Jeannette to Sylvain’s vineyard with a bouquet of pink lilies beside her on the backseat. Later, Midhat walked home carrying his new suit in a box. Afternoon was turning into night and the lampposts sprinkled yellow snow in perfectly triangular beams.
It was December, Midhat’s third month in Montpellier. His walks with Laurent had become a fixture, and the best consolation for his loneliness. Besides his breakfast interrogations by Docteur Molineu and the occasional exchange with Jeannette, they were also his principal opportunity to practise French beyond the scientific vocabulary required at the Faculty. The guests at tonight’s party would provide another opportunity; he needed to be agile, alert. He tramped up the drive to see Pisson shutting the car door, and heard Jeannette’s voice as he stepped into the hall.
She was in the cream-walled salon with her father, reporting loudly that it was a lie. Sylvain had no trouble walking, and though it was true he had fallen to the ground, the car had barely grazed him.
Docteur Molineu laughed. “Midhat, you’re welcome to come in. It’s not quite a lie, is it dear, only some of the details were exaggerated.”
“I am extremely embarrassed.”
“Oh, la. One ought to telegraph in advance I suppose. I did say you should take Midhat. It’s not really appropriate for a young lady, I’m sure everyone must think I’m horribly irresponsible.” He picked up a wooden table and set it down behind the piano. “Humans and rumours. Would you help me with the chaise longue, Midhat? I think we’ll put it in the hall.”
“Don’t you see how embarrassing this is? I brought him flowers and there was nothing wrong with him, and he was so …” She expelled a syllable of air. “I’m really in agony.”
“I don’t see why you are making such a fuss. Did you explain yourself? Sylvain is not stupid, I’m sure he knows you only meant to be kind. It’s an easy mistake. The guests will be here from seven o’clock, and I’m going to work before then. I’m a little afraid we may have invited too many. Not usually a cause for—since one counts on half to stay at home. But these days it seems people are in need of a party …”
Midhat put his hands under the chaise.
“Thank you, Midhat,” said Molineu.
“Not at all,” said Midhat. “It is my pleasure.”
Jeannette flicked her eyes to him, but her expression did not change.
In the mirrored doors of his armoire, Midhat’s white collar threw light up at his face. He licked his fingers and touched his hair. Georgine’s voice came through the floorboards.
“Les Mademoiselles Carole et Marie-Thérèse, et Docteur Patrice Nolin.”
He pushed up his tie, plucked at his sleeves and shirttails, and started down the stairs.
“It’s the Arabian man,” said Patrice Nolin, shaking the droplets off his hat by the door. His cheeks were especially red with the shock of heat on cold skin.
“Good evening, cher docteur,” said Midhat.
The girls took turns greeting Midhat, and coils bounced behind their ears: both had attached artificial hairpieces to their chignons.
“Good evening, ladies.”
Docteur Molineu led the Nolins into the salon. There was no sign of Jeannette.
“How is the Faculty?” said Patrice Nolin, passing Midhat a champagne glass.
“My classes are interesting. But it is only the preliminary sciences in the first year. We also have had the introduction to dissection, and we are beginning to attend the clinics in the mornings, where we observe the doctors and the patients and make notes, and we discuss afterwards. And sometimes—” He stopped. He had just remembered that Nolin used to be a professor at the Faculty, and surely knew all this. “But yes, what I mean is, I am enjoying it. This snow has also been remarkable.”
Molineu presented an open case of cigarettes. “Patrice, I have been wanting to ask your opinion. How do you think it will turn, now that we’ve won at Flanders? The picture I draw from Le Matin and the wireless is very indefinite.”
Nolin cleared his throat. “I think we can expect to see a few strategic manoeuvres. I’m no military expert, but of course they’ll obviously be looking for ways to weaken the enemy. At the same time, we’ve got to keep our eyes on the other corners of the globe, on the balance of forces. And Russia is next, so, my guess is we’ll see a push to draw the Germans over from the Eastern Front, to ease up that side of things. But this is just speculation.” He waved his hand and