Laughing Torso

LAUGHING TORSO

the Boulevard St. Michel and all the critics came
and drank liqueurs on Thursdays. In one corner
boxing, went on. One day they asked me to dance,
so I took off all my clothes and danced in a black
veil. Everyone seemed pleased, as I was very well-
made. I met Zadkine, the sculptor. In the even-
ings Zadkine would sit in the Rotonde and draw still
lives in pen-and-ink of glasses, packets of cigarettes,
and pipes, or anything else that was on the
table.
On Saturdays everyone stayed out nearly all
night. After the Rotonde closed at two we went to
the Boulevard St. Michel. One night WassiliefF,
Zadkine, Modigliani, myself and several others
walked to a cafe. The atmosphere of the BouP Mich'
was very different to that of the Rotonde. There
were many painted ladies and dull students of the
Sorbonne, and sometimes business men who bought
everyone drinks. We drank cheap red wine, and
talked and laughed and sang. Zadkine and
Modigliani bought me a large bunch of roses; I
had a marvellous time and at seven-thirty a.m. they
accompanied me to my hotel.
I had a wonderful collection of stockings at that
time and wore flat-heeled shoes with straps on them
like children do. They made my feet look very
large. They cost five francs and were worn by
concierges. I had red stockings and yellow stockings
and some that looked like a chess board. Modigliani
would run after me up the Boulevard Raspail after
the Rotonde had closed. He could always see me
because of my loud stockings. One night he nearly
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