I let him takeme to a restaurant of his choice, but on the way I bought a paper. When we hadordered our dinner, I propped it against a bottle of St. Galmier and began toread. We ate in silence. I felt him looking at me now and again, but I took nonotice. I meant to force him to conversation.

"Is thereanything in the paper?" he said, as we approached the end of our silentmeal.

I fancied therewas in his tone a slight note of exasperation.

"I alwayslike to read the feuilleton on the drama, " I said.

I folded thepaper and put it down beside me.

"I'veenjoyed my dinner, " he remarked.

"I thinkwe might have our coffee here, don't you?"

"Yes."

We lit our cigars.I smoked in silence. I noticed that now and then his eyes rested on me with afaint smile of amusement. I waited patiently.

"What haveyou been up to since I saw you last?" he asked at length.

我让他带我到一家他选定的餐馆，但是在路上走的时候我买了一份报纸。叫了菜以后，我就把报纸支在一瓶圣·卡尔密酒上，开始读报。我们一言不发地吃着饭。我发现他不时地看我一眼，但是我根本不理睬他。我准备逼着他自己讲话。

“报纸上有什么消息？”在我们这顿沉默无语的晚餐将近尾声时，他开口说。

也许这只是我的幻觉吧，从他的声音里我好象听出来他已经有些沉不住气了。

“我喜欢读评论戏剧的杂文，”我说。

我把报纸叠起来，放在一边。

“这顿饭吃得很不错，”他说。

“我看咱们就在这里喝咖啡好不好？”

“好吧。”

我们点起了雪茄。我一言不发地抽着烟。我发现他的目光时不时地停在我身上，隐约闪现着笑意。我耐心地等待着。

“从上次见面以后你都做什么了？”最后他开口说。