A NEW YEAR'S FABLE
259
rivulets ran along the glass tubes, and rare earth samples began
to melt in the crucibles.
My owl slumbered outside the window, its head under its
wing. To remove my last doubt, I decided to verify something.
"What is that outside the window?" I suddenly asked the
woman, pointing to the owl.
At these words the huge bird raised its head and blinked
rapidly, very rapidly, with the yellow lenses of its eyes. The
woman went up
to
the window, pressed her face against the
glass and shielded her eyes with both hands from the light.
"There's no one there," she said, smiling. Suddenly she stop–
ped talking. She began to scrutinize me closely, and bit her lip
as though astonished by some new discovery. There is no one
there," she repeated. "But did you see anyone? Are you being
watched?"
"No is no," I avoided answering her directly.
Then, all of a sudden she-she I-asked a question. It was
her tum now to surprise me and drive me into a comer.
"Why did you change your room?" she inquired.
I was dumbfounded. I tensed up, but made no reply. I
was already living under the authority of a new discipline. I
began to tum the handle of my calculating machine; I had to
make certain calculations. The woman watched me without
taking her eyes off me.
After about an hour she could not contain herself any
longer: she laughed quietly.
"You might as well tell me where you are rushing."
"Where? A certain man-you know whom I mean-has
probably told you already where
he
was rushing ...
"He told me . . ."
"Well, I am rushing there too. I have lived a whole life–
time and accomplished nothing. But I can contribute something
to mankind. I shall have no rest until some grateful man shakes
my hand so hard that my heart
will
be moved from its place.
