〃Count Greffi was asking for you；〃 he said。
〃Who？〃
〃Count Greffi。 You remember the old man who was here when you were here before。〃
〃Is he here？〃
〃Yes； he's here with his niece。 I told him you were here。 He wants you to play billiards。〃
〃Where is he？〃
〃He's taking a walk。〃
〃How is he？〃
〃He's younger than ever。 He drank three champagne cocktails last night before dinner。〃
〃How's his billiard game？〃
〃Good。 He beat me。 When I told him you were here he was very pleased。 There's nobody here for him to play with。〃
Count Greffi was ninety…four years old。 He had been a contemporary of Metternich and was an old man with white hair and mustache and beautiful manners。 He had been in the diplomatic service of both Austria and Italy and his birthday parties were the great social event of Milan。 He was living to be one hundred years old and played a smoothly fluent game of billiards that contrasted with his own ninety…four…year…old brittleness。 I had met him when I had been at Stresa once before out of season and while we played billiards we drank champagne。 I thought it was a splendid custom and he gave me fifteen points in a hundred and beat me。
〃Why didn't you tell me he was here？〃
〃I forgot it。〃
〃Who else is here？〃
〃No one you know。 There are only six people altogether。〃
〃What are you doing now？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃e on out fishing。〃
〃I could e for an hour。〃
〃e on。 Bring the trolling line。〃
The barman put on a coat and we went out。 We went down and got a boat and I rowed while the barman sat in the stern and let out the line with a spinner and a heavy sinker on the end to troll for lake trout。 We rowed along the shore； the barman holding the line in his hand and giving it occasional jerks forward。 Stresa looked very deserted from the lake。 There were the long rows of bare trees； the big hotels and the closed villas。 I rowed across to Isola Bella and went close to the walls； where the water deepened sharply； and you saw the rock wall slanting down in the clear water； and then up and along to the fisherman's island。 The sun was under a cloud and the water was dark and smooth and very cold。 We did not have a strike though we saw some circles on the water from rising fish。
I rowed up opposite the fisherman's island where there were boats drawn up and men were mending nets。
〃Should we get a drink？〃
〃All right。〃
I brought the boat up to the stone pier and the barman pulled in the line； coiling it on the bottom of the boat and hooking the spinner on the edge of the gunwale。 I stepped out and tied the boat。 We went into a little caf？ sat at a bare wooden table and ordered vermouth。
〃Are you tired from rowing？〃
〃I'll row back；〃 he said。
〃I like to row。〃
〃Maybe if you hold the line it will change the luck。〃
〃All right。〃
〃Tell me how goes the war。〃
〃Rotten。〃
〃I don't have to go。 I'm too old； like Count Greffi。〃
〃Maybe you'll have to go yet。〃
〃Next year they'll call my class。 But I won't go。〃
〃What will you do？〃
〃Get out of the country。 I wouldn't go to war。 I was at the war once in Abyssinia。 Nix。 Why do you go？〃
〃I don't know。 I was a fool。〃
〃Have another vermouth？〃
〃All right。〃
The barman rowed back。 We trolled up the lake beyond Stresa and then down not far from shore。 I held the taut line and felt the faint pulsing of the spinner revolving while I looked at the dark November water of the lake and the deserted shore。 The barman rowed with long strokes and on the forward thrust of the boat the line throbbed。 Once I had a strike： the line hardened suddenly and jerked back。 I pulled and felt the live weight of the trout and then the line throbbed again。 I had missed him。
〃Did he feel big？〃
〃Pretty big。〃
〃Once when I was out trolling alone I had the line in my teeth and one struck and nearly took my mouth out。〃
〃The best way is to have it over your leg；〃 I said。 〃Then you feel it and don't lose your teeth。〃
I put my hand in the water。 It was very cold。 We were almost opposite the hotel now。
〃I have to go in；〃 the barman said； 〃to be there for eleven o'clock。 L'heure du cocktail。〃
〃All right。〃
I pulled in the line and wrapped it on a stick notched at each end。 The barman put the boat in a little slip in the stone wall and locked it with a chain and padlock。
〃Any time you want it；〃 he said； 〃I'll give you the key。〃
〃Thanks。〃
We went up to the hotel and into the bar。 I did not want another drink so early in the morning so I went up to our room。 The maid had just finished doing the room and Catherine was not back yet。 I lay down on the bed and tried to keep from thinking。
When Catherine came back it was all right again。 Ferguson was downstairs； she said。 She was ing to lunch。
〃I knew you wouldn't mind；〃 Catherine said。
〃No；〃 I said。
〃What's the matter； darling？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃I know。 You haven't anything to do。 All you have is me and I go away。〃
〃That's true。〃
〃I'm sorry； darling。 I know it must be a dreadful feeling to have nothing at all suddenly。〃
〃My life used to be full of everything；〃 I said。 〃Now if you aren't with me I haven't a thing in the world。〃
〃But I'll be with you。 I was only gone for two hours。 Isn't there anything you can do？〃
〃I went fishing with the barman。〃
〃Wasn't it fun？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Don't think about me when I'm not here。〃
〃That's the way I worked it at the front。 But there was something to do then。〃
〃Othello with his occupation gone；〃 she teased。
〃Othello was a nigger；〃 I said。 〃Besides； I'm not jealous。 I'm just so in love with you that there isn't anything else。〃
〃Will you be a good boy and be nice to Ferguson？〃
〃I'm always nice to Ferguson unless she curses me。〃
〃Be nice to her。 Think how much we have and she hasn't anything。〃
〃I don't think she wants what we have。〃
〃You don't know much； darling； for such a wise boy。〃
〃I'll be nice to her。〃
〃I know you will。 You're so sweet。〃
〃She won't stay afterward； will she？〃
〃No。 I'll get rid of her。〃
〃And then we'll e up here。〃
〃Of course。 What do you think I want to do？〃
We went downstairs to have lunch with Ferguson。 She was very impressed by the hotel and the splendor of the dining…room。 We had a good lunch with a couple of bottles of white capri。 Count Greffi came into the dining…room and bowed to us。 His niece； who looked a little like my grandmother； was with him。 I told Catherine and Ferguson about him and Ferguson was very impressed。 The hotel was very big and grand and empty but the food was good； the wine was very pleasant and finally the wine made us all feel very well。 Catherine had no need to feel any better。 She was very happy。 Ferguson became quite cheerful。 I felt very well myself。 After lunch Ferguson went back to her hotel。 She was going to lie down for a while after lunch she said。
Along late in the afternoon some one knocked on our door。
〃Who is it？〃
〃The Count Greffi wishes to know if you will play billiards with him。〃
I looked at my watch； I had taken it off and it was under the pillow。
〃Do you have to go； darling？〃 Catherine whispered。
〃I think I'd better。〃 The watch was a quarter…past four o'clock。 Out loud I said； 〃Tell the Count Greffi I will be in the billiard…room at five o'clock。〃
At a quarter to