Giving The Imperial Finger

Belle and Sweezus are drinking cafés au lait at Les Deux Magots, where Hemingway drank with Fitzgerald.

I wonder how Gaius is going? says Belle.

Why? asks Sweezus. Won't he be on his way home?

No, says Belle. He's going back to Utrecht with both the bicycles. He doesn't want to.

When you say bicycles, says Sweezus, you mean including the.... other one? The one with....

You can say it, says Belle. The one with the virtual rider.

Oh, Arne, says Sweezus.

Yes, apparently both bicycles have to be returned to the Utrecht University Museum, says Belle.

D'you miss him? asks Sweezus.

Who? says Belle. Gaius? Are you kidding?

Arne, says Sweezus.

No, it's over, says Belle. It wasn't really him anyway, only his voice, and that kept breaking up.

That's what I thought, says Sweezus, nodding and swallowing.

Anyway, says Belle, Gaius will get over it. And he'll love it once he gets there. There's a Paleomagnetic Lab that Arne's going to show him. It's in an old fort in the University Botanical Gardens. Fort Hoofddjik.

Sweezus chokes on his coffee, and Belle thinks he is laughing at Hoofddjik.

It's a funny name. Maybe he is.

.......

Vello and David have made good time to Melun, which is 41km out of Paris.

Melun, says David. Shall we stop for a snack here?

Yes, says Terence. Stop for a melon.

They stop, but to Terence's disappointment, no melon.

Vello and David order coffee and chocolate croissants.

I want melon, says Terence. This place is called melon.

No melon, says David. There is no melon to be had.

My palace was loaded with melons, says Terence. Bright pink ones.

Ha ha, laughs Vello. On the ladies!

Vello, old chap, says David. I don't think that was appropriate ....

Well, says Vello, if Terence is going to be awkward....

Have a bite of my chocolate croissant, little fellow, says David, waving the end of his, which is moistened with spittle.

Yuck, says Terence. When are we going?

Now, says Vello, standing up. We are heading for Montereau. You'll like Montereau. There's a bridge with a statue of a famous man on a horse.

Is it Napoleon? asks David.

You spoilt it, says Vello.

Off they go, to Montereau, on their bicycles, another 41km down the road, through French scenery.

Montereau-Fault-Yonne: They stop at the bridge.

A lovely old stone bridge over the Yonne.

Napoleon sits on his horse, pointing towards Vienna with his imperial finger.