smiled at them and said, “Good evening, my Countess. Good evening, my Colonel.”
“Gran Maestro” the Colonel said. The Gran Maestro smiled and, still bowing, said, “We are dining in the bar at the far end. There is no one here now in the winter time and the dining room is too big. I have saved your table. We have a very fine lobster if you would like him to commence with.”
“Is he really fresh?”
“I saw him this morning when he came from the market in a basket. He was alive and a dark green and completely unfriendly.”
“Would you like lobster, Daughter, to start your dinner?”
The Colonel was conscious of using the word, and so was the Gran Maestro, and so was the girl. But to each one it meant a different thing.
“I wanted to have him for you in case any pescecani came in. They are down now to gamble at the Lido. I was not trying to sell him.”
“I would love some lobster,” the girl said. “Cold, and with mayonnaise. The mayonnaise rather stiff.” She said this in Italian.
“It isn’t too expensive?” she said to the Colonel, seriously.
“Ay hija mia,” the Colonel said.
“Feel in your right pocket,” she said.
“I’ll see that he is not too expensive,” the Gran Maestro said. “Or I’ll buy him myself. I could get him quite easily with a week’s wages.”
