Vladimir Nabokov. Lik
Vladimir Nabokov. LIK
"Oh, everybody has such thoughts now and then," said Lik. They reached the promenade. The sea was opaque and corrugated under the overcast sky, and, here and there near the parapet, the foam had splashed onto the pavement. There was no one about except for a solitary lady in slacks sitting on a bench with an open book in her lap.
"Here, give me five francs and I'll buy you some cigarettes for the trip," Koldunov said rapidly. Taking the money, he added in a differ ent, easy tone, "Look, that's the little wife over there—keep her com pany for a minute, and I'll be right back."
Lik went up to t