No. 552: The winners

Trevor Grove reports: 'Now lesser men will "creep out again to feel the sun" ' wrote Sir Denis Brogan in his 'Table talk' of 2 May, reflecting on the passing of 'Good King Charles's golden days.' For one of these 'lesser men' Sir Denis appeared to entertain something short of the highest regard : 'But I have seen M Valery Giscard d'Estaing wearing an Old Etonian tie to which he is not entitled.' Com- petitors were invited to offer suggestions as to the conversation that ensued on this occasion.

And many and lively they were—Sir Denis will be pleased to learn that most competitors cast him in the unexceptionable role of comic feed and that there was little evidence of the in- dignation that provoked the original italic out- burst. M Giscard d'Estaing came out of it rather well on the whole, showing impressive reserves of Gallic resourcefulness. The follow- ing exchange struck me as being rather ingenious:

SIR D Good evening, M Giscard.

D'E Bonsoir, Sir Denis. Comment ca va?

SIR o Fairly well, thank you. I was just gaz- ing at your tie.

D'E Jolie, hein? On les vend dans tous les magasins de Carnaby Street, vous savez. Heureusement, ce sont les couleurs de la Socidte Ancienne des Gagnants du Prix 'Spec- tateur,' dont le nombre des membres est severement limite. C'est dommage que vous ne soyez pas iligible, n'est ce pas?

SIR D I don't recall having seen your illus- trious name among the Favoured, sir.

D'E C'est que je me sers d'un pseudonyme, monsieur.

(Dtigringolade de Sir Denis.) Four guineas to 'Hilary Temple.' Four also to J. L. Roberts:

SIR D Where'd you board?

D'E Eh?

SIR D Which tutor's?

D'E Mais - SIR o College I expect. (Jocular.) Dirty little

tug in bum-freezers. Make Pop?

D'E Je - SIR D (Complacent) I did actually.

DE Alors — SIR o (Reminiscent) Played third at the wall,

finest furker of my generation. Remember being bitten by Quintin in a bully, hurt like hell

D'E Enfin - SIR o Never wear it of course. Bad taste

really—showy . . . only to keep the bags up anyway.

D'E Wear what?

SIR o Tie.

D'E What tie?

SIR o My tie. One you're wearing.

In a good entry there are mentions to Vera Teller, T. Griffiths, Maurice Hall and Rory Slughorn, and a final three guineas to N. J. Rock :

INFORMANT Then you never met Ivette de la Dauphinee?

SIR o Have I missed something?

INF I'll say! She was stepmother to Fitz- ma u r ice-Fitzmaurice.

SIR D Not old Fitzy-Fatzy of Boyle's?

INF !dem! Ivette married his pater in '29. Following year, pater was killed in an accident.

SIR D I remember. Fitzy went down at once. He was my year, but I never saw him again. What became of him?

INF Settled in la belle France with stepmother, plus new stepfather, Giscard d'Estaing. Trust Ivette! Anyway, Fitzy succeeded to the title

and the estates. •

SIR D So the tie is his?

INF By virtue of one year with Alma Mater. But he kept it dark from Great-Uncle Charles!

SIR 13 Cunning old Fitzy. Well, now's the time to creep out into the sun, as I was saying. ...