Chapter 13 Chapter VII

A few days later, my father received a text from a friend of ours asking him to meet him in San Rafael for an aperitif.Father told us this at once, trying to rejoice a little in the voluntary, but somewhat compelled, solitude in which we found ourselves.So I informed Elsa and Cyril that we would be at the Sun Bar at seven o'clock and that they could meet us there if they wanted to come.As luck would have it, Elsa knew our friend, which made her want to go there all the more. I faintly felt that the matter was complicated, so I tried my best to persuade her not to go, but it was still in vain.

"Charles Weber likes me," she said with childlike innocence. "If he sees me, he will make Raymond fall in love with me again." Cyril didn't care whether he went to San Raphael or not.The first thing for him is that he is where I am. I saw it in his eyes and couldn't help feeling proud. So, around 6 pm, we set off by car.Ana led us to her car.I like her car: It was a bulky American car with a folding hood.It suits her taste more than her personality of driving with the hood open.The car was to my liking, too: bling all over the place, quiet to drive, far away from the crowd, leaning into corners.Also, all three of us sat up front.In the car, anywhere, I don't feel friendly to anyone.The three of them sat in front, huddled together a little tighter, surrendering themselves to the same joy of high speed and wind, and perhaps to the same death.Ana drives, as if to symbolize the family we will form.I hadn't been in her car since that night in Xiana, and it aroused my reverie.

In the Sun Bar, we were reunited with Charles Weber and his wife.He was busy with theatrical commercials, and his wife was busy spending the money he earned, frighteningly fast, and for some young men.He is obsessed with trying to make ends meet, chasing money incessantly.His uneasiness and embarrassment came from this, because after all, there were some nasty things.He used to be Elsa's lover for a long time, because although she was beautiful, she was not a particularly greedy woman, and she liked him casually in terms of money. His wife is a vicious woman.Anna doesn't know her.I soon saw that there was a look of contempt and mockery on Anna's beautiful face.In the social arena, this is her daily routine.Charles Weber, as usual, was talking eloquently, while casting a scrutinizing look at Anna.He was obviously wondering what her relationship was to the old woman-chaser Raymond and his daughter.The thought that he would figure it out soon filled me with pride.The father leaned towards him a little, and announced in a rough voice, as if to catch his breath:

"Old friend, I got a new one. Ana and I, we're getting married on October 5th." Waver looked from my father to Anna, obviously puzzled.I am very happy.His wife was disappointed: she always favored my father. "Congratulations," said Webb at last, loudly. "That's a great idea! My dear lady, you've been supernatural looking after such a rascal. Waiter! . . . We'll have to celebrate." Anna smiled, calm and collected.That's when I saw Waver smile.I didn't turn my head to look. "Elsa! My God, this is Elsa Magumble, she doesn't see me. Raymond, do you see how beautiful the girl has become?  …"

"Isn't it?" said the father, like a happy proprietor. Then, when he remembered the past, his expression changed. It was impossible for Anna not to notice the tone of her father's voice.She turned sharply toward me in his face.Just as she opened her mouth to say something, I leaned towards her: "Anna, your grace is breathtaking, and there is a man over there who never takes his eyes off you." I said this in an affectionate voice, that is to say quite high enough for my father to hear.He turned his head immediately and saw the man. "I don't like this," he said, taking Anna's hand.

"How affectionate they are!" exclaimed Mrs. Weber sarcastically. "Charles, you shouldn't have disturbed their lovers. It would have been enough to invite little Cecile." "If that's the case, Sai Seoul won't come." I replied without hesitation. "Why is that? Is there a lover of yours among the Anglers?" Once, she saw me sitting on a stool talking to a bus conductor, and from then on she treated me like a degraded woman, what she called a "disqualified woman." "Yes." I said loudly, looking cheerful. "So have you caught a lot of fish?"

The most annoying thing is that she still thinks she is funny.I gradually became angry. "I'm not a finfisher," I said, "but I fish." There was a silence.Then, Anna's voice sounded, always so steady: "Ramon, can I ask the waiter for a straw? Orange juice is a must." Charles Weber quickly drank his refreshing drink.My father laughed wildly a few times.I saw him sipping his drink the way he did.Anna shot me a begging look.Everyone quickly decides to have a meal together like almost estranged people. I drank a lot of wine with dinner.I had to forget the uneasy look Anna had stared at my father, or the vague sense of gratitude she'd stared blankly at me.Ever since Weber's wife said a snarky remark to me, I've been smiling happily at her.This strategy confuses the earth.She quickly becomes aggressive.Anna motioned me not to talk or move.She was afraid of driving in public, and felt that Mrs. Weber was going to come.As for me, our company has become a regular.In our class, such things are commonplace.So when I listen to her talk, I don't get nervous.

After dinner we went to a nightclub in San Rafael.Shortly after we arrived, Elsa and Cyril also came. Elsa stopped at the door, said something loudly to the woman in charge of the cloakroom, and went into the hall, followed by poor Cyril.I thought she acted more like a wretch than a mistress, but she was pretty enough for the part. "Who is that gallant young man?" asked Charles Weber. "He is very young." "It's love," his wife whispered, "it's love that made him successful..." "You think so?" said the father gruffly. "It was an infatuation, yes."

I looked at Anna.I saw her looking at Elsa calmly and indifferently, just like looking at a female model or a very young woman introducing a complete fashion, without the slightest biting expression.Because of this attitude of not being mean or jealous, I immediately admired her enthusiastically.Besides, I don't see why she should be jealous of Elsa, because she is a hundred times more beautiful and smarter than Elsa.Since I was drunk, I told her this.She looked at me strangely. "I'm prettier than Elsa? Do you think so?" "no doubt!" "It's always pleasant. But you've had too much to drink again. Give me the glass. You won't be too sad to see your Cyril over there? Besides, he's bored."

"This is my mistress," I said cheerfully. "You're totally drunk! Good thing it's time to go back!" We were all relieved to leave the Webbs.I put on a serious face and called Mrs. Weber "Dear Mrs." Father holds the steering wheel.My head was dangling on Anna's shoulder. I think I like Anna better than Mr. and Mrs. Webb and all those people we usually see.She was better than them, more dignified, smarter than them.Father rarely spoke.Probably recalling the scene when Elsa arrived. "Is she asleep?" he asked Anna. "Like a little girl. Relatively speaking, she's doing pretty well. Except for the hints of the fish being a little blunt..."

Father laughed.There was a silence after that.Then I heard my father's voice again: "Anna, I love you. I only love you, can you believe it?" Don't tell me this so often, it scares me "Give me your hand." I almost stood up and protested: "No, you can't drive on a cliff like this!" But I was a little drunk, and the smell of Anna, the sea breeze in my hair, the little cut on my shoulder from Cyril making love to me, all of this made me feel drunk. Pleasure, keep me silent.So I fell asleep.In the meantime, Elsa and poor Cyril presumably trudged on their motorcycles.That motorcycle was a birthday present from his mother last year.I don't know why this moved me to tears.The car is so comfortable, so stable, so sleepy... drowsiness, Mrs. Weber probably doesn't feel it now!Presumably, at her age, I would also have paid some young man to love me, because love is the sweetest, most alive, most reasonable thing.Giving money is irrelevant. It's important not to become mean and jealous, like she did with Elsa and Anna.I chuckled softly.Anna's shoulders sank a little. "Sleep".she said solemnly.So I fell asleep.