Rhymes With Deliverance

Saint Roley is halfway down the slope near a shoe, says Maclou. He has been joined by another.

Is it Terence? asks Arthur.

No, says Maclou. It's Saint Malo, my namesake. He slid down in the box I left with Gaius.

Well, in that case..... says Arthur.

Indeed, you had better go back, says Maclou.

No, says Arthur. I'll just call Belle and tell her.

He takes out his phone.

Ring ring.

Hello? Arthur?

Yes, it's me.

How far away are you?

Not that far.

Well, hurry up then. Now we've got TWO birds to rescue.

That's good. So you know where they are.

Down the slope with the shoe. I should have guessed. But hurry up. It's getting dark and we need to get on to Cancale.

Okay, says Arthur.

So, you are going back, says Maclou.

No, says Arthur. I didn't say that. They know where the birds are. And Gaius will want to recover the box.

Do I understand that you propose to continue in this direction? asks Maclou.

Yes, says Arthur. Gaius'll sort something out, if he has to.

Tch! If I were your father.... says Maclou.

You'd be away, says Arthur.

Then I regret the hypothesis, says Maclou. I suppose you are right about Gaius.

I know I am, says Arthur. And Belle's there.

They are about to remount their bicycles and press on to Cancale when...

Enfin! says Francois-René. I catch you up. But you are going in the improper direction!

Cancale, says Arthur. It's the right direction. The cafés and bars will be open.

And Méen awaits his potatoes, says Maclou.

What about the rescue? says François-René. I take it you now know what happened?

We do, says Maclou. And we predict that Gaius will deal with the rescue.

Very well, says François-René. I'll continue to Cancale with you, if you don't ride too fast. By the way, what rhymes with indifference?

Deliverance, says Arthur.

How do you like this? says François-René. It's a fragment I composed, while walking:

'The wind blinds him to the sky's indifference'.

Not bad, says Arthur. You've avoided the conventional.

Has he? says Maclou. I've never understood poetry.

'The sky blinds him to the wind's indifference', says Arthur. That's more conventional.

François-René nods, as though yes, this was his line of thinking, as well.