BEFORE SUNRISE
471
have left her and gone away ... but to try to strangle this little
girl ... it's disgusting...."
I thought he would shout at me or even throw me out. But
without moving he sat down and, lowering his head, he said
quietly:
"She drove me to distraction. I suspected she wasn't faith–
ful. Then yesterday I found this note in her bag. Just look...."
He threw the note on the table. It was addressed to the
actor N., with whom I had seen Alya a few times in the street.
The note left no doubt; she had been intimate with him to
the highest degree.
I was amazed, even staggered. I was so staggered that at
first I didn't realize that her husband knew nothing about me
and that his only concern was with the actor.
I looked at him in confusion. He looked at me just as con–
fused.
And what has this to do with you anyway?" he asked.
"Why, did you see her today? Was she at your place? Did she
used to visit you?"
I suddenly saw in his eyes that he had guessed.
I covered my eyes with my hand.
"Good God." He cried. "So she ... and you ..." He was
suddenly struck by the irony of it and burst out laughing. Almost
calmly he said: "So she deceived you as well ... that's a good
one...."
We parted coldly. Practically without saying good-bye.
I went home in a daze. My mind was full of chaos. I wanted
to
solve the problem of why she had come to me with her bruises.
Then I calmed down at the thought that before coming to me
she had been with her bruises to the actor.
Madness
A man comes into my room. He sits down in an armchair.
For a moment he sits silently, listening. Then he gets up
and
closes the door tightly.
