It is wonderfully poignant to see this tiny girl playing virtual tennis with such unusual determination: sweating, her hair plastered to her forehead and temples.

Fred watches her with one hand instinctively rubbing the sweet wrapper in a musical rhythm.

He is unaware that another figure in a white dressing gown is standing behind him also watching the girl as she plays. It is the American actor, Jimmy Tree.

25

Many people are having dinner. Again, there is an unearthly silence.

Fred and Mick are staring at the silent German couple, as ever wearing matching colours; today it is shades of blue.

Lena enters the room. She has abandoned her sober and simple look, and to go with her new elegant hairstyle she has decided to wear quite a provocative dress.

Mick feels a twinge of nostalgia. “You remind me of Brenda Morel aged thirty, when she was filming ‘At Home with James’ with me. You should always dress like this, Lena.”

“From now on that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

Fred follows her with his gaze, but she deliberately avoids looking at him as she sits down next to them.

From another table the hippy mountaineer cannot help noticing how beautiful Lena is. His eyes light up, but then the sparkle goes out in them as if he is already overcome by a sense of defeat before he has even started. Dispirited, he lets his spoon drop onto his plate and cannot eat another thing.

Jimmy is at his table with Mark Kozelek and other friends. They are all talking among themselves in pairs, except for Jimmy who is trying to figure out what is happening between the mountaineer and Lena, anxious not to miss a single detail.

Then, out of the silence, something extraordinary happens.

The silent German woman gets calmly to her feet and, with sudden violence, lands a slap on her husband’s face. The man all but tumbles from his chair.

Needless to say, everyone turns round to look at them, astounded.

With great dignity, the woman turns and leaves the room.

Stock still, Mick, Fred and Lena follow the proceedings with open mouths.

The group around the actor’s table starts to snigger furtively, but not Jimmy Tree. He is also amazed.

The slapped husband pays not the slightest attention to everyone looking at him and calmly goes back to eating his mushroom velouté.

Supported by his wife, the South American leaves his table and crosses the room with great effort to get to the exit. But when he gets to the man who was slapped he decides to stop. The elderly German looks up at him and the South American does two things: first he gives the man a gentle smile and then with his podgy hand he caresses his cheek. The elderly man now has a look of gratitude on his face and attempts to return the smile.

Then the South American hobbles off in the ensuing funereal silence.

Jimmy Tree has, of course, followed everything and is starting to feel emotional.