Sublime

It developed a fascination with seams—such as the one on the side of my trouser leg—and would nibble its way down, like a crimping iron, its teeth never biting but its grip firm, leaving a raised ridge as if the cloth had been ironed. It would do this with the edges of pillowcases, duvets, the trimming on a cushion, the end of a shoelace, the

the way she ate a doughnut, as if she were not eating a doughnut, whereas when Stephanie ate a doughnut she looked as if she was eating a doughnut.

Even her bare limbs were so free from suntan that one’s gaze, stroking her white shins and forearms, could follow upon them the regular slants of fine dark hairs, the silks of her girlhood.

‘Blue macaws!’ said Lila. ‘I tried so hard to persuade Mama to let me have one of those as a pet; but she said Max was loud enough on his own without a parrot.’ ‘It’s funny,’ said Con, ‘I never really thought much about birds before. The birds here make the birds in England look like they’re dressed for a job interview.’

Il avait l'âge de Lindbergh, son exemple le fascinait. Mais la grandeur ne connaît pas la série. Les hommes qu'elle a marqués ne suivent jamais les mêmes chemins.

I peek through my fingers at Layla. She’s smiling a smug little grin. She looks like she should be wearing a monocle and stroking a hairless cat Bond-style. Why I ever thought she was all sweetness is beyond me. She’s a spicy little thing. “Ask Luka.”

He emerged out of the Jaguar like a tall drink of water, like Cooper in Morocco; all he needed was a palm frond and a straw fan and he’d be complete.