Chiuⁿ 2.
2.1 Kúi cha̍p tiuⁿ lâng-bīn hō͘ lí
Put-jî-kò, nn̄g-kang í-āu Marta koh lâi ê sî, yi bô chah chhiah-chiam kap phòng-se. Tiong-tàu tú kòe-liáu, yi ná khin-hong phiau ji̍p-lâi, thâu-khak téng siâx tì chi̍t-téng Cossak bō-á, khòaⁿ sī chhìn-chhái tì, tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī yi tī kiàⁿ chêng khai kúi-nā hun-cheng chiah chhiâu hó-sè ê.
“Góa bē lâu lo̍h-lâi, chhin-ài ê. Góa tit-boeh khì kio̍k-tiûⁿ. Kin-á ū ē-tàu tiûⁿ, Thiⁿ tio̍h pó-pì. Chiâux sī tê-kha kap hàu-tai. Goán só͘-ū lóng í-keng kàu hit-ê khó-phà kai-tōaⁿ, tâi-sû tùi goán bô koh ū ì-gī. Góa siūⁿ chit-chhut hì éng-oán ián bē soah ah. I ē ná chhiūⁿ New York ê hì-chhut, chi̍t ián 10-nî, m̄-sī 1-nî. Chiok khióng-pò͘ neh. Bô-lâng ē-tàng kā sim choan-chù tī kāng chhut hì. Cha-mê Geoffrey tī tē-2 bō͘ hiôngx tiāⁿ-khì. I ê ba̍k-chiu kiông boeh phok chhut-lâi. Chi̍t-sî góa siūⁿ-kóng i tiòng-hong. Āu-lâi i kóng, i oân-choân bē kì-tit chū i chhut-tiûⁿ kàu chheng-chhéⁿ kòe-lâi, hoat-hiān ka-tī ián chi̍t-pòaⁿ, chit tiong-kan hoat-seng siáⁿ tāi-chì.”
“Lí sī kóng, o͘-àm hîn?”
“M̄-sī. Oh, m̄-sī. Chí-sī piàn-chò chi̍t-ê chū-tōng ke-khì. Ná kóng tâi-sû, ná chò tōng-chok, koh ná it-ti̍t siūⁿ pa̍t-hāng tāi-chì.”
“Jû-kó só͘-ū pò-tō lóng sī chin-si̍t, che tùi ián-oân lâi kóng, m̄-sī siáⁿ hi-hán ê tāi-chì neh.”
“Oh, khin-tō͘ ê, bē. Johnny Garson phak tī bó͘-lâng kha-thâu-u khàu kah boeh sí boeh oa̍h ê sî, i ē-sái kā lí kóng kio̍k-tiûⁿ lāi-bīn ū gōa chē lâng sī the̍h chiau-thāi-phiò khòaⁿ bián-liāu ê. M̄-koh, che kap kui pòaⁿ-tiûⁿ hì lóng se̍h-sîn khì bô-kāng. Lí chai bô, Geoffrey kā hāu-seⁿ kóaⁿ chhut mn̂g, kap hóe-kì oan-ke, koh chek-pī in khan-chhíu kap i ê hó pêng-iú o͘-pe̍h lâi, tān i tùi chiah-ê lóng bô kám-kak.”
“Hit-sî i teh siūⁿ siáⁿ?”
“I kóng, i koat-tēng kā Park Lane ê kong-gū cho͘ hō͘ Dolly Dacre, jiân-āu bé hit-tòng Latimer ka-cho̍k boeh bē ê, tī Richmond Khu ê Charles Jī-sè ê chhù, in-ūi i í-keng tit-tio̍h Chóng-tok ê jīm-bēng. I siūⁿ tio̍h, hit-tòng chhù e̍k-sek bô-kàu, koat-tēng lâu-téng hit-ê ū 18 sè-kí China piah-chóa ê sió pâng-keng, ē-sái kái-chō chò chin hó ê e̍k-keng. In ē-sái kā he súi piah-chóa sóa lâi chong-hông lâu-kha āu-kak hit-ê tan-tiāu ê sió pâng-keng. Hit-ê tan-tiāu ê sió-pâng-keng chiâu sī Victoria sî-tāi ê piah-pāng. I mā kiám-cha pâi-chúi hē-thóng, àn-sǹg kám ū-kàu chîⁿ kā kū thàilù (tile) ōaⁿ sin, koh thui-chhek in tī chàu-kha goân-pún chú-chia̍h ê lô͘-á sī siáⁿ-khoán ê. Tng i túx koat-tēng boeh kā tōa-mn̂g kháu ê é chhiū-châng chheng-tiāu ê sî, i hoat-hiān i ka-tī kap góa bīn tùi bīn, tī bú-tâi téng, tī 987-ê lâng bīn-chêng, tâi-sû túx kóng chi̍t-pòaⁿ. Lí siūⁿ, i ê ba̍k-chiu kám khó-lêng bē phok chhut-lâi. Góa khòaⁿ, lí siōng-bô ū tha̍k góa chah hō͘ lí ê kî-tiong chi̍t-pún chheh ah – jû-kó ùi áu jiâu ê chheh-thò ē-sái chò phòaⁿ-toàn.”
“Tio̍h. Soaⁿ hit-pún. He sī Sîn ê lé-mi̍h. Góa tó-leh khòaⁿ kúi-nā tiám-cheng tô͘-phìⁿ. Bô siáⁿ pí soaⁿ khah kín hō͘ lâng tit-tio̍h thàu-sī kám.”
“Góa kám-kak thiⁿ-chheⁿ koh-khah hó.”
“Oh, m̄-sī. Thiⁿ-chheⁿ kā lâng kàng-kē kàu amoeba ê tē-ūi. Thiⁿ-chheⁿ ùi lâng toa̍t-cháu chòe-āu chi̍t-sut-á ê jîn-lūi chun-giâm, chòe-āu chi̍t-sut-á ê chū-sìn. M̄-koh seh-soaⁿ sī chin hó ê tùi-pí jîn-lūi chhioh-chhùn ê piau-chún. Góa tó-leh, khòaⁿ Everest, kám-siā Sîn góa bô khì khia̍t he soaⁿ-phiâⁿ. Pí-kàu khí-lâi, pēⁿ-chhn̂g kin-pún sī un-loán ê siū, sù-sī koh an-choân, á Sè-lia̍p Chí kap Amazon lóng sī jîn-lūi bûn-bêng ê chòe-ko sêng-chiū.”
“Ah, chiâⁿ hó, chia ū koh-khah chē ê tô͘-phìⁿ hō͘ lí.” Marta kā chah lâi ê 4-khai chóa tē-á the̍h tò-péng, iā lo̍h chi̍t-tui chóa-phìⁿ tī i ê heng-khám téng.
“Che sī siáⁿ?”
“Lâng-bīn,” Marta hèng chhihx kóng. “Kúi-cha̍p tiuⁿ lâng-bīn hō͘ lí. Cha-po͘, cha-bó͘, kap gín-á. Kok chióng-lūi, chōng-hóng, kap chhùn-chhioh.”
I ùi heng-khám khioh chi̍t-tiuⁿ lâi khòaⁿ. He sī chi̍t-tiuⁿ 15 sè-kí siàu-siōng pán-ōe. Chi̍t-ê cha-bó͘.
“Che sī siáng?”
“Lucrezia Borgia. Yi kám bô kó͘-chui?”
“Hoān-sè, m̄-koh, lí sī kóng yi ū siáⁿ sîn-pì?”
“Oh, ū. Bô-lâng ē-tit khak-tēng, yi sī khì hō͘ hiaⁿ-ko lī-iōng, a̍h-sī kiōng-hoān.”
I khǹg-lo̍h Lucrezia, the̍h khí tē-2 tiuⁿ. Che sī chi̍t-tiuⁿ chhēng 18 sè-kí bóe-kî ho̍k-chong ê cha-po͘ gín-á siàu-siōng, ē-bīn ū bô chheng-chhó ê tōa-siá jī-bó: Louis XVII.
“Chia ū chi̍t-ê bí-lē ê sîn-pì hō͘ lí,” Marta kóng. “Chit-ūi ông thài-chú. I ū tô-tho1at a̍h-sī sí tī kaⁿ-ga̍k?”
“Lí ùi tó-ūi the̍h tio̍h chiah-ê?”
“Góa kā James ùi i tī Victoria and Albert [Phok-bu̍t Koán] ê sió keh-keng óe chhut-lâi, kiò i chhōa góa khì chi̍t-keng pán-ōe tiàm. Góa chai i tùi che chin lāi-hâng, mā khak-tēng i tī V&A chin bô-liâu.”
Marta tō sī án-ne, kā tāi-chì tòng-chò kai tong-jiân. Chi̍t-ê Kong-bū Oân, in-ūi tú-hó mā sī kio̍k-pún chok-ka koh sī siàu-siōng ōe khoân-ui, tio̍h eng-kai goān-ì pàng lo̍h khang-khòe, ūi yi ê lo̍k-thiòng khì chǹg-thàm pán-ōe tiàm.
I hian tio̍h chi̍t-tiuⁿ Elizabeth Sî-tāi siàu-siōng ê siòng-phìⁿ. Chi̍t-ê chhēng thian-gô jiông, kòa chin-chu ê cha-po͘ lâng. I hian kàu āu-bīn, khòaⁿ che sī siáng, kiat-kó hoat-hiān he sī Leicester Pek-chiok.
“Goân-lâi che sī Elizabeth ê Robin,” i kóng, “góa siūⁿ góa í-chêng m̄-bat khòaⁿ kòe i ê siàu-siōng.”
Marta àⁿ thâu khòaⁿ hit-tiuⁿ lâm-chú khì-khài koh ū-bah ê bīn, kóng:
“Góa hiôngx chho͘-chhù ì-sek tio̍h, le̍k-sú ê chi̍t-ê tōa pi-kio̍k tō sī, siōng gâu ê ōe-ka chóng sī tī lí kòe-liáu chòe-hó ê sî-chūn chiah kā lí ōe. Robin siàu-liân sî tiāⁿ-tio̍h chin ian-tâu. Thiaⁿ-kóng Henry VIII siàu-liân sî bê-lâng bû-sò͘, á taⁿ i án-chóaⁿ ah? Put-kò sī chóa-pâi téng hit-lō khoán. Lán chit-tāi siōng bô iáu chai-iáⁿ, [si-jîn] Tennyson tī lâu chhùi-chhiu chìn-chêng seⁿ-chò siáⁿ khoán. Góa tio̍h kín cháu. Góa í-keng bē-hù ah. Góa tú-chiah tī Blague Chhan-thiaⁿ chia̍h-tàu, siuⁿ chē lâng kòe-lâi phah chio-ho͘, hāi góa bô hoat-tō͘ chiàu ī-tēng khah chá lī-khui.”
“Góa hi-bāng chú-lâng tùi lí ū chhim ìn-siōng,” Grant kóng, ba̍k-chiu khòaⁿ yi ê bō-á.
“Oh, tio̍h. Yi chin bat bō-á. Yi khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē, tō kóng ‘Jacques Tous ê chok-phín, góa siūⁿ sī án-ne.’”
“Sī yi!” Grant tio̍h chi̍t-kiaⁿ, kóng.
“Tio̍h. Madeleine March. Jî-chhiáⁿ sī góa chhiáⁿ yi chia̍h tiong-tàu. Mài kek kah hiah tio̍h-kiaⁿ: chin bē-hiáu chò-lâng. Lí nā boeh chai, góa sī hi-bāng yi ē-tàng ūi góa siá hit-chhut [Ireland chok-ka] Blessington Hj ê kio̍k-pún. Tān lâng lâix khìx, góa bô ki-hōe ka-chhim ìn-siōng. M̄-koh góa kā chhiáⁿ kah chin chheⁿ-chhau. Che hō͘ góa siūⁿ khí, Tony Bittmaker mā tī hia pān chi̍t-ê 7-lâng iàn-hōe. Chiú thàng-hái neh. Lí siūⁿ i ná ē hiah ū hoat-tō͘?”
“Bô kài-liām,” Grant kóng, yi chhiò chi̍t-ē tō lī-khui ah.
--
章 2.
2.1 幾十張 人面 hō͘ 你
不而過, 兩工以後 Marta koh 來 ê 時, 她無扎 刺針 kap 膨紗. 中晝拄過了, 她 ná 輕風 飄入來, 頭殼頂 siâx 戴 一頂 Cossak 帽仔, 看是 凊彩戴, 定著是 她 tī 鏡前 開幾若分鐘 才撨好勢 ê.
“我袂留落來, 親愛 ê. 我得欲 去劇場. 今仔 有下晝場, 天著保庇. Chiâux 是 茶跤 kap 孝呆. 阮所有 lóng 已經到 彼个 可怕階段, 台詞 tùi 阮無 koh 有意義. 我想 這齣戲 永遠 演袂煞 ah. 伊 ē ná 像 New York ê 戲齣, 一演 10 年, 毋是 1 年. 足恐怖 neh. 無人會當 kā 心 專注 tī 仝齣戲. 昨暝 Geoffrey tī 第 2 幕 hiôngx 定去. 伊 ê 目睭 強欲 phok 出來. 一時 我想講 伊中風. 後來伊講, 伊完全 袂記得 自伊出場 到 清醒過來, 發現 ka-tī 演一半, 這中間 發生 啥代誌.”
“你是講, 烏暗眩?”
“毋是. Oh, 毋是. 只是 變做 一个 自動機器. Ná 講台詞, ná 做動作, koh ná 一直想 別項代誌.”
“如果 所有報導 lóng 是 真實, che tùi 演員 來講, 毋是啥 稀罕 ê 代誌 neh.”
“Oh, 輕度 ê, 袂. Johnny Garson 仆 tī 某人 跤頭趺 哭 kah 欲死欲活 ê 時, 伊 ē-sái kā 你講 劇場內面 有偌濟人 是 提招待票 看免料 ê. 毋過, che kap 規半場戲 lóng 踅神去 無仝. 你知無, Geoffrey kā 後生 趕出門, kap hóe-kì 冤家, koh 責備 in 牽手 kap 伊 ê 好朋友 烏白來, 但伊 tùi chiah-ê lóng 無感覺.”
“彼時 伊 teh 想啥?”
“伊講, 伊決定 kā Park Lane ê 公寓 租 hō͘ Dolly Dacre, 然後買 彼棟 Latimer 家族欲賣 ê, tī Richmond 區 ê Charles 二世 ê 厝, 因為伊 已經得著 總督 ê 任命. 伊想著, 彼棟厝 浴室無夠, 決定 樓頂彼个 有 18 世紀 China 壁紙 ê 小房間, 會使改造做 真好 ê 浴間. In 會使 kā he 媠壁紙 徙來 裝潢 樓跤後角 彼个單調 ê 小房間. 彼个單調 ê 小房間 齊是 Victoria 時代 ê 壁枋. 伊 mā 檢查 排水系統, 按算 kám 有夠錢 kā 舊 thàilù (tile) 換新, koh 推測 in tī 灶跤 原本煮食 ê 爐仔 是啥款 ê. 當伊 túx 決定欲 kā 大門口 ê 矮樹叢 清掉 ê 時, 伊發現 ka-tī kap 我 面對面, tī 舞台頂, tī 987 个人面前, 台詞 túx 講一半. 你想, 伊 ê 目睭 kám 可能袂 phok 出來. 我看, 你上無 有讀 我扎 hō͘ 你 ê 其中一本冊 ah - 如果 ùi 拗皺 ê 冊套 會使 做判斷.”
“著. 山 彼本. 彼是神 ê lé-mi̍h. 我倒 leh 看幾若點鐘 圖片. 無啥 比山 khah 緊 hō͘ 人 得著 透視感.”
“我感覺 天星 閣較好.”
“Oh, 毋是. 天星 kā 人 降低到 amoeba ê 地位. 天星 ùi 人 奪走 最後 一屑仔 ê 人類尊嚴, 最後 一屑仔 ê 自信. 毋過 雪山是 真好 ê 對比 人類尺寸 ê 標準. 我倒 leh, 看 Everest, 感謝神 我無去 khia̍t he 山坪. 比較起來, 病床 根本是 溫暖 ê 岫, 四序 koh 安全, á Sè-lia̍p Chí kap Amazon lóng 是 人類文明 ê 最高成就.”
“Ah, 誠好, chia 有 閣較濟 ê 圖片 hō͘ 你.”
Marta kā 扎來 ê 4 開 紙袋仔 提倒反, 掖落 一堆紙片 tī 伊 ê 胸坎頂.
“這是啥?”
“人面,” Marta 興 chhihx 講. “幾十張 人面 hō͘ 你. 查埔, 查某, kap 囡仔. 各種類, 狀況, kap 寸尺.”
伊 ùi 胸坎 抾一張 來看. 彼是 一張 15 世紀 肖像版畫. 一个查某.
“這是 siáng?”
“Lucrezia Borgia. 她 kám 無 古錐?”
“凡勢, 毋過, 你是講 她有啥 神祕?”
“Oh, 有. 無人 會得 確定, 她是 去 hō͘ 兄哥 利用, a̍h 是共犯.”
伊囥落 Lucrezia, 提起第 2 張. 這是 一張穿 18 世紀尾期 服裝 ê 查埔囡仔 肖像, 下面有 無清楚 ê 大寫字母: Louis XVII.
“Chia 有一个 美麗 ê 神祕 hō͘ 你,” Marta 講. “這位 王太子. 伊有逃脫 抑是 死 tī 監獄?"
“你 ùi 佗位 提著 chiah-ê?”
“我 kā James ùi 伊 tī Victoria and Albert [博物館] ê 小隔間 挖出來, 叫伊 𤆬我 去一間 版畫店. 我知 伊 tùi 這 真內行, mā 確定 伊 tī V&A 真無聊.”
Marta tō 是 án-ne, kā 代誌 當做 該當然. 一个公務員, 因為拄好 mā 是 劇本作家 koh 是 肖像畫 權威, 著應該願意 放落工課, 為她 ê 樂暢 去鑽探 版畫店.
伊掀著 一張 Elizabeth 時代肖像 ê 相片. 一个穿 天鵝絨, 掛真珠 ê 查埔人. 伊掀到 後面, 看這是 siáng, 結果發現 彼是 Leicester 伯爵.
“原來 這是 Elizabeth ê Robin,” 伊講, “我想 我以前 m̄-bat 看過 伊 ê 肖像.”
Marta àⁿ 頭 看彼張 男子氣概 koh 有肉 ê 面, 講:
“我 hiôngx 初次 意識著, 歷史 ê 一个 大悲劇 tō 是, sīōng gâu ê 畫家 總是 tī 你過了 最好 ê 時陣 才 kā 你畫. Robin 少年時 定著 真 ian-tâu. 聽講 Henry VIII 少年時 迷人無數, á 今 伊按怎 ah? 不過是 紙牌頂 彼號款. 咱這代 上無 猶知影, [詩人] Tennyson tī 留喙鬚進前 生做啥款. 我著 緊走. 我已經 袂赴 ah. 我拄才 tī Blague 餐廳食晝, siuⁿ 濟人 過來 拍招呼, 害我 無法度 照預定 較早離開.”
“我希望 主人對你 有深印象,” Grant 講, 目睭看 她 ê 帽仔.
“Oh, 著. 她真 bat 帽仔. 她看一下, tō 講 ‘Jacques Tous ê 作品, 我想是 án-ne.’”
“是她!” Grant 著一驚, 講.
“著. Madeleine March. 而且 是我 請她 食中晝. 莫 激 kah hiah 著驚: 真袂曉 做人. 你若欲知, 我是希望 她會當 為我 寫彼齣 [Ireland 作家] Blessington Hj ê 劇本. 但 人 lâix khìx, 我無機會 加深印象. 毋過 我 kā 請 kah 真 chheⁿ-chhau. 這 hō͘ 我想起, Tony Bittmaker mā tī hia 辦一个 7 人宴會. 酒迵海 neh. 你想 伊那會 hiah 有法度?”
“無概念,” Grant 講, 她笑一下 tō 離開 ah.
--
2.
2.1
But when Marta came back two days later it was not with knitting needles and wool. She breezed in, very dashing in a Cossack hat worn at a casual rake that must have taken her several minutes at her mirror, just after lunch.
‘I haven’t come to stay, my dear. I’m on my way to the theatre. It’s matinée day, God help me. Tea trays and morons. And we’ve all got to the frightful stage when the lines have ceased to have any meaning at all for us. I don’t think this play is ever coming off. It’s going to be like those New York ones that run by the decade instead of by the year. It’s too frightening. One’s mind just won’t stay on the thing. Geoffrey dried up in the middle of the second act last night. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. I thought for a moment he was having a stroke. He said afterwards that he had no recollection of anything that happened between his entrance and the point where he came to and found himself half-way through the act.’
‘A black-out, you mean?’
‘No. Oh, no. Just being an automaton. Saying the lines and doing the business and thinking of something else all the time.’
‘If all reports are true that’s no unusual matter where actors are concerned.’
[Pg 21]‘Oh, in moderation, no. Johnny Garson can tell you how much paper there is in the house what time he is sobbing his heart out on someone’s lap. But that’s different from being “away” for half an act. Do you realise that Geoffrey had turned his son out of the house, quarrelled with his mistress, and accused his wife of having an affaire with his best friend all without being aware of it.’
‘What was he aware of?’
‘He says he had decided to lease his Park Lane flat to Dolly Dacre and buy that Charles The Second house at Richmond that the Latimers are giving up because he has got that Governor’s appointment. He had thought about the lack of bathrooms and decided that the little upstairs room with the eighteenth-century Chinese paper would make a very good one. They could remove the beautiful paper and use it to decorate that dull little room downstairs at the back. It’s full of Victorian panelling, the dull little room. He had also reviewed the drainage, wondered if he had enough money to take the old tiling off and replace it, and speculated as to what kind of cooking range they had in the kitchen. He had just decided to get rid of the shrubbery at the gate when he found himself face to face with me, on a stage, in the presence of nine hundred and eighty-seven people, in the middle of a speech. Do you wonder that his eyes popped. I see that you have managed to read at least one of the books I brought you—if the rumpled jacket is any criterion.’
‘Yes. The mountain one. It was a godsend. I lay for hours looking at the pictures. Nothing puts things in perspective as quickly as a mountain.’
[Pg 22]‘The stars are better, I find,’
‘Oh, no. The stars merely reduce one to the status of an amoeba. The stars take the last vestige of human pride, the last spark of confidence, from one. But a snow mountain is a nice human-size yard-stick. I lay and looked at Everest and thanked God that I wasn’t climbing those slopes. A hospital bed was a haven of warmth and rest and security by comparison, and The Midget and The Amazon two of the highest achievements of civilisation.’
‘Ah, well, here are some more pictures for you.’
Marta up-ended the quarto envelope she was carrying, and spilled a collection of paper sheets over his chest.
‘What is this?’
‘Faces,’ said Marta, delightedly. ‘Dozens of faces for you. Men, women, and children. All sorts, conditions, and sizes.’
He picked a sheet off his chest and looked at it. It was an engraving of a fifteenth-century portrait. A woman.
‘Who is this?’
‘Lucrezia Borgia. Isn’t she a duck.’
‘Perhaps, but are you suggesting that there was any mystery about her?’
‘Oh, yes. No one has ever decided whether she was her brother’s tool or his accomplice.’
He discarded Lucrezia, and picked up a second sheet. This proved to be the portrait of a small boy in late-eighteenth-century clothes, and under it in faint capitals was printed the words: Louis XVII.
‘Now there’s a beautiful mystery for you,’ Marta said. ‘The Dauphin. Did he escape or did he die in captivity?’
[Pg 23]‘Where did you get all these?’
‘I routed James out of his cubby-hole at the Victoria and Albert, and made him take me to a print shop. I knew he would know about that sort of thing, and I’m sure he has nothing to interest him at the V. and A.’
It was so like Marta to take it for granted that a Civil Servant, because he happened also to be a playwright and an authority on portraits, should be willing to leave his work and delve about in print shops for her pleasure.
He turned up the photograph of an Elizabethan portrait. A man in velvet and pearls. He turned the back to see who this might be and found that it was the Earl of Leicester.
‘So that is Elizabeth’s Robin,’ he said. ‘I don’t think I ever saw a portrait of him before.’
Marta looked down on the virile fleshy face and said: /
‘It occurs to me for the first time that one of the major tragedies of history is that the best painters didn’t paint you till you were past your best. Robin must have been quite a man. They say Henry the Eighth was dazzling as a young man, but what is he now? Something on a playing card. Nowadays we know what Tennyson was like before he grew that frightful beard. I must fly. I’m late as it is. I’ve been lunching at the Blague, and so many people came up to talk that I couldn’t get away as early as I meant to.’
‘I hope your host was impressed,’ Grant said, with a glance at the hat.
‘Oh, yes. She knows about hats. She took one look and said “Jacques Tous, I take it”.’
[Pg 24]‘She!’ said Grant surprised.
‘Yes. Madeleine March. And it was I who was giving her luncheon. Don’t look so astonished: it isn’t tactful. I’m hoping, if you must know, that she’ll write me that play about Lady Blessington. But there was such a to-ing and fro-ing that I had no chance to make any impression on her. However, I gave her a wonderful meal. Which reminds me that Tony Bittmaker was entertaining a party of seven. Magnums galore. How do you imagine he keeps going?’
‘Lack of evidence,’ Grant said, and she laughed and went away.
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