Free Mood Indigo by Boris Vian Page A

and wind its way down to the kerb, trickling round the little heaps of dirt.
    â€˜Well?’ said Colin. ‘You’ve already got it, haven’t you? …’
    â€˜Not with a binding like that! …’ said Chick. ‘Oh, you’re such a bore!’ said Colin. ‘Come on, we’re supposed to be in a hurry.’
    â€˜I bet it’s worth a doublezoon or two,’ said Chick. ‘Of course it is,’ said Colin, and marched off. Chick went through his pockets. ‘Colin!’ he called … ‘Lend me the money.’ Colin stopped once again. He shook his head sadly. ‘I don’t think,’ he said, ‘that the twenty-five thousand doublezoons I promised you are going to last very long.’
    Chick blushed, his nose drooped, but nevertheless he still held out his hand. He took the cash and sped into the shop. Colin waited outside, anxiously and impatiently. Seeing Chick come out with such a radiant smile he shook his head once again, in pity this time, and a semi-smile sketched itself across his own lips.
    â€˜You’re nuts, my poor Chick! How much was it?’ ‘Forget it,’ said Chick. ‘Come on, let’s run.’ They hurried off. Chick seemed to be galloping on seven-league dragons.
    Outside Chloe’s door people were admiring the handsome white car ordered by Colin that had just driven up with its liveried chauffeur. The seats were covered in white fur, and inside it was all warm and cosy and full of music.
    The colour of the sky was permanent blue and the cloudswere scarce and wispy. It wasn’t too cold. The winter was coming to an end.
    The bottom of the lift began to swell under their feet and, with a big soft huff and a puff, gently burst its way up to the right floor, carrying them with it. Its door glided open for them. They rang. Then the flat door opened. Chloe was waiting for them.
    Besides her cellophane bra, her little white pants and her stockings, her body was protected by two layers of muslin, with a very full veil of fine tulle that fell from her shoulders, leaving her head completely free.
    Alyssum and Isis were dressed in the same way, but their dresses were the colour of water. Their perfumed hair shone in the sunshine and the heavy locks nestled lightly on their shoulders. A choice between them would have been impossible. Colin knew how to make it. He dared not kiss Chloe for fear of spoiling the way she had been arranged, so he made up for it with Isis and Alyssum. They were more than willing to help him out, seeing how happy he was.
    The whole room was filled with white flowers – the ones Colin had chosen – and on the pillow of the unmade bed there was the single petal of a crimson rose. The smell of the flowers and the perfume of the girls mingled intimately and Chick took himself for a bee in a hive. Alyssum wore a lilac orchid in her hair, Isis a scarlet rose and Chloe a big white camellia. She held a spray of lilies and a tiny chain of ivy leaves, all freshly lacquered and glistening, shone beside her wide bracelet of blue gold. Her engagement ring was inset with little square and rectangular diamonds which spelt out the name
Colin
in Morse. Under a vase of flowers in a corner, the summit of a cameraman’s skull slowly rose. He was shooting among the leaves down below.
    Colin posed for a few moments with Chloe, and then with Chick, Alyssum and Isis. Then they all lined up and followed Chloe into the lift. Its cables stretched so much under the extra weight that there was no need to press the button – but they all took great care to jump off at the same time so that there would be no chance of any of them being swept up again with the car.
    The chauffeur opened the door. The three girls and Colin sat in the back, with Chick in the front – and off they went. All the people in the street looked round and energetically waved, thinking it was Royalty or the President, and then went on their