Entrance to the Senate. Paris, about 1950.

Source:
Paris en Images, copyright Roger-Viollet (FA-15314):
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Gaito Gazdanov's Paris / 40

The finance minister

[One] night I waited patiently outside the Senate where a late-night meeting was being held, hoping, like my comrades, to be able to take the parliamentarians home; it was after four o’clock in the morning.

At the last minute several buses entered the courtyard and left with all the senators.

As the last of these vehicles, displaying a sign reading “Fare three francs”, was driving off the finance minister appeared; on seeing the bus he ran after it as fast as his legs could carry him; I couldn’t help laughing as my comrades competed with one another in damning his avarice.

Since that night when I saw him up close I clearly recall his appearance, his belly, his puffing, his unbuttoned vest and the stupidly anxious expression written on his face. [35]