A Moveable Feast

Hemingway recalls watching a goat herd sell goatmilk to a woman in his building. He decides to buy a morning horseracing paper and is inspired to visit the track later that day. He and his wife resolve to bet the money he earned from the Canadian paper. His wife had once owned a horse, Chevre d’Or, who tragically fell in a race, taking with him savings worth six months’ rent. Hemingway reflects on how strict he has been about money stating, “The one who is doing his work and getting satisfaction from it is not the one the poverty bothers” (22). He finds it admirable that his wife does not complain about the public bath houses or lack of warm clothes. The two pack a lunch and wine and train to the horse track. As the day goes on, the betting prices increase, eventually coming to eighty-five85 francs for ten. Hemingway thinks, “But we had made plenty of money, big money for us, and now we had spring and money too. I thought that was all we needed” (24).

After another day at the tracks, the two enjoy a nice dinner of oysters and walk under the Arc de Triomphe.