OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

I
" FOR heaven's sake shut the window!" groaned Elie, pulling the
blankets up to his chin. " Have you gone quite crazy? "
" But there's such a fug in here." Sylvie's form showed in white
relief against the greyness of the window. " You were sweating all
last night, and the place smells like a sickroom."
He snuffled, and let himself down lower into the bed, curling his
lean limbs into a ball, while the girl stepped into the warm glow of
the bathroom and turned on the taps. For some minutes the hiss of
water made further talk out of the question. One eye emerging from
the sheets, Elie contemplated now the window, now the bathroom.
The light outside was cheerless, and the sight of the open window
sent a shiver down his spine each time he looked towards it. That
morning early risers must have been greeted by a snowstorm, but
it was now eleven and no more flakes were falling from the sallow
clouds hanging low above the housetops of Brussels. The streetlamps
in the Avenue du Jardin Botanique had been left on, and
shop-windows, too, were lighted up.
From where he lay Elie had a clear view over the black, gleaming
Avenue, up and dotyn which trams were gliding in slow, clanging
files. And he could also see the Botanical Gardens, sheeted with
snow, the pond frozen over but for a small black patch of open
water, in which three swans sat motionless.
" Aren't you getting up? "
" Can't you see I'm ill? "
They had stayed until three in the morning at the Merryland
cabaret, though all the evening Elie had been blowing his nose till
the tears streamed from his eyes, and imploring her to return to the
hotel. It was a nasty cold, the sort that easily develops into bronchitis
or the 'flu. He felt naked and defenceless in a hostile world,
sweat oozing from every pore.
" Do please shut that window, Sylvie."
i