The girl responded to one of Selvin’s jokes but otherwise remained silent. The food took forever to arrive, and when it did I had no appetite. ‘Lawrence, darling,’ Élodie said as I set my cutlery down. ‘Whatever is the matter? Are you the same young man who practically wolfed a bouillabaisse in Hendaye?’ ‘Maybe not.’ ‘But you are such a twig. I hate to think what you have been eating in your squalid existence. If anything at all.’ ‘I don’t have much choice. I’ve gone off meat because it is too expensive.’ ‘How sad. I hope you haven’t turned into one of those silly vegetarians.’ This had to be for the girl’s benefit. ‘Not really,’ I said. ‘More out of necessity. But I have to say that none of the food around here does much for anybody. The women eat pastries, and it doesn’t change anything.’ ‘It is called the French Paradox,’ Élodie said. ‘And I wish it were true. Unfortunately, what it boils down to is that the girls here spend their days finding new and obsessive ways to stay svelte.’ ‘Do you?’ ‘Oh, such impertinence.
