herself to such an existence. The world was too vast a place to confine yourself to a monotonous life. She had struck a deal with Agnès: if her friend lent her some of her parentsâ books, Anne would help Agnès with her Latin lessons.
In the back of her closet, under piles of old sweaters and socks, Anne hid Coletteâs novels, as well as Margaret Mitchellâs Gone with the Wind . In those stories, female charactersâ preoccupations had nothing to do with peeling vegetables, doing the dishes, ironing sheets, or dusting furniture. It was through their adventures that Anne discovered the complexities of love. Nothing to do with the serene front that her parents put up! Winning over a man and keeping him required strategy and cleverness.
Monique left the hospital. But in spite of her efforts to get back to her normal routine, Anneâs mother still had not fully recovered. Her father wasnât doing so well, either. The fighting was now taking place away from Paris, and the adults began showing signs of the deprivation and exhaustion they had suffered for five years.
Finally, Germany capitulated! âThe War Is Over!â the newspaper headlines read. On May 8, Monique hung a French flag from the balcony. At three in the afternoon, General de Gaulle gave a speech on the radio. Parisians poured into the streets to celebrate. Until late evening, Anne, Bernard, and Agnès walked all over the city. Two searchlights created a giant V in the night sky. There were fireworks. People kissed and hugged in the streets. Were these the same people whoâd fought so bitterly over their diverging political opinions?
Life returned to normal. In and around Place du Tertre, artists set up their easels. The accordion player went back to playing his usual tunes. Slowly, POWs came home. Couples with children returned to their old houses. Women wore their colorful summer dresses. Nothing was new, but everything seemed spruced up. Anne caught herself dreaming that Alexis would surprise her by waiting for her on a street corner. Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was looking for acquaintances who had disappeared, she asked around. Monsieur and Madame Messager? People remembered the Messagers, but no one had seen them since the exodus. Nobody knew what had become of them. â¦
1956
8
Anne came out of the basement, where the paintings were stored. Before closing the gallery for the night, she needed to write a bio for the artist whose work would be exhibited next. She slid a sheet of paper into the typewriter and began writing. Concentrating on her work, she didnât notice the man watching her through the storefront window. He finally pushed the door open and went inside.
âFrançois!â Anne said.
âI wanted to surprise you,â he said, walking over to Anne to kiss her.
âI wonât be long ⦠if you donât distract me.â
Fifteen minutes later, Anne slipped the pages into the proper folder. She turned off the lights, put on her coat.
âGet out, quick, before I turn on the alarm!â
Every night for the past two years, Anne had been setting that same alarm. Then she would lock the door to the gallery that had hired her just after she had received her diploma. A fellow student, who had moved to Milan, had talked to Anne about Amanda Kircher, one of his parentsâ friends.
âShe wanted me to become her assistant, but Iâd rather live in Italy. Iâll talk to her about you.â
A week later, Anne met with Madame Kircher. They liked each other immediately, and Anne was hired on a trial basis. Under the guidance of this woman whose father had lived through Montparnasseâs heyday, Anne expanded the formal education she had received at the Ãcole du Louvre. Though she remained devoted to the great Spanish and Flemish masters, she learned to love some of the surreal artists as well. Giorgio de Chirico, René Magritte, Paul Delvaux
In the back of her closet, under piles of old sweaters and socks, Anne hid Coletteâs novels, as well as Margaret Mitchellâs Gone with the Wind . In those stories, female charactersâ preoccupations had nothing to do with peeling vegetables, doing the dishes, ironing sheets, or dusting furniture. It was through their adventures that Anne discovered the complexities of love. Nothing to do with the serene front that her parents put up! Winning over a man and keeping him required strategy and cleverness.
Monique left the hospital. But in spite of her efforts to get back to her normal routine, Anneâs mother still had not fully recovered. Her father wasnât doing so well, either. The fighting was now taking place away from Paris, and the adults began showing signs of the deprivation and exhaustion they had suffered for five years.
Finally, Germany capitulated! âThe War Is Over!â the newspaper headlines read. On May 8, Monique hung a French flag from the balcony. At three in the afternoon, General de Gaulle gave a speech on the radio. Parisians poured into the streets to celebrate. Until late evening, Anne, Bernard, and Agnès walked all over the city. Two searchlights created a giant V in the night sky. There were fireworks. People kissed and hugged in the streets. Were these the same people whoâd fought so bitterly over their diverging political opinions?
Life returned to normal. In and around Place du Tertre, artists set up their easels. The accordion player went back to playing his usual tunes. Slowly, POWs came home. Couples with children returned to their old houses. Women wore their colorful summer dresses. Nothing was new, but everything seemed spruced up. Anne caught herself dreaming that Alexis would surprise her by waiting for her on a street corner. Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was looking for acquaintances who had disappeared, she asked around. Monsieur and Madame Messager? People remembered the Messagers, but no one had seen them since the exodus. Nobody knew what had become of them. â¦
1956
8
Anne came out of the basement, where the paintings were stored. Before closing the gallery for the night, she needed to write a bio for the artist whose work would be exhibited next. She slid a sheet of paper into the typewriter and began writing. Concentrating on her work, she didnât notice the man watching her through the storefront window. He finally pushed the door open and went inside.
âFrançois!â Anne said.
âI wanted to surprise you,â he said, walking over to Anne to kiss her.
âI wonât be long ⦠if you donât distract me.â
Fifteen minutes later, Anne slipped the pages into the proper folder. She turned off the lights, put on her coat.
âGet out, quick, before I turn on the alarm!â
Every night for the past two years, Anne had been setting that same alarm. Then she would lock the door to the gallery that had hired her just after she had received her diploma. A fellow student, who had moved to Milan, had talked to Anne about Amanda Kircher, one of his parentsâ friends.
âShe wanted me to become her assistant, but Iâd rather live in Italy. Iâll talk to her about you.â
A week later, Anne met with Madame Kircher. They liked each other immediately, and Anne was hired on a trial basis. Under the guidance of this woman whose father had lived through Montparnasseâs heyday, Anne expanded the formal education she had received at the Ãcole du Louvre. Though she remained devoted to the great Spanish and Flemish masters, she learned to love some of the surreal artists as well. Giorgio de Chirico, René Magritte, Paul Delvaux
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