The worker up on the tank edge takes a couple of sips and dries his lips with the back of his hand.
THE WORKER ON THE TOP OF THE TANK
Good beer!
Cathy discreetly plucks Mister Joseph by the sleeve with a view to ask him whether the worker's moustache is in the Francis Joseph's style, too. But Mister Joseph pays no attention to her. So Cathy gives up.
MISTER JOSEPH
(to The Worker on the Top of the Tank)
What are you doing up there?
THE WORKER ON THE TOP OF THE TANK
Well, what could I do? Waiting for beer. And till then I'm drinking a mug with my friends.
MISTER JOSEPH
Really? But where are your friends?
The Worker on the Top of the Tank makes a wide gesture which encompasses the whole industrial house.
THE WORKER ON THE TOP OF THE TANK
Around here.
Then Mister Joseph and Cathy, turning round their eyes notice that there is a worker on the top of every tank, sitting in the same position and wearing the same kind of Sunday clothes. Everybody raises a mug.
THE WORKERS
Cheerio! Your health!
MISTER JOSEPH
(turning to The Boss of the Workers; confused)
But I can see they have beer.
THE BOSS OF THE WORKERS
Never mind! You should have delivered fresh beer to us!
MISTER JOSEPH
Excuse me! I gave up trading since I became a person a little bit aged, so to speak.
THE BOSS OF THE WORKERS
(sarcastically)
A little bit!
MISTER JOSEPH
(in a conceding tone)
Well... We could say, "a person who is not really young any longer." — Never mind. The reasons for which I gave up trading I don't think would be of interest to you. I gave it up and that's for certain. Secondly, I must tell you, mister, I have never dealt in alcoholic drinks. And finally, whatever I was or I'll do from now on, you must admit that I never promised to deliver beer to your fellows! Please take account of that! I was just passing by. I just got in here to show this lovely young lady here present this factory.
THE WORKER ON THE TOP OF THE TANK
Climb up here and drink a beer with us!
In order to bait him, the worker empties the mug at one gulp and happily sighs. After which he bents twisted over the tank behind him, from where he raises his mug full again.
THE WORKER ON THE TOP OF THE TANK
Well, what do you say? It's filled with beer! To keep drinking!
MISTER JOSEPH
(embarrassed)
No, thank you. Height makes me feel dizzy.
THE WORKER ON THE TOP OF THE TANK
Dizzy? Don't tell me! I used to be the same. I assure you that after some five mugs you'll climb up an erect string and you won't complain about being dizzy at all!
MISTER JOSEPH
I'm sorry, mister, I'm honored by your invitation, but I can afford. I'm in a hurry.
THE BOSS OF THE WORKERS
I won't let you leave until you drink a mug with us.
The Boss of the Workers turns to the tank bottom where there are some empty mugs on a small worn iron table. He takes one of them, put it under one of those giant faucets and opens it. The mug fills up with beer. The boss sets the filled mug on the table and invites Mister Joseph with a host gesture.
THE BOSS OF THE WORKERS
Please! — Maybe the young lady wishes some, too?
CATHY
Thank you. I never drink beer.
Mister Joseph approaches the little table followed by Cathy, takes the mug and raises it to all present.
MISTER JOSEPH
Your health!
THE WORKERS
(on the top of the tanks)
Cheerio!
Mister Joseph drinks heartily.
THE BOSS OF THE WORKERS
Well, what do you say?
MISTER JOSEPH
Hem! The best quality merchandise.
THE BOSS OF THE WORKERS
Try Borowitz's. You won't regret it.
Mister Joseph and Cathy glance, surprised, at each other.
MISTER JOSEPH
Let's go, dear young lady.
Mister Joseph turns to leave.
THE BOSS OF THE WORKERS
Look out the hook!
Mister Joseph manages in the last moment to avoid hitting his head again. He gratefully smiles to The Boss. But he becomes serious again when turns his back to The Boss and heads along Cathy for the door.
MISTER JOSEPH
(in a low voice in order not to be heard by The Boss of the Workers)
I keep my opinion it was an unforgivable oversight to hang those hooks all around. (He keeps talking to Cathy and, once out, having no longer any reason being cautious not to be heard by The Boss of the Workers, he talks to Cathy in his normal voice.) Throughout my long and tumultuous life, dear young lady, I did not do anything useless. You may find that exaggerated, but I can assure you I didn't do a single useless gesture. Because life is short, missy, isn't it? — You perhaps doubt it. Perhaps you think some people are made to stay always young, as I have no doubt you found written in the books. — I didn't read many books in my life, dear young lady — I think I already told you that — but you should know there is here some exaggeration. I mean it isn't so easy to stay always young.
Mister Joseph and Cathy have left behind the factory and now walk along the narrow railroad, where they meet here and there an old rusty trolley, overgrown by weeds.
But here they don't follow the railroad any longer; they are walking now hastily along a country road, so that after a while Mister Joseph begins to pant.
CATHY
You stayed young, Mister Joseph!
Cathy takes him by the hand and sticks her head to his arm.
MISTER JOSEPH
Do you think I did, missy? Anyway, I thank you for your praise. But look here... (Mister Joseph raises his menacing forefinger.) ...All I have said of you stands. Even all I said contrary!
CATHY
(amused)
Even all you said contrary, Mister Joseph.
MISTER JOSEPH
(in the same severe tone)
That's to avoid any misunderstanding! (He looks confusingly around.) I would preferred to get that locomotive going, because, you know, I'm a very busy man and I cannot afford wasting my time to run uselessly about. Unfortunately, I can't see it anywhere. — Or maybe we could have traveled by a railroad trolley. Do you think you are strong enough to get a railroad trolley moving?
CATHY
(not taking him seriously)
I think so.
MISTER JOSEPH
OK, but I can't see the railroad.
Mister Joseph stops confused, panting, and tries to find his way about. They are on a deserted country road. Poplar fuzz is floating in the air, Cathy runs about to catch some. She seizes a piece of fuzz and puts it down the front of her dress.
Mister Joseph, all hot, takes his coat off and puts it on his arm.
MISTER JOSEPH
Could you tell me what you need that piece of fuzz for, dear young lady?
CATHY
It brings good luck.
MISTER JOSEPH
In this case, dear young lady, you did the right thing. Congratulations. Because we'll certainly need good luck...
He expected to have roused her curiosity but Cathy keeps carelessly catching poplar fuzz.
MISTER JOSEPH
You don't ask me why?
CATHY
Why, Mister Joseph?
MISTER JOSEPH
Because... (He hesitates and intends to tell her something in particular but he changes his mind and confines himself to something general.) ...We will both need good luck in our lives. You more... and I less.
CATHY
Why you less?
MISTER JOSEPH
I mean less time, missy.
Cathy is about to respond him but in that very moment a car is heard approaching, which diverts their attention. It's a black car from the inter-war period. The car passes by them rising a cloud of dust.
CATHY
What a beautiful old car! (Mister Joseph waves his hand about his nose scornfully grimacing.) It seemed to look like your brother's one.
MISTER JOSEPH
(reproachfully)
I don't understand how you could say such a thing, I really don't, dear young lady! You know very well what a jalopy my brother has, don't you? I hope you remember we met it once, in that square behind the railroad station. You saw how wretched it looked! We couldn't even start its engine.
Another car comes from behind and disappears in the same direction as the first one. When the dust clears, Cathy can be seen staring admiringly after the moving away car.
MISTER JOSEPH
(abruptly)
What about you would less gape about?
He resolutely begins going in the same direction as the two cars.
MISTER JOSEPH
...And now, dear young lady, please keep silent, will you? Because in the next minutes I have to think in silence.
CATHY
About what, Mister Joseph?
MISTER JOSEPH
What do you mean, about what? About the way I'll be speaking to the hotelkeeper.
While walking, Mister Joseph put his coat on and ceremoniously buttons it up.
CATHY
What hotel?
MISTER JOSEPH
If you have followed my advice and gaped less, you wouldn't need asking me such a question.
With a pompous gesture as an answer, Mister Joseph indicates along the road...
...Where Cathy can see, at some distance, an impressive white four-store building looking like a luxury class hotel in a spa. Cathy is so delighted that she puts her hands together under her chin.
MISTER JOSEPH
(relishing the effect of what he has showed her, in a tone as if he were the hotel owner)
I hope you like it. I'm sure that you, as an experienced traveler, will appreciate it as much as it deserves. Please believe me that anybody else I wouldn't even accompany to see such a beautiful hotel in more detail. Because you realize, I guess, we won't come back right now when we've got so close, though, as you could notice, two cars got ahead of us, and some others are supposed already got to before, which means our chances to get a room — forgive me for speaking so bluntly — equal zero. Or, in order not to totally daunt you, say slight. Have you anything to say?
Meantime, the road has become an elegant alley, bound by cowberry hedges, while here and there are bushes pruned like cylinders and spheres.
The hotel is now much closer. Isolated in the area, placed in the center of an English garden, it emerges now in all its magnificence. Besides the wide central alley, they can see other narrower parallel alleys. There are plenty of cowberry hedges and bushes.
They got to the hotel. PARADISE HOTEL reads on a board above the main entrance. There is a round flower bed before it, around which many cars are parked, all of them from the inter-war period. Mister Joseph, his hands on the hips, delightfully looks at the entrance, while Cathy's eyes are rather caught by the cars.
MISTER JOSEPH
Paradise Hotel. — Yes. — (He breathes in.) What a fresh air!
Mister Joseph joins Cathy and they both scrutinize delightfully the cars, one by one, as if in a car museum.
CATHY
How fine they look. Although they are old, don't they, Mister Joseph?
MISTER JOSEPH
And you were about to find they look like my brother Stanley's jalopy! Now I hope you realize what nonsense that would have been on your part, forgive me for speaking so bluntly.
Mister Joseph heads resolutely for the magnificent entrance of the hotel, and Cathy happily follows him. But to Cathy's surprise, Mister Joseph goes out his way, avoiding the main entrance. He turns suddenly making his way along the front side in the same resolute path.
CATHY
(amazedly)
But...! Mister Joseph! Aren't we going away from the entrance?
MISTER JOSEPH
(with a little guilty appearance, keeps going fast)
You realize, I hope, dear young lady, that in my career I had the occasion to check in at lots of hotels, as a matter of fact just like you had. — It's true that most times I had to content with second class hotels, as it were, because my income was never as big as some thought it judging by the prices of the products in my shop. — But you certainly know that, when some prices were a little bit — hem! — steep, so to speak, the products were always according to the prices, you must admit that! — Nonetheless, that doesn't mean I never dealt with luxury class hotels. However little money I had, I never mind having peace and comfort, mainly when I'm with so lovely a young lady.
Mister Joseph and Cathy turn round the corner and keep walking along the other side of the hotel building.
CATHY
(ironically)
This time, Mister Joseph, you won't mind money because you have nothing to mind.
MISTER JOSEPH
(embarrassed)
Hem! Yes, sure. — (Regaining quickly his self-assurance.) I let you know I'm a person with an acknowledged prestige. You'll see how welcome we'll be at the reception. "Take a look who's coming," the hotelkeeper will say. "How are you, Mister Joseph? I haven't seen you for a lot of years!" And I'll tell him: "Well, my friend, you know how it is when you retire." (He quickly rectifies himself.) Hem! I mean, "When giving up trading." (He continues his imaginary dialogue.) "You're not so eager to run about any longer." "Well, yet you called on us! It's nice of you, Mister Joseph. I've kept for you our best apartment that looks into the sea!"...
CATHY
Into the sea, Mister Joseph?
MISTER JOSEPH
(correcting himself)
Hem! I mean, "Into the central alley," certainly! That's what our friend the hotelkeeper will say. "I've kept for you our best apartment looking into the central alley. — As for the money, don't worry. If you have no cash, money orders would be OK. And if you forgot your checkbook, still don't worry. You just put your signature in our book, and you quickly get your apartment! We know for sure you'll mail us the money!"
Mister Joseph abruptly turns round a corner — so abruptly that Cathy keeps going a few steps ahead before noticing his change in direction. Mister Joseph walks down a staircase which leads to the hotel basement, while Cathy stopped at the stairhead.
CATHY
But...! Mister Joseph, are you sure it's the right path?
MISTER JOSEPH
(with an exaggerated assurance)
Please don't worry, dear young lady.
Cathy follows him. They both enter the building and, while they keep talking, they go through many faintly lighted corridors and halls displaying a sharp contrast with the outside magnificence of the hotel. Mister Joseph seems to know exactly the path to be followed, and walks fast, so Cathy can hardly keep pace with him.
CATHY
But if we'll be so welcome, why didn't we go in through the main entrance?
MISTER JOSEPH
We'll get to that, missy. Please don't interrupt me all the time. Of course we'll be welcome for the reasons I just told you. I don't remember what the hotelkeeper's name is because, you can realize that, I cannot remember all the hotelkeepers' names. But whatever his name would be, have no doubt he'll treat us very kindly. "I have prepared the tub for you, dear Mister Joseph" — he will say. "I dropped in the water all the salts we know you like. And while you'll be taking a bath, shall I send the maid to — hem! — to patch up your pants and coat?" That's what will say the hotelkeeper, which is a good friend of mine, dear young lady! But to get to him we must first pass the door. And guess who is standing at the door?
CATHY
(making a try to guess)
A porter?
MISTER JOSEPH
Well, dear young lady, I must tell you that throughout my long and tumultuous life I met all kinds of people and I had good relationships with all of them. With one exception. Porters! A porter, dear young lady, and particularly a porter at a first class hotel, never judge you by what you actually are, but by what you look like. That's all the brain stuff they have.
Niciun comentariu:
Trimiteți un comentariu