PARTISAN REVIEW
apple cider burnished the face of the coachman Polyte. Twice a week
Celeste drove into town to sell cream, eggs and chickens. She gave
Polyte ten sous for herself and four for her basket. And every time
Polyte would wink at red-haired Celeste and ask: 'When are we go–
ing to have a bit of fun,
rna belle?'
'What do you mean. Monsieur
Polyte?' Jogging up and down on the box, the coachman explained,
'To have a bit of fun means ... why, what the hell, to have a bit
of fun.... A lad with a lass, no music necessary.... '
" 'I do not care for such jokes, M'sieur Polyte,' replied Celeste,
moving farther away the skirts that hung over her mighty calves in
red stockings.
"But that devil Polyte kept right on guffawing and coughing:
'Ah, but one day we shall have our bit of fun,
rna belle,'
while tears
of delight rolled down a face the color of brick-red wine and blood."
1 downed another glass of the rare muscatel. Raissa touched
glasses with me. The maid with the stony eyes crossed the room and
disappeared.
(tCe diable de Polyte .
...
In
the course of two years Celeste had
paid him forty-eight francs, that is, two francs short of fifty francs!
At the end of the second year, when they were alone in the carriage,
Polyte, who had had some cider before setting out, asked her his
usual question: 'What about having some fun today, M'amselle Cel–
este?' And she replied, lowering her eyes, 'I am at your disposal,
M'sieur Polyte.' "
Raissa flung herself down on the table, laughing.
(tCe diable de
Polyte.
... "
"A white, spavined mare was harnessed to the carriage. The
white hack, lips pink with age, went forward at a walking pace. The
gay sun of France poured down on the ancient coach, screened off
from the world by a weather-beaten hood.... A lad with a lass, no
music necessary.... "
Raissa held out a glass to me.
It
was the fifth.
(tMon vieux,
to Maupassant."
"And what about having some fun today,
rna belle."
1 reached over to Raissa and kissed her on the lips. They quivered
and swelled.
"You're funny," she mumbled through her teeth, recoiling.
She pressed herself against the wall, stretching out her bare arms.
