Laughing Torso

LAUGHING TORSO

garded him as a rather terrifying person. The day
after he arrived, F. and R. had to go to Cannes.
They had seen a most beautiful old Chateau with
ninety acres of land, on the top of a hill. It had
not been inhabited for a long time and was for
sale. They said that they would be gone for a
day or so and told Georges and I to take care of
the house and entertain each other. They left early
in the morning and I gave one despairing look at
the fat Georges, and went into the garden and sat
under the trees amongst the freezias, which* were in
bloom and smelt very nice. I was wondering
whether or not to just walk away into the landscape
and not come back at all, when I heard, " Je cherche
apres Titine " played, not once, but thirty-five times
on the gramophone. I thought that Georges must
either be a very interesting person or to have become
suddenly demented. I returned to the house and
the Russian butler brought us some cocktails.
Neither Georges nor I knew how to open the shaker.
We finally discovered and made some more and by
the time that lunch appeared we were on very good
terms. He explained at lunch that he had just come
from Monte Carlo, where he had been with Diaghi-
ley, Stravinsky, and the ballet, and had written
two acts of a new ballet called " Les Matelots" It
was all about sailors and sounded most interesting.
He said that he had come to stay with F. to write
the last act. He said he had so far got no ideas
about it and was getting rather worried. I said,
•c When we have finished lunch I will teach you all
nay English sea songs, you will soon learn the
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