The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of Europe by Tony Perrottet

Author:Tony Perrottet [Perrottet, Tony]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Essays, Europe, History, Non-Fiction, Social History, Travel, Travelogues
ISBN: 9780307592187
Google: J6BnSZoSMAYC
Amazon: 0307592189
Publisher: Crown
Published: 2011-05-09T23:00:00+00:00

I did attend the final performance that night, and I wasn’t even bothered by the bumblebee costumes or dancing gendarmes. It was a full moon, and Maxim champagne was flowing like water. I was in such high spirits, I crashed the after-party at the Café de Sade. Gérard raised his eyebrows when I walked in to the private feast, until Cardin came over to shake my hand. “An excellent end to the arts festival,” we agreed.

This was the way I should have behaved all along, I decided. With an air of noblesse, the world simply falls into place.

The next morning, I couldn’t resist a little gloating, so I went to the Café de Sade to casually mention to a few naysayers that I’d managed to penetrate the château.

“Well, congratulations,” said Jasper the sculptor, through gritted teeth. “Mission accomplished.”

A few minutes later, Cardin arrived with a few friends and waved me over.

“This is the historian from New York!”

I was introduced to Cardin’s guests: the governor of Thessalonika (“Greece’s second city!”), a trade envoy from Russia (“We are proud to be doing business with the Cardin empire!”), the owner of a Marseille shipping company, and three comely blonde women with lacquered nails, dripping gold earrings, and pearly white smiles, who adroitly translated among Greek, French, Russian, and English. Cardin was delighted to learn that I had actually been born in Australia. “This table is international,” he rejoiced. “All we need now is someone from Africa!”

Toasts were raised. Gifts offered. The Greek mayor presented Cardin with a marble replica of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, which I could already see gathering dust in the Château Sade. Then we all stood up for endless photographs. As I stood with my arm around a bevy of blonde translators, I saw Les trudging uphill toward the café. She had spent all morning packing.

“What are you going to do now?” she asked. “Run for mayor?”

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