file:///C|/New%20Folder/Hemingway,%20Ernest%20-%20Garden%20of%20Eden.txt
told himself one gear had been stripped or, at least, badly damaged. He dove deep down into the clear cold water where he missed no one and then came up and shook his head and swam out further and then turned to swim back to the beach. He dressed, still wet from the sea and put his cap in his pocket, then climbed up to the road with his bicycle and mounted, driving the machine up the short hill feeling the lack of training in his thighs as he pressed the balls of his feet on the pedals with the steady climbing thrust that carried him up the black road as though he and the racing bike were some wheeled animal. Then he coasted down, his hands fingering the brakes, taking the curves fast, dropping down the shiny dark road through the pines, to the turnoff at the back court of the hotel where the sea shone summer blue beyond the trees. The girls were not back yet and he went into the room and took a shower, changed to a fresh shirt and shorts and came out to the bar with its new and handsome mirror. He called the boy and asked him to bring a lemon, a knife and some ice and showed him how to make a Tom Collins. Then he sat on the bar stool and looked into the mirror as he lifted the tall drink. I do not know if I'd have a drink with you or not if I'd met you four months ago, he thought. The boy brought him the Eclaireur de Nice and he read it while he waited. He had been disappointed not to find the girls returned and he missed them and began to worry. When they came in, finally, Catherine was very gay and excited and the girl was contrite and very quiet. "Hello darling," Catherine said to David. "Oh look at the mirror. They did get it up. It's a very good one too. It's awfully critical though. I'll go in and clean up for lunch. I'm sorry we're late." "We stopped in town and had a drink," the girl said to David. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." "A drink?" David said. The girl held up two fingers. She put her face up and kissed him and was gone. David went back to reading the paper. When Catherine came out she was wearing the dark blue linen shirt that David liked and slacks and she said, "Darling I hope you're not cross. It wasn't really our fault. I saw Jean and I asked him to have a drink with us and he did and was so nice. "The coiffeur?" "Jean. Of course. What other Jean would I know in Cannes? He was so nice and he asked about you. Can I have a martini, darling? I've only had one." "Lunch must be ready by now." "Just one, darling. They only have us for lunch." David made two martinis taking his time and the girl came in. She was wearing a white sharkskin dress and she looked fresh and cool. "May I have one too, David? It was a very hot day. how was it here?" "You should have stayed home and looked after him," Catherine said. "I got along all right," David said. "The sea was very good." "You use such interesting adjectives," Catherine said. "They make everything so vivid." "Sorry," David said. "That's another dandy word," Catherine said. "Explain what dandy means to your new girl. It's an Americanism." "I think I know it," the girl said. "It's the third word in 'Yankee Doodle Dandy.' Don't please be cross Catherine." "I'm not cross," Catherine said. "But two days ago when you made passes at me it was simply dandy but today if I felt that way the slightest bit you had to act as though I was an I don't know what." "I'm sorry, Catherine," the girl said. "Another sorry sorry," Catherine said. "As though you hadn't taught me what little I know." "Should we have lunch?" David said. "It's been a hot day Devil, and you're tired."
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