Page 390 - tender-is-the-night

happy.’
‘We hardly know him,’ Nicole objected.
‘He urged us. Besides, Baby knows him—she practically
married him, doesn’t she—didn’t she?’
When they put out from the port in a hired launch it
was already summer dusk and lights were breaking out in
spasms along the rigging of the Margin. As they drew up
alongside, Nicole’s doubts reasserted themselves.
‘He’s having a party—‘
‘It’s only a radio,’ he guessed.
They were hailed—a huge white-haired man in a white
suit looked down at them, calling:
‘Do I recognize the Divers?’
‘Boat ahoy, Margin!’
Their boat moved under the companionway; as they
mounted Golding doubled his huge frame to give Nicole a
hand.
‘Just in time for dinner.’
A small orchestra was playing astern.
‘I’m yours for the asking—but till then you can’t ask me
to behave—‘
And as Golding’s cyclonic arms blew them aft without
touching them, Nicole was sorrier they had come, and more
impatient at Dick. Having taken up an attitude of aloof-
ness from the gay people here, at the time when Dick’s work
and her health were incompatible with going about, they
had a reputation as refusers. Riviera replacements during
the ensuing years interpreted this as a vague unpopular-
ity. Nevertheless, having taken such a stand, Nicole felt it

390 Tender is the Night