Pleasure Page #2

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Please, don't apologize.

I've learnt a precious lesson

Doctor...

Give me your address

in case he gets worse

I don't think you need worry.

He could go on for years like this

That's good. I want him to live long

and carry on dancing

The doctor had witnessed a scene

from the eternal drama...

...played out every day in so many

forms and settings

To the 'Palais de la Danse'

I didn't just write sad stories

Would you now like something

more cheerful, bawdy even?

A fairy tale for grown-ups?

It's quite a long story,

based in Normandy...

...in a small Channel port

The setting is not exactly

residential...

...if you understand my meaning

It's the story of a house

Not exactly a block

of rented flats...

...but how can I put it

without shocking you?

It was a house, but a

very well kept house

Men would go there every night...

...meeting in little groups

They were respectable -

shopkeepers, young men...

They would drink and fondle

the girls or talk to Madame...

...whom they all respected

Too late

Madame was from a good

farming family...

...and saw her trade as no different

to a milliner's or linen maid's

There was less prejudice

in the countryside

Farmers said:

"It's a good trade"...

...and sent their daughters to run

harems as if they were girls' schools

The house was inherited

from an uncle

The new owners closed their inn...

...and embraced this new venture

They took over a business which,

lacking management, had been failing

They were nice people, and the staff

and neighbors liked them instantly

Monsieur died two years later

His new position had made him

lazy and fat...

...and he died of a stroke

The house had two entrances

On the corner was a shady caf

open at night for workers and sailors

Two girls looked after the needs

of these clients

Louise, dressed in the theme of

Liberty and nicknamed 'Pet'...

...and Flora, known as 'Swing' for the

shocking way she swayed her hips

Looking like kitchen maids in fancy

dress, they enticed men to drink

Look at these curls.

You have lovely hair

They worked with Frdric,

the waiter

A tall dark-haired boy

strong as an ox

The other ladies formed

a kind of aristocracy...

...staying upstairs in the

drawing-room with their clients

Fernande played the pretty blonde

and Raphale...

...the indispensable beautiful

Jewess

I thought of you earlier

Rosa only stopped drinking to sing

and singing to drink

- Give me another

- It's the last one

'Bye, darling. See you tomorrow

'Bye, Fernande. See you tomorrow

My cardigan

- Hello, Rosa

- I'll call Raphale

All clear

Monsieur Dupuis, don't get cold

Above the door was a lantern

I apologize, but I cannot hide it

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