The drinks were having their effect. His thoughts grew swifter; he laughed, showing all his gold teeth; and was in a good mood.

Two young lads came in, and August began showing off to them. He began to tell about other places round the world, about hot countries. In India, for instance, they had rings on their ankles made of pure gold and without any kind of clasp, forged straight onto the limb, along with a few diamonds and trinkets to jingle. But once a girl had broken her ankle and they had to file the ring off to be able to set the bone!

“Come over here and have a dram with your coffee!” he shouted to the two youths. He felt a need to share with others; he didn’t want to celebrate alone, and Edevart hadn’t much capacity. “Skol, lads! I’ll have you know that I’m a much traveled man. I’ve been all around the world, and I can well believe that Calcutta and Sydney and such places are unfamiliar cities to you. Be that as it may, here I sit on this stool just as you see me. What d’you think brought me to this place? Furs! Yes, I’m a businessman. And this much I can tell you about the skin trade: there’s no trade like it for putting fur on your back! Ask my friend sitting here what kind of cargo we came with! Which reminds me, Edevart,” he said suddenly, “I must pay you your wages!”

Edevart was embarrassed. “It can’t be much. I got such a lot last time.”

August took out a fat wallet and counted out the money, and was not too persnickety. “Here,” he said. “If you are happy with that, take it!”

Edevart thanked him even more shyly and said it was marvelous. He’d been given much more than he should have been.

“Yes,” said August. “I’m like that. I don’t begrudge you it.” He called for Mattea and asked if there wasn’t another bottle.

“No,” she answered.

“Bring another bottle!” he said, friendly but firm, and gripped her arm. When she complained, he gripped her tighter and said: “The louder you scream, the worse it’ll be.”

“Let me be!” she cried, red in the face.

But he didn’t let her go until she had promised to bring another bottle. All in all, he treated her harshly, with no real sign of affection, as though she were some insignificant creature in comparison with himself. Like one of his ribs. A strange relationship for an engaged couple. “And now bring some cigars,” he said. “Extra good cigars for everybody!”

One of the young lads seemed to know the girl rather well. They made eyes at each other; and young Mattea rested one of her hands in an unnecessarily affectionate way on his shoulder when she reached out for something on the table. August noticed nothing. He rose to greater and greater heights; he turned fanciful and foolish, playing the rich man and the fool. He began to tell about a fight on board some schooner. Perhaps it was sheer invention. The Malay had taken his knife and pretty well carved up the mate, but then August had thrust a marlin spike into the Malay’s belly …

August fell silent.

“Well, I’ll be darned!” one of the young men broke out. “What happened then?”

August prepared to draw the moral significance of his story.