She was thinner， with a mannered gauntness
as she paused just inside the double
glass doors to survey the room， silvery cape1
billowing dramatically behind her. What's this，
I thought， lifting a hand until
she nodded and started across the parquet2；
that's when I saw she was dressed all in gray，
from a kittenish cashmere skirt and cowl
down to the graphite signature of her shoes.
Sorry I'm late， she panted， though
she wasn't， sliding into the chair， her cape
tossed off in a shudder3 of brushed steel.
We kissed. Then I leaned back to peruse4
my blighted5 child， this wary6 aristocratic mole7.
How's business？ I asked， and hazarded
a motherly smile to keep from crying out：
Are you content to conduct your life
as a clich and， what's worse，
an anachronism， the brooding artist's demimonde？
Near the rue8 Princesse they had opened
a gallery cum souvenir shop which featured
fuzzy off-color Monets next to his acrylics， no doubt，
plus beared African drums and the occasional miniature
gargoyle9 from Notre Dame10 the Great Artist had
carved at breakfast with a pocket knife.
Tourists love us. The Parisians， of course
she blushedare amused， though not without
a certain admiration11 . . .
The Chateaubriand
arrived on a bone-white plate， smug and absolute
in its fragrant12 crust， a black plug steaming
like the heart plucked from the chest of a worthy13 enemy；
one touch with her fork sent pink juices streaming.
Admiration for what？ Wine， a bloody14
Pinot Noir， brought color to her cheeks. Why，
the aplomb15 with which we've managed
to support our Artmeaning he'd convinced
her to pose nude16 for his appalling17 canvases，
faintly futuristic landscapes strewn
with carwrecks and bodies being chewed
by rabid cocker spaniels. I'd like to come by
the studio， I ventured， and see the new stuff.
Yes， if you wish . . . A delicate rebuff
before the warning： He dresses all
in black now. Me， he drapes in blues18 and carmine
and even though I think it's kinda cute，
in company I tend toward more muted shades.
She paused and had the grace
to drop her eyes. She did look ravishing，
spookily insubstantial， a lipstick19 ghost on tissue，
or as if one stood on a fifth-floor terrace
peering through a fringe of rain at Paris'
dreaming chimney pots， each sooty issue
wobbling skyward in an ecstatic oracular spiral.
And he never thinks of food. I wish
I didn't have to plead with him to eat. . . . Fruit
and cheese appeared， arrayed on leaf-green dishes.
I stuck with caf 客户关系管理e. This Camembert's
so ripe， she joked， it's practically grown hair，
mucking a golden glob complete with parsley sprig
onto a heel of bread. Nothing seemed to fill
her up： She swallowed， sliced into a pear，
speared each tear-shaped lavaliere
and popped the dripping mess into her pretty mouth.
Nowhere the bright tufted fields， weighted
vines and sun poured down out of the south.
But are you happy？ Fearing， I whispered it
quickly. What？ You know， Mother
she bit into the starry20 rose of a fig
one really should try the fruit here.
I've lost her， I thought， and called for the bill.
