SUNNY HONEYMOON
641
bring politics into the picture; it was with the hope of arousing a
reaction to a point on which he knew her to be sensitive. And indeed
she answered immediately:
"That's not so. The truth is that I have certain ideas and you
have none at
all."
As
soon as politics came up, she assumed a self-sufficient,
pedantic manner, quite the opposite of childish, which always
threatened to infuriate him. He asked himself in all conscience
whether his irritation stemmed from some latent anti-Communist
feeling within himself, but quickly set his mind at rest on this score.
He had no interest in politics whatsoever, and the only thing that
bothered him was the fact that his wife did have such an interest.
"Well, whether or not it's a question of ideas," he said dryly,
"there is
something
between us."
"What is it then?"
"I don't know, but I can feel it."
After a second she said in the same lrntating tone of voice:
"I know quite well.
It
is
a question of ideas. But I hope that some
day you'll see things the way I do."
"Never."
"Why never?"
"I've told you so many times before.... First, because I don't
want to be involved in politics of any kind, and second, becaw
I'm too much of an individualist."
Simona made no reply, but in such cases her silence was direr
than spoken disapproval. Giacomo was overcome by a wave of
sudden anger. He overtook her and seized her arm.
"All this is going to have very serious consequences some day,"
he shouted. "For instance, if a Communist government comes to
power, and I say something against it, you'll inform on me."
"Why should you say anything against it?" she retorted. "You
just said that you don't want to be involved in politics of any kind."
"Anything can happen."
"And then the Communists aren't in power ... Why worry
about a situation that doesn't exist?"
It
was true then, he thought to himself, since she didn't deny
it, that she would inform on him. He gripped her arm tighter, al–
most wishing to hurt her.
