By Patrick Modiano, from Livret de famille, an untranslated novel that was published in 1977 by Éditions Gallimard. Modiano’s most recent books in translation, Such Fine Boys and Sundays in August, were published this month by Yale University Press. Translated from the French by Mark Polizzotti.

It was in the Luxembourg Gardens, one winter morning ten years ago, that I learned Fats had died. I had pulled up a metal chair next to the pond and unfolded the newspaper. A picture of Fats — mustache, dark glasses, white silk scarf, and the felt hat he often wore to go out —…