"I know him slightly; we have some friends in common" (Swann dared not add
that one of these friends was the Prince of Wales). "Anyhow, he is very
free with his invitations, and, I assure you, his luncheon-parties are not
the least bit amusing; they're very simple affairs, too, you know; never
more than eight at table," he went on, trying desperately to cut out
everything that seemed to shew off his relations with the President in a
light too dazzling for the Doctor's eyes.
Whereupon Cottard, at once conforming in his mind to the literal
interpretation of what Swann was saying, decided that invitations from M.
Grevy were very little sought after, were sent out, in fact, into the
highways and hedge-rows. And from that moment he never seemed at all
surprised to hear that Swann, or anyone else, was 'always at the Elysee';
he even felt a little sorry for a man who had to go to luncheon-parties
which, he himself admitted, were a bore.
"Ah, good, good; that's quite all right then," he said, in the tone of a
customs official who has been suspicious up to now, but, after hearing
your explanations, stamps your passport and lets you proceed on your
journey without troubling to examine your luggage.
Pages:
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418