The Avenue deClichy was crowded at that hour, and a lively fancy might see in the passers-bythe personages of many a sordid romance. There were clerks and shopgirls; oldfellows who might have stepped out of the pages of Honore de Balzac; members,male and female, of the professions which make their profit of the frailties ofmankind. There is in the streets of the poorer quarters of Paris a throngingvitality which excites the blood and prepares the soul for the unexpected.

"Do youknow Paris well?" I asked.

"No. Wecame on our honeymoon. I haven't been since. "

"How onearth did you find out your hotel?"

"It wasrecommended to me. I wanted something cheap. "

The absinthecame, and with due solemnity we dropped water over the melting sugar.

"I thoughtI'd better tell you at once why I had come to see you, " I said, notwithout embarrassment.

His eyestwinkled. "I thought somebody would come along sooner or later. I've had alot of letters from Amy. "

"Then youknow pretty well what I've got to say. "

"I've notread them. "

I lit acigarette to give myself a moment's time. I did not quite know now how to setabout my mission. The eloquent phrases I had arranged, pathetic or indignant,seemed out of place on the Avenue de Clichy. Suddenly he gave a chuckle.

这会儿正是克里舍林荫路最热闹的时刻，只需要发挥一点儿想象力，就能够在过往行人中发现不少庸俗罗曼司中的人物。小职员和女售货员，宛如从巴尔扎克的小说中走出来的老古董，靠着人性的弱点赚钱糊口的一些行当的男女成员。在巴黎的一些贫穷地区，街道上总是人群熙攘，充满无限生机，使你血流激动，随时准备为你演一出意想不到的好戏。

“你对巴黎熟悉不熟悉？”我问。

“不熟悉。我们度蜜月的时候来过。以后我从来没有再来。”

“那你怎么会找到这家旅馆的？”

“别人介绍的。我要找一家便宜的。”

苦艾酒端上来了，我们一本正经地把水浇在溶化的糖上。

“我想我还是坦白对你讲我为什么来找你吧，”我有一些困窘地说。

他的眼睛闪闪发亮。

“我早就想迟早会有个人来的。阿美已经给我写了一大堆信来了。”

“那么我要对你讲的，不用我说你也知道得很清楚了。”

“她那些信我都没有看。”

我点了一支烟，为了给自己一些思索的时间。我这时候真不知道该怎样办理我承担下的这件差事了。我准备好的一套绝妙词令，哀婉的也罢、愤激的也罢，在克里舍林荫道上以乎都不合拍了。突然，思特里克兰德咯咯地笑起来。