No More Parades · Part II · Chapter 2 2 (8/8)

The room where they were dancing was very dark⁠ ⁠… It was queer to be in his arms⁠ ⁠… She had known better dancers⁠ ⁠… He had looked ill⁠ ⁠… Perhaps he was⁠ ⁠… Oh, poor Valentine-Elisabeth⁠ ⁠… What a funny position!⁠ ⁠… The good gramophone played⁠ ⁠… Destiny!⁠ ⁠… You see, father!⁠ ⁠… In his arms!⁠ ⁠… Of course, dancing is not really⁠ ⁠… But so near the real thing! So near! “Good luck to the special intention!⁠ ⁠…” She had almost kissed him on the lips⁠ ⁠… All but! Effleurer, the French call it⁠ ⁠… But she was not as humble⁠ ⁠… He had pressed her tighter⁠ ⁠… All these months without⁠ ⁠… My lord did me honour⁠ ⁠… Good for Malbrouck s’en va-t-en guerre⁠ ⁠… He knew she had almost kissed him on the lips⁠ ⁠… And that his lips had almost responded⁠ ⁠… The civilian, the novelist, had turned out the last light⁠ ⁠… Tietjens said, “Hadn’t we better talk?⁠ ⁠…” She said: “In my room, then! I’m dog-tired⁠ ⁠… I haven’t slept for six nights:⁠ ⁠… In spite of drugs⁠ ⁠…” He said: “Yes. Of course! Where else?⁠ ⁠…” Astonishingly⁠ ⁠… Her gown of gold tissue was like the colobium sindonis the King wore at the coronation⁠ ⁠… As they mounted the stairs she thought what a fat tenor Tannhäuser always was!⁠ ⁠… The Venusberg music was dinning in her ears⁠ ⁠… She said: “Sixty-six inexpressibles! I’m as sober as a judge⁠ ⁠… I need to be!”