"We wondered, my husband and I" she said ceremoniously, "what happened to you. We haven't seen you for a long time.''
"I was very busy," Davis replied, handing his walking jacket to the waiter who had been pushed by Webb to him.
"Davis. I'm glad he came to visit us," he said, intruding. Even towards him Davis made an imperceptible bow, then he cut the width of the room with a hard glance.
"Nothing has changed here, has it? It is consoling to know that at least one place on earth can be found as it is left without fear of change... '' he observed and left them both doubting whether he had made a compliment rather than a sharp and not too veiled criticism.
He walked towards the bar, pointing to some greetings here and there and making those he paid attention to happy.
After this entry, life slowly returned and the chatter slowly resumed, even though they were all glimpses and silent appeals to those who had now become the center of attention. Signora Lorenzi did not want to give up and while chatting with a young woman she approached the bar carelessly.
Davis was alone in front of a glass of hot grog. He seemed unhappy and it was not clear if this was his normal attitude or if there was something in that meeting that disgusted or annoyed him. When he saw Dixon, he started toward him, shuffling the cards. Signora Lorenzi quickly preceded him and when she arrived at the table she found herself sitting in the place of the fourth player, drawing a dazzling smile.
Dixon watched him ostentatiously indifferently as he sat down at the table, then waved his glass at him, draining it in a gulp, and said amiably: "A little party, Markus?"
He shielded himself and then said poisonously: "Just don't take it as you did last time..."
Alxander made an amused gesture: "It's the salt of the game. Besides, you too are not really an indifferent player, I think...'' he insinuated. We are even. Davis had little to do with him. Dixon was in that phase of life when the hesitations began to disappear to leave the field to a rough frankness, at times unpleasant but truthful, and all this made it overall more interesting than all the congenies of flatterers that crowded the halls where find those who matter. Davis looked him over for a long time: after all, it was because of what he felt attracted to that drunk fat. From him he knew that he should not expect discounts on his behavior: even if education prevented him from being vulgar, his aggressive irony masked a resentment that made him sincere and all in all reliable. The only flaw was his insatiable curiosity and the inability to hold back the words, two faculties that turned him into an incurable gossip, but that still made him the most reliable source of news of the place, especially in terms of salacity concerning the nice sex.
For his part, Dixon enjoyed that skirmish: finally someone not mediocre with whom to play a level game. Between the two of them it had always been this way, from the beginning: allusions, salacity, winks and even some complicity had made their knowledge stimulating and a source of pleasure for each other. This is why Dixon was waiting for the right moment to give the incoming friend a sign.
Mrs Lorenzi, a little disoriented by all this bustle of intentions and relationships, candidly asked: "What are we playing for?"
She was struck by Davis: "Whist, of course"
"I give my place to someone else," said the other woman, starting to stand up.
"Via Mrs. Turner..." Dixon begged her, "I didn't want anything challenging either, but in similar conditions and with similar players" and he mentioned Davis and Lorenzi"
The woman gave a labored sigh and sat down again.
"Even in Italy the tradition of the whist has imposed itself since the last century" said Signora Lorenzi lightly while taking the papers "Count Cavour in Turin even founded a whist club in 1841"
"Good for him" acid Dixon commented. "Too bad it happened in the last century: I would have liked to have given a resounding blow to that little arrogant trap"
"Didn't you meet him?" asked Davis, laughing.
Signora Lorenzi looked at Dixon who suddenly became purple and did not understand the meaning of that joke: "Markus" he said, "How could he know? It's too much..." Then he realized, blushed and said carelessly. “absolutely...it’s obvious...what a fool I am...'' and she gave a volatile laugh.
Dixon concentrated on the game, he didn't like the joke about his age at all."I wish that goose would followed the game" he thought full of anger when he was forced to play strong in the second round.
"Our hand" said Dixon triumphantly and picked up the cards. Davis couldn't hide his disappointment and looked bored. He would not have won that swollen fat.
The game dragged uncertainly until the end. Then Davis, more fortunately than by skill, scored a pair of hands that settled things definitively in his favor. Dixon resigned himself and lost.
"I hope your luck doesn't affect any more... material fortunes" said Dixon to Davis with a raised eyebrow.
Davis looked at him without understanding. Dixon laughed as he ordered two more grogs: "Luck to the game...."
Signora Lorenzi pricked up her ears. Davis studied that impudence and decided to play along.
"I shouldn't say anything to a talker like you" he began, "but this time, I must admit, I was really busy and didn't have time..."
Dixon, who now had grenade cheeks, overheated by the barrel of grog he had swallowed there, gave a loud laugh and banged his fist on the table, making the two ladies jump.
"Do not tell me that my myth, the brave hunter Davis, is short of breath, pressed by the change in his business"
"It is so" Davis said, "when you can't do what you want" and looked intently at his friend's "you're forced to give up something to achieve some goal..."
"Not you, Markus, not you...." Dixon said, laughing "Not you, Markus, not you..." Dixon said, laughing "You have achieved your goals with a breadth of results which, at least in these parts, they are all now considered legendary."
Davis leaned over in his chair as if to simulate a smug bow: "Master of believing it, Alexander," he added, "but I must confess that I still have something to do in life, I think..."
Dixon nodded in annoyance: "If you consider your success unsatisfactory, then all of us here are failures."
"I didn't say that" Davis said, annoyed "I just said that I don't have, like you, so much time at my disposal"
"But it's been a while, now that you're here, you could devote it to the activities that, at least once you liked...." he sneakily insinuated.
Davis looked at him doubtfully: "I don't really want to get involved in an adventure..."
"Balle" Dixon exploded, causing the two ladies who looked around worried to jump back on the chairs.
Davis looked at him amused: "So, old talkative.. if you tell me this, it means that..."
Dixon looked intently at the two ladies. Mrs. Turner fanned herself with a fan and then said, "I think I'm going to the bar to get me something to drink. What would you favor, dear?'' He concluded, turning to the other woman.
"These men" she said, frivolously, getting up from the table "We'll be joining you soon for the rematch"
"He doesn't want to give up the prey" Dixon thought in an instant.
When they were alone Dixon approached Davis, who stood perfectly indifferent to the table.
"You must know a chick" he said in a low voice.
"Do you always do the pimp?" asked Davis ironically.
"God forbid, no" Dixon drew back "But I think you could…"
"Not this time, Alexander. I don't want any problems "
"There will be no problems.