438
PARTISAN REVIEW
As
she did so her breasts quite perceptibly inflated the silk, reveal–
ing the weight of them rather than the shape. "It's impossible to
breathe
in
this hole," she added.
The older woman appeared to disapprove of this exhibition and
gave a chiding look at her companion. Then she said, turning to
Giacomo:
"This
is
really a place to come to in the winter, isn't it? In
summer, one's better off at an outdoor cafe."
Apparently she was set on carrying on a drawing-room con–
versation,
in
spite of the fact that she had allowed him to sit near
them and regardless of her companion's bold behavior.
"Yes," he replied. "Outdoor cafes are best, especially those in a
pleasant park."
"That's where we always go," she said quickly.
"What do you mean, 'always'?" interrupted the other.
"All the time," and she flicked the ash off the end of her
cigarette, bending her head slightly to one side. "This evening is an
exception.... We are waiting for a friend...."
The younger woman began to laugh: "A fine sort of friend,
when we don't even know his name. . . ."
"What's that?" said the older one defensively, but without mov-
ing. "His name is ... Meluschi."
The young woman laughed again.
"That's the name of our landlord! What's the connection?"
"My sister has a great way of joking," said the older one to
Giacomo.
"I'm not joking at all," rejoined the other. "He's no friend of
yours, much less of mine. In fact we more or less picked him up on
the street." There was something almost sensually cruel about her
outspokenness. Her eyes shone maliciously and her nostrils quivered.
"In the first place we were in a cafe," the older woman said,
turning to Giacomo as if he alone could understand her. "He came
over very politely and asked if he could talk to us, just the way you
did tonight." And she added, in the direction of her sister:
"If
you
go on like that, who knows what this gentleman will think of us?"
But her companion went right on laughing, shifting about in her
chair with her face flushed from mirth.
"He's thought it already, never fear ... or else he'd never have
