success, to con- tinue struggling to increase their wealth and influence, even when both those things are already vast, because the vanity of the Superclass con- sists in competing with itself to see who is the top of the tops.
In an ideal world, the Powerful would talk to the actors, directors, designers, and writers who are now bleary-eyed with tiredness and thinking about going back to their rented rooms in distant towns, so that tomorrow they can begin again the marathon of making requests, fixing possible meetings, and being endlessly ready and available.
In the real world, the Powerful are, at this moment, locked in their rooms, checking their e-mails, complaining that these Festival parties are always the same, that their friend was wearing a bigger jewel than they were, and asking how come the yacht a competitor has just bought has a totally unique decor?
Igor has no one to talk to, nor does he want to talk. The winner stands alone.
Igor is the successful owner and president of a telephone company in Russia. A year ago, he reserved the best suite in the Martinez (which makes everyone pay up-front for at least twelve nights, regardless of how long theyll be staying); he arrived this afternoon in his private jet, was driven to the hotel, where he took a bath and then went down- stairs in the hope of witnessing one particular scene. At first, he was pestered by actresses, actors, and directors, until he came up with the perfect response for them all:
Dont speak English, sorry. Polish. Or: Dont speak French, sorry. Mexican. When someone ventured a few words in Spanish, Igor tried another ploy. He started writing down numbers in a notebook so as to look neither like a journalist (because everyone wants to meet journalists) nor like a movie mogul. Beside him lay a Russian economics magazine (most people cant tell Russian from Polish or Spanish) with the photo of some boring executive on the cover.
The denizens of the bar, who pride themselves on their keen under- standing of the human race, leave Igor in peace, thinking that he must be one of those millionaires who comes to Cannes in search of a new girlfriend. That, at least, is the rumor doing the rounds by the time the fifth person has sat down at his table and ordered a mineral water, alleging that there are no other free seats. Igor is duly relegated to the category of perfume.
Perfume is the slang term used by actresses (or starlets, as theyre called at the Festival) because, as with perfumes, its easy enough to change brands, but one of them might just turn out to be a real find. Perfumes are sought out during the last two days of the Festival, if the actresses in question havent managed to pick up any- thing or anyone of interest in the movie industry. For the moment, then, this strange, apparently wealthy man can wait. Actresses know that its always best to leave the Festival with a new boyfriend (whom they might, later on, be able to transform into a film producer) than to move on to the next event and go through the same old ritual drinking, smiling (must keep smiling), and pretending that youre not looking at anyone, while your heart beats furiously, time ticks rapidly on, and there are still gala nights to which you havent yet been invited, but to which the perfumes have.
They know what the perfumes are going to say because they always say the same thing, but they pretend to believe them anyway.
(a) I could change your life. (b) A lot of women would like to be in your shoes. (c) Youre young now, but what will become of you in a few years time? You need to think about making a longer-term investment. (d) Im married, but my wife . . . (This opening line can have various endings: . . . is ill, . . . has threatened to commit suicide if I leave her, etc.) (e) Youre a princess and deserve to be treated like one. I didnt know it until now, but Ive been waiting for you. I dont believe in coincidences and I really think we ought to give this rela- tionship a chance.
Its always the same old spiel. The only variable is how many pres- ents you get (preferably jewelry, which can be sold), how many in- vites to yacht parties, how many visiting cards you collect, how many times you