第33部分(第5/7 頁)

　But　I　am　getting　old。　I　detect　signs　of　age　now。〃

〃I　can't　believe　it。〃

〃Yes。　Do　you　want　to　know　one？　It　is　easier　for　me　to　talk　Italian。　I　discipline　myself　but　I　find　when　I　am　tired　that　it　is　so　much　easier　to　talk　Italian。　So　I　know　I　must　be　getting　old。〃

〃We　could　talk　Italian。　I　am　a　little　tired；　too。〃

〃Oh；　but　when　you　are　tired　it　will　be　easier　for　you　to　talk　English。〃

〃American。〃

〃Yes。　American。　You　will　please　talk　American。　It　is　a　delightful　language。〃

〃I　hardly　ever　see　Americans。〃

〃You　must　miss　them。　One　misses　one's　countrymen　and　especially　one's　countrywomen。　I　know　that　experience。　Should　we　play　or　are　you　too　tired？〃

〃I'm　not　really　tired。　I　said　that　for　a　joke。　What　handicap　will　you　give　me？〃

〃Have　you　been　playing　very　much？〃

〃None　at　all。〃

〃You　play　very　well。　Ten　points　in　a　hundred？〃

〃You　flatter　me。〃

〃Fifteen？〃

〃That　would　be　fine　but　you　will　beat　me。〃

〃Should　we　play　for　a　stake？　You　always　wished　to　play　for　a　stake。〃

〃I　think　we'd　better。〃

〃All　right。　I　will　give　you　eighteen　points　and　we　will　play　for　a　franc　a　point。〃

He　played　a　lovely　game　of　billiards　and　with　the　handicap　I　was　only　four　ahead　at　fifty。　Count　Greffi　pushed　a　button　on　the　wall　to　ring　for　the　barman。

〃Open　one　bottle　please；〃　he　said。　Then　to　me；　〃We　will　take　a　little　stimulant。〃　The　wine　was　icy　cold　and　very　dry　and　good。

〃Should　we　talk　Italian？　Would　you　mind　very　much？　It　is　my　weakness　now。〃

We　went　on　playing；　sipping　the　wine　between　shots；　speaking　in　Italian；　but　talking　little；　concentrated　on　the　game。　Count　Greffi　made　his　one　hundredth　point　and　with　the　handicap　I　was　only　at　ninety…four。