At the very end of the press conference earlier this month about his upcoming retirement, Metropolitan Museum of Art director Philippe de Montebello was asked if he would write his memoirs — and as far as I can tell, his full answer has not been previously reported. Although he didn’t mention his predecessor Thomas Hoving, or Hoving’s wildly revealing and bestselling museum memoir, Making The Mummies Dance, that book seemed to be lurking just behind the shadow of de Montebello’s curious answer. “I have not been approached and whoever approaches me is making a futile gesture,” he said. “I have no intention whatsoever, wonderful as my career has been, to relive it in paper [sic], on a tape or otherwise. I will not write a book about my experiences at the Met. [Sitting beside de Montebello, Met board chairman Jamie Houghton began to chuckle.] That, I know. [Houghton chuckled on.] Although a true one is necessary at this point. So everybody can relax.”