Королі та капуста
Masters of arts
WhenKeoghandWhitereachedtheirdestination,onthereturntripoftheKarlsefin,thegaywinterseasonwaswellbegun.Astheysteppeduponthebeachtheycouldhearthebandplayingintheplaza.Thevillagemaidens,withfirefliesalreadyfixedintheirdarklocks,weregliding,barefootandcoy-eyed,alongthepaths.Dandiesinwhitelinen,swingingtheircanes,werebeginningtheirseductivestrolls.Theairwasfullofhumanessence,ofartificialenticement,ofcoquetry,indolence,pleasure—theman-madesenseofexistence.
Thefirsttwoorthreedaysaftertheirarrivalwerespentinpreliminaries.Keoghescortedtheartistabouttown,introducinghimtothelittlecircleofEnglish-speakingresidentsandpullingwhateverwireshecouldtoeffectthespreadingofWhite’sfameasapainter.AndthenKeoghplannedamorespectaculardemonstrationoftheideahewishedtokeepbeforethepublic.
HeandWhiteengagedroomsintheHoteldelosEstranjeros.Thetwowerecladinnewsuitsofimmaculateduck,withAmericanstrawhats,andcarriedcanesofremarkableuniquenessandinutility.FewcaballerosinCoralio—eventhegorgeouslyuniformedofficersoftheAnchurianarmy—wereasconspicuousforeaseandeleganceofdemeanourasKeoghandhisfriend,thegreatAmericanpainter,SeñorWhite.
Whitesetuphiseaselonthebeachandmadestrikingsketchesofthemountainandseaviews.Thenativepopulationformedathisrearinavast,chatteringsemicircletowatchhiswork.
