"Dunsany, Lord - Fifty-one Tales" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dunsany Lord)

The Guest




A young man came into an ornate restaurant at eight o'clock
in London.
He was alone, but two places had been laid at the table
which was reserved for him. He had chosen the dinner very
carefully, by letter a week before.
A waiter asked him about the other guest.
"You probably won't see him till the coffee comes," the
young man told him; so he was served alone.
Those at adjacent tables might have noticed the young man
continually addressing the empty chair and carrying on a
monologue with it throughout his elaborate dinner.
"I think you knew my father," he said to it over the
soup.
"I sent for you this evening," he continued, "because I
want you to do me a good turn; in fact I must insist on it."
There was nothing eccentric about the man except for this
habit of addressing an empty chair, certainly he was eating
as good a dinner as any sane man could wish for.
After the Burgundy had been served he became more voluble
in his monologue, not that he spoiled his wine by drinking
excessively.
"We have several acquaintances in common," he said. "I
met King Seti a year ago in Thebes. I think he has altered
very little since you knew him. I thought his forehead a
little low for a king's. Cheops has left the house that he
built for your reception, he must have prepared for you for
years and years. I suppose you have seldom been entertained
like that. I ordered this dinner over a week ago. I
thought then that a lady might have come with me, but as she
wouldn't I've asked you. She may not after all be as lovely
as Helen of Troy. Was Helen very lovely? Not when you knew
her, perhaps. You were lucky in Cleopatra, you must have