BEFORE SUNRISE
-473
In The Hotel
Tuapse. A small hotel room. For some reason I'm lying on
the floor. My arms are widespread and my fingers are
in
water.
It is rainwater. The storm has just passed. I don't want to
get up to shut the window. Torrents of rain have come through
the window.
I shut my eyes again and lie in a kind of stupor until
evening.
I probably ought to move over to the bed. It would be more
comfortable there. There's a pillow. But I don't want to get up
from the floor.
Without getting up, I reach out for the suitcase and get
out an apple. I haven't had anything to eat today either.
I bite off a piece of apple. I chew it like a straw. I spit it
out. It's nasty. I lie there till morning.
In the morning someone knocks on the door. The door is
locked. I don't open it. It's the maid. She wants to clean the
room. Only once every three days. I say:
"I don't want anything. Go away."
During the day I get up with difficulty. I sit on the chair.
Alarm seizes me. I realize that I cannot go on like this. I will
die in this wretched room if I don't go away immediately.
I open my bag, and feverishly gather up my things. Then
I ring for the maid.
"I'm sick," I tell her. "I must be taken to the station and
bought a ticket ... immediately...."
The maid brings the manager and a doctor. Patting my
hand, the doctor says:
"Nerves ... it's only nerves ... I will prescribe bromide
for you...."
"I need to leave immediately," I mumble.
"You will leave today," says the manager.
Conclusions
And so my reminiscing was over.
