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DIAMONDS TO SIT ON
‘ Give me the pincers ! ’ he shouted to Bender.
- You’re a fool! ’ yelled Bender. ‘ The ceiling will
fall in. Be quick, you idiot ! Get into the open ! ’ ‘ The pincers ! ’ yelled Hippolyte. ‘ Go to the devil! You can die with your chair if you want to, but I value my life, thank you.’ And with these words Bender rushed through the door. Hippolyte picked up the chair and chased after Bender. No sooner were they in the street than the earth trembled and the roof of the theatre fell in. ‘ Now then, hand over that chair,’ said Bender. ‘ I see you are tired of carrying it.’ ‘ I shall do nothing of the kind,’ retorted Hippolyte. ‘ What’s this mean ? Revolt ? Give me that chair at once ! Do you hear ? ’ ‘ It’s my chair.’ ‘ Well, in that case, take this, you old fool! ’ said Bender and punched Hippolyte’s head. At that moment a fire-engine raced down the street and in the glare of the headlights Hippolyte saw such a terrible expression on Bender’s face that he immediately let go of the chair.
- That’s better,’ said Bender. ‘ The meeting is at
an end. Pick up that chair and carry it behind me, and remember you’re responsible for the safety of it no matter what the earthquake does to you. You’ve got to save that chair. Do you understand ? ’ ‘Yes,’ said Hippolyte meekly. All night the friends wandered about among the panic-stricken crowds, feeling, like every one else, that they dared not return to their rooms in case there was a fresh shock. At dawn, when the panic had subsided a little. Bender chose a place far away from walls that might crash on them or people who might disturb him, and began to rip up the chair. They were dumbfounded. There was nothing but tufhng in the chair, and Hippolyte, who had been
