I believe this story to have been a pure fabrication, but I feel
perfectly certain that Estevanez knew beforehand that the crime was to
be attempted.
MY VERSATILITY ACCORDING TO BONAFOUX
Speaking of Estevanez, I recall also Bonafoux, whom I saw frequently.
According to Gonzalez de la Pena, the painter, he held my versatility
against me.
"Bonafoux," remarked Pena, "feels that you are too versatile and too
volatile."
"Indeed? In what way?"
"One day you entered the bar and said to Bonafoux that a testimonial
banquet ought to be organized for Estevanez, enlarging upon it
enthusiastically. Bonafoux answered: 'Go ahead and make the
preparations, and we will all get together.' When you came into the cafe
a few nights later, Bonafoux asked: 'How about that banquet?' 'What
banquet?' you replied. It had already passed out of your mind. Now, tell
me: Is this true?" inquired Pena.
"Yes, it is. We all have something of Tartarin in us, more or less. We
talk and we talk, and then we forget what we say."
Other Parisian types return to me when I think of those days. There was
a Cuban journalist, who was satisfactorily dirty, of whom Bonafoux used
to say that he not only ate his plate of soup but managed to wash his
face in it at the same time.
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