第42部分(第2/5 頁)

　and　a　waiter　came　up　to　me　and　took　my　wet　coat　and　hat　and　showed　me　a　place　at　a　table　across　from　an　elderly　man　who　was　drinking　beer　and　reading　the　evening　paper。　I　sat　down　and　asked　the　waiter　what　the　plat　du　jour　was。

〃Veal　stew……but　it　is　finished。〃

〃What　can　I　have　to　eat？〃

〃Ham　and　eggs；　eggs　with　cheese；　or　choucroute。〃

〃I　had　choucroute　this　noon；〃　I　said。

〃That's　true；〃　he　said。　〃That's　true。　You　ate　choucroute　this　noon。〃　He　was　a　middle…aged　man　with　a　bald　top　to　his　head　and　his　hair　slicked　over　it。　He　had　a　kind　face。

〃What　do　you　want？　Ham　and　eggs　or　eggs　with　cheese？〃

〃Ham　and　eggs；〃　I　said；　〃and　beer。〃

〃A　demi…blonde？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。

〃I　remembered；〃　he　said。　〃You　took　a　demi…blonde　this　noon。〃

I　ate　the　ham　and　eggs　and　drank　the　beer。　The　ham　and　eggs　were　in　a　round　dish……the　ham　underneath　and　the　eggs　on　top。　It　was　very　hot　and　at　the　first　mouthful　I　had　to　take　a　drink　of　beer　to　cool　my　mouth。　I　was　hungry　and　I　asked　the　waiter　for　another　order。　I　drank　several　glasses　of　beer。　I　was　not　thinking　at　all　but　read　the　paper　of　the　man　opposite　me。　It　was　about　the　break　through　on　the　British　front。　When　he　realized　I　was　reading　the　back　of　his　paper　he　folded　it　over。　I　thought　of　asking　the　waiter　for　a　paper；　but　I　could　not　concentrate。　It　was　hot　in　the　caf？and　the　air　was　bad。　Many　of　the　people　at　the　tables　knew　one　another。　There　were　several　card　games　going　on。　The　waiters　were　busy　bringing　drinks　from　the　bar　to　the　tables。　Two　men　came　in　and　could　find　no　place　to　sit。　They　stood　opposite　the　table　where　I　was。　I　ordered　another　beer。　I　was　not　ready　to　leave　yet。　It　was　too　soon　to　go　back　to　the　hospital。　I　tried　not　to　think　and　to　be　perfec