What a velvety evening!
It carries the crescent of the waning moon helplessly on its back, which looks like it had been slipping over the equatorial line by accident. The ocean is so smooth, even the smallest wave seems a disturbance. I wonder how far down this spotlessness continues.
In the artfully illuminated hotel, Dagmar von Platen energetically strode towards the table near the window. Looking at the dark window panes of the dining room, she might have seen herself approaching her own image. Her route was away from the ocean, leaving it behind. Its sucking depths evaporated between the lights of the hall…
She felt cold. The cold sprang from inside her. She was not at all too hot wearing the thin stole.
Tonio had not yet arrived!
Why was it this stupid Dottore Satori – as she often tauntingly called him – always had to talk endlessly on the phone before dinner, of all times?
Or was it because she was particularly nervous today?
Carlos, the eager waiter from the continent, was already asking for the second time if Dagmar von Platen had any particular wish with respect to the wine. And if there was anything else he could do for her. He said he enjoyed looking after her. Incidentally, the nice, elderly gentleman of last time was also again staying at the hotel!
Dagmar silently stared at Carlo’s mirror image until it disappeared in the dark pane. His over-familiarity was offensive to her.
Who did he think he was? Did he know too much?
At all the neighbouring tables, people had started eating a long time ago. Several guests had already reached the Zabaione con Bacche stage. Some had even already finished dinner.
At long last – here was Tonio…
Suddenly, the stole was no longer necessary.
He enjoyed the predatory interest of the stale couples at the neighbouring tables.
Today, it was embarrassing for her; even Tonio’s secret glance at the blond bosom sitting at the corner table.
But when he stood before her in all his vibrating glory, everything else was suddenly trivial.
Charmingly using a great gesture, he asked for a place to give this frail pilgrim a rest, took her eternally cold hands between his own and moved them towards his lips ever so slowly.
Carlos quickly came, drops of perspiration showing underneath his nose..
Without asking Tonio, a good-humoured Dagmar ordered the „Alva“ Rioja, vintage 68! It would go well with the poached see devil on zabaglione sauce with wild rice.
The general mood in the dining room improved. From all directions, laughter could be heard at their table – and it was reflected back into the saloon. They were both filled with hilarity and started talking about individual scenes of the afternoon that Dagmar had enjoyed with Tonio in such an unexpectedly intense way. Now he also had to tell her about the newest films. He was the expert, wasn’t he? She appreciated his lively way of analysing things. Every detail mattered.…
The three very young British girls sitting at the table diagonal and behind Tonio listened in without the slightest qualms and ferquently put their excitingly fresh faces together.
Tonio persistently kept his back to them. However, his extensive gestures were enough to cover their table, as well. In a humorous tone of voice, Dagmar suggested he might change places and sit with them. After all, she had already enjoyed her share of pleasures in the afternoon. Now it was the youngsters term! If, however, maturity counted, then he might well stay with her: she was easily a match for the number of years lived that the three girls together would add up to.
Tonio touched her cheeks indulgently. Dagmer enjoyed this playful tenderness. She told him the Rioja was as exciting as his tongue …
The dining hall emptied. Dagmar did not feel like going on her usual evening stroll. But Tonio wanted to dander. If possible through the entire night, so as to postpone the usual farewell.
A slight west wind had destroyed the mirror-like smoothness of the ocean – along with the moon. The velvety quiet was gone.
As on the evenings before, they went along the poorly lit way along the near steep coast to the English part of town. She heard the noisy singers in heat.
Feeling predatory, Dagmar asked her Dottore if the three British girls had stirred him. Playfully, Tonio pressed his body closer to hers and pointed towards the creamy white wave crowns with a smile. He asked her to be careful where she stepped. It was easy to stumble at any time and fall down into the abyss.
„In that case, you should be very careful, Dottore. It would be a pity if something happened to you, wouldn’t it?“
They passed several pubs without being drawn towards any of them. In one of the gardens, Tonio discovered the British girls. Dagmar focussed on the road. With exaggerated concern, Tonio tried to support her. Perhaps she was being unfair, but all of a sudden his considerateness upset her.
Besides, she was fed up with the noisy singers and wanted to go back to the hotel.
When they reached the narrow strip with the angular stairs, she could no longer hold back and said it.
The people passing did not matter to her, but perhaps they were part of the set-up? Perhaps even the friendly, grey-haired gentleman?
„Why don’t you go and get yourself some British flesh, Dottore“, she spit at him. „Do you think I did not notice your yearning eyes? I may be old, but I am not yet stupid!“
Tonio looked at her with consternation and disappeared.…
Dagmar felt hurt – but liberated!
The upcoming wind no longer annoyed her. At the push of a button, the ocean got aggressive. Something sprang up from deep down. She felt peculiarly light as she walked back to the hotel. The entertainment program was still on, there were even a few vacant seats…
At the breakfast table next morning, she sat alone again.
The champagne was a balm to her soul. Now she was already into the second glass! The agitated surf still crashed against the black lava cliffs. The soft vibrato of the percussion waves could still be heard in the dining hall.
Tonio had never re-appeared.
Dagmar went by herself on the trip to the Barancos they had booked together. Even the most difficult parts of the way were no problem at all for her.
In the afternoon, his room in the shared appartment was already empty. The envelope with the money they had agreed upon was also gone.
Dagmar von Platen spent the three remaining days with the friendly grey-haired gentleman of the stairs…
The weather had chanced again. Now the hot Calima kept blowing over the islands. The ocean looked yellow. All over the place, you could see tiny particles of desert sand. It was high time to depart!
It was already the second evening that a new, unknown waiter served dinner instead of Carlos. Maybe he wanted to ingratiate himself with Dagmar von Platen and her discreet companion with his important item of news: something dreadful had happened; at the steep coast near the stairs, which he was sure she knew, they had found a totally mutilated male corpse early in the morning. Hungry fish had done a good job on him. There was no chance that the corpse would soon be identified…
Horrible, was Dagmar’s smiling comment as she took a haerty bite from the peach she had ordered instead of ice-cream. And this smile became loud laughter when, back in her room after the evening news, she read an extensive report on the Cannes Film Festival. She discovered her Dottore with the extremely rich Countess of Osterloh on his arm. With her 76 years, she still walked quite stately.
Dagmar von Platen cheered him with her champagne! Regardless of his weakness for young flesh, the Dottore was certainly a reliable business partner.
Unfortunately, Carlos was not …
KH
(Translated by EG)
PS:
Two weeks from now, on June, 2nd, 2011, we will be back with „just“ our “Carl and Gerlinde“…
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