As Time Goes By
Chapter One
The Lisbon plane soared away from the dense, swirling fog of
Casablanca, up and into the night. Below, the airport was plunged
deep into the North African darkness, its only illumination the
revolving beacon that perched atop the conning tower. The sirens of
the French colonial police cars had faded into the night. Everything
was quiet but the wind.
Almost lost in the mist, two men were walking together, away from
the airport, away from the city, and into an uncertain future.
"... of a beautiful friendship," said Richard Blaine, tugging on a
cigarette as he walked. His hat was pulled down low on his forehead,
and his trench coat was cinched tightly against the damp. Rick felt
calmer than he had in years. In fact, he tried to remember when he
had felt this certain of what he had just done, and what he was
about to do.
The shorter man walking beside him nodded. "Well, my friend, Victor
Laszlo and Ilsa Lund are on their way to Lisbon," said Louis
Renault. "I might have known you'd mix your newfound patriotism with
a little larceny." He fished in his pocket and came up with ten
thousand francs.
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