The Streak

Excerpt from book: A VISION OF THE PAST, AND ONE OF THE FUTTTBE The sunlight of Paris?so Dick had declared? would agreeably prepare Anne for the more persistent, although hardly more sparkling glow of Manila. The boulevards, gay with pleasure-seeking men and women?the chestnut glades of the Bois?the thronged race-course at Longchamps?the still orchard-close at the Invalides?the Seine bearing its lazy boats past green islands to Saint Cloud?each in its kind and degree gave a share of perfect environment for a honeymoon. It was all new to Anne, and although by no means so to Dick, yet it never lost its zest for him. Perhaps she liked best to sit at one of the little iron-legged tables on the terrasse of a cafe, and there watch the strange river of life flow past: soldiers in baggy red trousers; " Immortals," black-bearded, silk- hatted, decorated; Latin Quarter dandies, their hair parted down the backs of their heads, and brushed forward; les Apaches, furtive-eyed, defiant-mouthed; and above all, the women, women, always women, young or old, classed or unclassed, sylph-like or shapeless, gowned after the latest models or clad in what seemed gunny-sacks tied with a string. One afternoon, at the hour of the aperitif, the two sank a little wearily into their accustomed seats. " By Jove! It's a real comfort to sit down," said Dick. " Your fad of walking about Paris is a bit hard on an old automobilist like me. You see howbeing married has begun to reform my bad habits already." Anne smiled at him. " Shall we have tea? " " Yes, of course." He was conscious that fatigue had brought a note of sharpness into his voice. " And a thimbleful of cognac for me," he added smilingly, " before I bite off somebody's head." They were soon served, and Dick brightened visibly under his swallow o...