Jigsaw by Sybille Bedford

Author:Sybille Bedford [Sybille Bedford]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781906011741
Publisher: Eland Publishing
Published: 2012-10-17T04:00:00+00:00

I had been wondering after that theatre night whether we – I – would be meeting the Desmirails again and, given the heterogeneity of the first occasion, on what footing. Some people are brought together by their dogs, with us it was fated to be cars. Alessandro and I were caught on a somnolent hot early afternoon on the quai at Bandol – deserted by the boules players now asleep – by Oriane Desmirail, also not keeping siesta, passing in a Citroën. Alessandro was trying – trying – to teach me to reverse on our Peugeot. Now that I was eighteen, he was teaching me to drive. Oriane stopped and watched my efforts which did not improve by observation.

Dear children, she addressed us with what I must call a mocking smile (she was a master of that as I was to find out).

‘My dear children, don’t you know the first rule about learning to drive a car?’

‘This one has a tricky gear …’

She ignored me. ‘The first rule is never to be taught by a member of one’s family. The second, not in one’s family’s car.’ Pause. ‘We must do something about this.’ She looked at Alessandro. Then, gaily, decisively, ‘I’m sure we’ve got a car for her to learn on – not this great big thing. Now listen to me: passing one’s driving test is quite a serious business in the Département du Var.’

We listened.

‘Why don’t you come to us tomorrow at this sort of time, say three o’clock,’ she gave the name and way to the furnished villa in which they were camping. ‘We’ll get you properly taught and you’ll be able to get your permis in no time.’

And who is going to teach me, I thought, aghast.

‘Not by our family either,’ she said as though she’d read me. ‘We’ve got just the right man for you, he’s a mechanic and driver, he does donkey-work for us. He’ll shout at you too, but in the right way … So, à demain,’ and she was off.

I did not recognise it then for what it was par excellence, a Desmirail gesture. Desmirail gestures were always carried through.

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