PARTISAN REVIEW
Yes, it was horrid. Like being dead. You can hear, but you can't
make yourself heard .... No, very very clearly. It's unheard-of that
they'd let us talk so long. Usually they cut you off after three
minutes and then give you back a wrong number . . . . Yes, but
I do . . . . I can hear even better than I could a minute ago, but
your phone has a buzz. It doesn't sound like your phone at all ....
I can see you, you know.
(He makes her guess.)
....
Which scarf?
.... The red one .... ah! .... on my left side .... You have
your sleeves rolled up .... in your left hand? the receiver. Your
right hand? your fountain pen. You're drawing profiles and hearts
and stars on the blotting pad. And you're smiling! I have eyes for
ears ....
(With a mechanical gesture as though to hide her face.)
.... Oh no, darling, above all don't look at me .... Mraid? ....
No, I won't be afraid .... that's even worse .... Mter all, I've
got out of the habit of sleeping alone . . . . Yes . . . . yes . . . .
yes ... , yes, yes .... I promise . . .. I, I .... I promise . . ..
I promise .... you're so good to me .... I don't know. I try not
to look at myself. I'm afraid to turn on the dressing-room light
any more. Yesterday I found myself face to face with an old woman
.... No, no, a thin old woman with white hair and a whole crowd of
little wrinkles . . . . That's nice of you! but, my dear, a face of
distinction-that's the worst kind of all, that's for acting . . . . I
used to like it better when you said, "Just look at this funny little
puss!" .... Yes, my dear Sir! .... I was joking .... You're
being silly ." ... "Luckily," yes, because you're being awkward and
because you love me.
If
you didn't love me,
if
you weren't being
awkward, a telephone would be a dreadful weapon. A weapon that
leaves no marks, a noiseless weapon .... Naughty, I? .... Hello!
. . . . Hello, hello! .... hello, darling .... where are you? ....
Hello, hello, hello, operator.
(She signals.)
Hello, operator, we were
cut off.
(She hangs up. Silence. She takes off the receiver.)
Hello!
(She signals.)
Hello, hello!
(She signals.)
Hello, operator.
(She
signals. Bell rings.)
Hello, is that you? .... No, operator. Someone
cut me off . . . . I don't know . . . . I mean . . . . yes . . .. wait
a minute .... Auteuil 04-7. Hello! .... Busy? .... Hello, operator,
he's trying to call me back .... All right.
(She hangs up. Bell rings.)
Hello! hello! 04-7? Not, not 6; 7. Oh!
(She signals.)
Hello ....
Hello, operator. That was the wrong number. You gave me ring 6.
768
