colonel said. 'I could have made a rough response. But please don't have any emptiness.'

'I'll try,' the girl said. 'I've been trying ever since I woke up. I've tried ever since we knew each other.'

'Keep on trying, Daughter,' the Colonel said.

Then to the Grand Maestro, who had reappeared, having given his orders, the Colonel said, 'A bottle of that vino secco , from Vesuvius, for the small soles. We have the Valpolicella for the other things.'

'Can't I drink the Vesuvius wine with my mixed grill?' the girl asked.

'Renata, Daughter,' the Colonel said. 'Of course. You can do anything.'

'I like to drink the same wines as you if I drink wine.'

'Good white wine is good with a mixed grill, at your age,' the Colonel told her.

'I wish there was not such a difference in ages.'