The Enormous Room by E. E. (Edward Estlin) Cummings
page 68 of 322 (21%)
page 68 of 322 (21%)
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"_Comprenez vous fran-cais?_"
"_Un peu._" "_Bon. Alors, vous vous ap-pel-lez KEW MANGZ, m'est-ce pas? Edouard KEW-MANGZ?_" "Oh," I said, relieved, "yes." It was really amazing, the way he writhed around the G. "_Comment ca se prononce en anglais?_" I told him. He replied benevolently, somewhat troubled "uh-ah uh-ah uh-ah--why are you here, KEW-MANGZ?" At this question I was for one moment angrier than I had ever before been in all my life. Then I realized the absurdity of the situation, and laughed.--"_Sais pas_." The questionnaire continued: "You were in the Red Cross?"--"Surely, in the Norton Harjes Ambulance, Section Sanitaire Vingt-et-Un."--"You had a friend there?"--"Naturally."--"_Il a ecrit, votre ami, des betises, n'est ce pas?_"--"So they told me. _N'en sais rien._"--"What sort of person was your friend?"--"He was a magnificent person, always _tres gentil_ with me."--(With a queer pucker the fencer remarked) "Your friend got you into a lot of trouble, though."--(To which I replied with a broad grin) |
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