From Here to Eternity_ The Restored Edit - Jones, James [224]
“Hell,” Maggio said disappointedly. “I thought this was French champagne.”
“And,” Hal said, “in spite of what Somerset Maugham says, I say domestic champagne cant touch the French. And I ought to know.”
“Hal lived in France for a long time,” Angelo said to Prew.
“Is that right?” Prew said.
“Yes,” Hal said. “Remind me to tell you about it sometime. Come on, lets go. I bought this champagne especially for you, Tony, and its getting harder and harder to get, what with the war. And I want to christen it. Besides, we can be comfortable there. Its so muggy hot in here tonight. I want to get my clothes off.”
“Okay,” Angelo said. “I dont care. How about you, Prew?”
Prew was watching Bloom’s big figure, dominating the table of five thin men and Andy. “What?” he said. “Oh, its okay with me.”
“Fine,” Hal said. “I suppose if he wouldnt go, you wouldnt either,” he said to Angelo.
Maggio winked at Prew. “No, I wouldnt. I cant leave my buddy.”
“Such sentiment is very touching,” Tommy sniffed.
Hal called the waiter and paid the bill, by check.
“I always pay by check,” he said to Prew while they were waiting for the change. “Just in case you get ideas, dear,” he added, smiling that sweet smile that was more in his excited eyes than on his mouth. He tipped the waiter liberally.
“That is all, garçon,” he said. “We are leaving.”
“What do you always call him garsong for?” Prew said.
“Thats French for waiter,” Hal said. “Boy.”
“I know it,” Prew said. “Thats about all the French I know. But it sounds affected. It sounds like you dont know French at all.”
“I don’t give a goddam,” Hal smiled. “I do it because I like it.” He took Prew by the sleeve of his gook shirt and spouted out a stream of French that rose and fell and ran together like distant small arms fire. “There, you see?” he smiled.
They walked out past the same hulking broken-faced bouncer who saluted Hal with one finger, bowing a little, and Prew heard coming from the lounge the same piano music he had listened to outside, as if that same piece had been playing all the time they were inside and was still going, going on forever.
“Whats the name of that piece?” he asked.
“What?” Tommy said. “That? Just a minute. I know it.”
“Its Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C# Minor,” Hal said quickly. “Very common stuff. Its one of that old drunk’s specialties. Some pseudo-intellectual is always asking for it. Trés chic,” he said.
“What is pseudo?” Prewitt asked.
“It means half-assed,” Angelo said.
Hal laughed. “Yes. Thats it. Fake would fit it.”
“Its a prefix,” Tommy said stiffly. “And it means unreal, illusory.”
“Pseudo,” Prew said. “Half-assed.”
Chapter 26
THE FOUR OF THEM walked back down Kalakaua past the Moana. At Kaiulani they crossed over to the other side and walked past the single string of tourist shops whose display windows displayed water goggles, spear fishing outfits, the big rubber foot fins for better kicking. One shop was devoted wholly to beach robes and swimming trunks, all with a highly floral Hawaiian motif. Another shop was a woman’s shop displaying dresses and coats, also with Hawaiian motif. There was a jewelry shop with expensive looking little figures carved from Chinese jade. Beyond the unbroken string of shops was the world famed Waikiki Theater that had living palms growing inside it, but this was closed now. It was almost midnight and most everything was closed now, and even the streets were beginning to get their late at night deserted look. The night air was cooling now and a small sea wind stirred and only a few clouds high up moved slowly east hiding a swatch of stars as they went. The palm trees that curved out over the sidewalk rustled in the small wind softly as they walked.
Beyond the big white bulk of the Waikiki Theater, that was closed now, Hal turned north away from the beach into one of the little side streets full of whispering tropical plants that they could not see.
“Isnt this a lovely place to live?” Hal called. “So beautifully simple. And what a lovely night.”
“Oh, isnt it though,” Tommy said. “Simply exquisite.”
Hal