Hell's Gate by Laurent Gaudé

Author:Laurent Gaudé [Laurent Gaudé]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781910477465
Publisher: Gallic Books
Published: 2017-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

Matteo opened the door of the café with one hand. With the other, he made sure that the professor was able to follow him. As soon as he entered he was greeted with a joyous ‘There he is! It’s my driver!’

Grace was there, like the last time, sipping a cocktail and pouting like an American starlet.

‘What happened?’ asked Garibaldo as soon as he saw Provolone’s bleeding face.

‘He was attacked,’ replied Matteo, helping Provolone to sit at a table. ‘I brought him here so that he could have a restorative drink.’

‘And I thank you …’ stammered the professor, ‘really … Thank you … but you mustn’t … in any way … I’ve been a terrible nuisance …’

Garibaldo had brought over an ice bucket, a clean cloth and a bottle of grappa that he put on the table.

‘Did they steal anything from you?’ asked Matteo.

Strangely, he heard Grace choking with laughter behind him, as if it was a stupid question. The professor blushed and replied, ‘I’m very grateful for your concern … I really am … But everything is fine … I’m sorry to have involved you in all this …’

Grace winked mockingly at Matteo and, when he seemed not to understand, said, ‘What the professore means is that it wasn’t a fight you interrupted but a form of flirting!’

Matteo was astounded. He looked at the man he had just brought in to see whether he would confirm or deny this and the professor said with an embarrassed little shrug, ‘I understand why you were mistaken … I really do …’

‘But …’ Matteo was having trouble believing it.

‘Yes,’ Provolone went on. ‘What can I say … I love those little street urchins … I really do … I just can’t help myself …’

Grace burst out laughing. She raised her glass and said, ‘To Professore Provolone!’

Matteo remained stunned for some time. He didn’t know whether to laugh or to be annoyed. There was something going on here that he did not understand. ‘The world is upside down,’ he thought and he drank the glass of grappa Garibaldo was holding out to him with a smile.

‘If there’s anything I can do …’ replied Provolone. ‘Really … I’m so embarrassed.’

Matteo looked at him in amazement. He just could not understand how anyone could choose to be attacked for pleasure. He did not ask the question but his confusion must have been obvious because the professor lowered his eyes and tried to explain. ‘You’re wondering why I do it, aren’t you? … I imagine that’s what you’re thinking … You remember the conversation we had last time? About death living in us … The feeling of being a ghost sometimes … Yes, exactly that … A ghost … Without life … In those moments, you see, when they hit me and laugh so savagely, when I feel their glorious muscles on me … I come alive. Strange to relate. But I assure you. I feel, yes, there’s no other way of saying it … vividly alive …’

Matteo said nothing.

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