Free The Beach by Cesare Pavese Page B

time?" I said. He looked as if he hadn't slept and told me as much right off, very casually. He seemed actually proud of it. "Come to the sea, professor," he insisted. "There's nobody there."
    I had to write a letter. "Professor," he said, after a short pause, "all you have to do is turn the night into day and everything becomes beautiful."
    I looked up from my paper. "Troubles at your age are light."
    Berti smiled with a certain hardness. "Why should I have troubles?" He looked down.
    "I thought you had quarreled..." I said.
    "With whom?" he interrupted.
    "All right, then," I grumbled.
    "Come in swimming, professor," Berti said. "The sea is huge."
    I told him I would be coming later with my friends and to leave me in peace. He went, with an expression half serious, half irritated, and immediately I blamed myself for having treated him so meanly. But patience, I thought, you are learning something at his expense.
    I met Guido at the bar. He was wearing white shorts and an open-neck shirt as usual; the bogus virility of his tan made me smile. Guido smiled and held out his hand, raising his eyes to the roofs, sly and severe at once. "What a day!" he said. It was indeed a wonderful sky and a splendid morning. "Have a glass of Marsala, professor. Last night, eh?" He winked, I don't know why, and refused to let me go. "And what is the beautiful Clelia doing?" he said.
    "I've just come from my room."
    "Always the sober one, eh, professor?"
    We walked off. He asked me if I were staying much longer. "I'm beginning to have enough," I said. "Too many complications."
    Guido was not listening, or perhaps he missed the point.
    "You don't have company," he said.
    "I have my friends."
    "Not enough. I share the same friends, but I wouldn't be in such fine form this morning if I'd slept in a single bed."
    As I didn't reply, he explained that he also enjoyed Clelia's company, but the smoke was not the roast.
    "And the roast would be..."
    Guido laughed loudly. "There are women of flesh," he said, "and women of air. A deep breath after dinner is great. But first you have to eat."
    Actually, I said, I was at the sea for Doro's sake.
    "Incidentally," I added, "he's not painting any more."
    "It's about time," retorted Guido.
    But neither Clelia nor Doro came to the beach that morning. Neither Gisella nor any of the others knew why. I got impatient by noon, and taking advantage of the others' plans for a boat trip, I went home to dress and climbed up to the villa. No one in the street. I was about to open the gate when Doro and an elderly gentleman with a cane and a panama hat came out on the walk. The latter walked slowly toward the road, nodding at things I couldn't hear. Doro, when we were alone, looked at me with dancing eyes.
    "What's going on?" I said.
    "It happens that Clelia is pregnant."
    Before showing my pleasure, I waited for Doro to give the lead. We went up the walk toward the steps. Doro seemed amused and unbelieving. "The truth is, you're happy," I said.
    "I want to see how it works out first," he said. "It's the first time it's happened to me."
    Then Clelia came out of her room, asking who was there. She smiled at me, almost as if to excuse herself, and put her handkerchief to her mouth. "Don't I disgust you?" she said.
    Then we talked about the doctor, who had run on a good deal about responsibility and wanted to return with all sorts of instruments to make a scientific diagnosis. "What a nut!" Clelia said.
    "Nonsense," Doro retorted. "Today we are going to take the train to Genoa. You've got to see De Luca."
    Clelia looked at me. "You see," she said. "Paternity has started already. He's giving orders."
    I said I was sorry they would have to cut off their vacation; but otherwise it was a fine thing.
    "And you think I'm not sorry too?" Clelia grumbled.
    Doro was counting on his fingers. "It'll be more or less..."
    "Knock it off," Clelia said.
    Instead of going by train, they went in Guido's car. Doro kept me company as far as the