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Thursday 11 January 2018

Off to Davos

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His robust pride prevented him from experiencing any discouragement, but he was always irritated, and in that state of exaltation, at the same time factitious and natural, which is characteristic of comedians.

Gustave Flaubert - Sentimental Education (1869)

6 comments:

Sam Vega said...

Can you imagine the small-talk?

It makes me wonder how he would come across to them. Self-righteous and prepared to lecture on the evils of capitalism, which he has seen through whereas they have not? Or would he be contrite and unctuous? "I know, I know. I've made a career out of slandering you chaps, but now I'm going to be Chancellor, my boss thought I ought to come along and learn how it's actually done. Ah, yes, just a small one, if you please, with plenty of ice and soda..."

Scrobs. said...

Definitely a Chancellor in Waitrose...

...or is it whiting?

Demetrius said...

Perhaps he is doing a temp' job as a Whine Waiter.

Anonymous said...

I suppose he can go along as the apprentice bag-carrier.

What with Proust and now Flaubert and finance ministers. I just wonder what happened to all the characters in Proust's and Flaubert's novels. Where did all those Counts and Barons and Chevaliers go. They can't have all been killed off in wars or taxed into HLMs. Perhaps like de Maupassant, they all died of the pox,, their chateaux bought up by bankers and dot com barons.

The Jannie said...

I thought Davos was the chief Dalek - or was that Stavros . . . .

A K Haart said...

Sam - I can imagine the small-talk, but not without the faintest expression of polite contempt flitting across listening faces.

Scrobs - whiting?

Demetrius - but would he serve only red whine?

Roger - I imagine they were all screwed by inheritance tax, inbreeding and the lure of posh toys such as Gulfstreams.

DCB - Davos may be a lesser Dalek which goes in for interminable meetings rather than extermination.