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with chattering people, who were seated at the tables having drinks. The conversation was gay and easy,
and presently they strolled back to the villa for luncheon.
In each napkin were two little antifat rusks. Lena gave a bright smile as she put them by the side of her
plate.
'May I have some bread?' she asked.
The grossest indecency would not have fallen on the ears of those three women.
5
Not one of them had
eaten bread for ten years.
Frank, the good hostess, recovered herself first.
'Of course, darling,' she said and turning to the butler asked him to bring some.
'And some butter,' said Lena in that pleasant easy way of hers.
There was a moment's embarrassed silence.
'I don't know if there's any in the house,' said Frank, 'but I'll inquire'.
The butler brought a long crisp roll of French bread. Lena slit it in two and plastered it with the butter,
which was miraculously produced.
6
A grilled sole was served. The rest of the luncheon consisted of lamb cutlets, with the fat carefully
removed, and spinach boiled in water, with stewed pears to end up with, Lena tasted her pears and gave the
butler a look of inquiry. That resourceful man understood her at once and though powdered sugar had never
been served at that table before handed her without a moment's hesitation a bowl of it. She helped herself
liberally.
7
The other three pretended not to notice. Coffee was served and Lena took three lumps of sugar in
hers.
'You have a very sweet tooth,' said Arrow in a tone which she struggled to keep friendly.
8
But human nature is weak. You must not ask too much of it. They ate grilled fish while Lena ate
macaroni sizzling with cheese and butter; they ate grilled cutlets and boiled spinach while Lena ate pate de
foie gras;
9
twice a week they ate hard-boiled eggs and raw tomatoes, while Lena ate peas swimming in
cream and potatoes cooked in all sorts of delicious ways. The chef was a good chef and he leapt at the
opportunity afforded him
10
to send up one dish more rich, tasty and succulent than the other.
The butler disclosed the fact
11
that he could make half a dozen kinds of cocktail and Lena informed them
that the doctor recommended her to drink burgundy at luncheon and champagne at dinner. The three fat
women persevered.
Lena was going to stay with friends on the Italian Riviera and Frank saw her off by the same train as that
by which she had arrived. When she turned away from the departing train she heaved such a vast sigh of
relief
12
that the platform shook beneath her.
She passed through the Monkey House, looking about her to say Good morning to anyone she knew, and
then stopped dead still.
13
Beatrice was sitting at one of the tables, by herself.
'Beatrice, what are you doing?' she cried in her deep voice. Beatrice looked at her coolly.
'Eating,' she answered.
In front of Beatrice was a plate of croissants
14
and a plate of butter, a pot of strawberry jam, coffee and a
jug of cream. Beatrice was spreading butter thick on the delicious hot bread, covering this with jam, and then
pouring the thick cream overall.
The tears welled up to Frank's eyes. Suddenly she felt very weak and womanly. Speechless she sank
down on a chair by Beatrice's side. A waiter came up. With a pathetic gesture she waved towards the coffee
and croissants.
'I'll have the same,' she sighed. In a moment the waiter brought her croissants, butter, jam and coffee.
'Where's the cream, you fool?' she roared like a lioness.
She began to eat. She ate gluttonously. The place was beginning to fill up with bathers. Presently Arrow
strolled along. On her way she caught sight of Frank and Beatrice. She stopped. She could hardly believe her
eyes.
'My God!' she cried. 'You beasts. You hogs.'
She seized a chair. 'Waiter.' In the twinkling of an eye the waiter was at her side.
'Bring me what these ladies are having,' she ordered.
Frank lifted her great heavy head from her plate.
'Bring me some pate de foie gras,' she boomed.
The coffee was brought and the hot rolls and cream and the pate de foie gras. They spread the cream on
the pate and they ate it. They devoured great spoonfuls of jam. They crunched the delicious crisp bread
voluptuously. They ate with solemn, ecstatic fervour.