--Oh, gentlemen, anything that I can say has so little importance....
I do not really see how ... and then the more I think.... No, truly
I have nothing to say. You have each of you a history; I have none.
Excuse me. Believe me it is with the greatest interest that I have
heard you each relate an adventure which I wish ... I could.... But
I cannot even express myself easily. No, truly you must excuse me,
gentlemen. I have been in Paris less than two hours; nothing has as yet
happened to me, except my delightful meeting with you, which gives me
such a good idea of what a conversation can be between two Parisians,
when they are both men of talent....
--But before you came here, said Cocles.
--You must have been somewhere, added Damocles.
--Yes, I admit it, said Prometheus.... But again, once more, it has
absolutely no connexion....
--Never mind, said Cocles, we came here to talk. We have both of us,
Damocles and I, already given our share; you alone bring nothing; you
listen; it is not fair. It is time to speak Mr....?
The waiter, feeling instinctively that the moment had come for the
introduction, quietly slipped in the name to complete the sentence:
--Prometheus--he said simply.
--Prometheus, repeated Damocles.--Excuse me, sir, but it seems to me
that that name already....
--Oh! interrupted Prometheus quickly, that is not of the slightest
importance.
--But if there is nothing of importance, impatiently cried the other
two, why have you come here, dear Mr.... Mr....?
--Prometheus, replied Prometheus simply.
--Dear Mr. Prometheus--as I remarked a while ago, continued Cocles,
this restaurant invites conversation, and nothing will convince me that
your strange name is the only thing that distinguishes you; if you
have done nothing, you are surely going to do something. What are you
capable of doing? What is the most distinguishing thing about you?
What have you that nobody else possesses? Why do you call yourself
Prometheus?
Drowned beneath this flow of questions Prometheus bent his head and
slowly and in a serious voice stammered...:
--What have I, gentlemen?--What have I?--Oh, I have an eagle.
--A what?
--Eagle--Vulture perhaps--opinions differ.
--An eagle! That’s funny!--an eagle ... where is he?
--You insist on seeing it, said Prometheus.
--Yes, they cried, if it is not too indiscreet.
* * * * *
Then Prometheus, quite forgetting where he was, suddenly started up
and gave a great cry, a call to his eagle. And this stupefying thing
happened: