第42部分(第2/6 頁)

u　should　go　and　have　your　supper　and　then　e　back　if　you　wish。〃

I　went　down　the　hall　and　then　down　the　stairs　and　out　the　door　of　the　hospital　and　down　the　dark　street　in　the　rain　to　the　caf？　It　was　brightly　lighted　inside　and　there　were　many　people　at　the　tables。　I　did　not　see　a　place　to　sit；　and　a　waiter　came　up　to　me　and　took　my　wet　coat　and　hat　and　showed　me　a　place　at　a　table　across　from　an　elderly　man　who　was　drinking　beer　and　reading　the　evening　paper。　I　sat　down　and　asked　the　waiter　what　the　plat　du　jour　was。

〃Veal　stew……but　it　is　finished。〃

〃What　can　I　have　to　eat？〃

〃Ham　and　eggs；　eggs　with　cheese；　or　choucroute。〃

〃I　had　choucroute　this　noon；〃　I　said。

〃That's　true；〃　he　said。　〃That's　true。　You　ate　choucroute　this　noon。〃　He　was　a　middle…aged　man　with　a　bald　top　to　his　head　and　his　hair　slicked　over　it。　He　had　a　kind　face。

〃What　do　you　want？　Ham　and　eggs　or　eggs　with　cheese？〃

〃Ham　and　eggs；〃　I　said；　〃and　beer。〃

〃A　demi…blonde？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。

〃I　remembered；〃　he　said。　〃You　took　a　demi…blonde　this　noon。〃

I　ate　the　ham　and　eggs　and　drank　the　beer。　The　ham　and　eggs　were　in　a　round　dish……the　ham　underneath　and　the　eggs　on　top。　It　was　very　hot　and　at　the　first　mouthful　I　had　to　take　a　drink　of　beer　to　cool　my　mouth。　I　was　hungry　and　I　asked　the　waiter　for　another　order。　I　drank　several　glasses　of　beer。　I　was　not　thinking　at　all　but　read　the　paper　of　the　man　opposite　me。　It　was　about　the　break　t