3..
REINHARD LETTAU
fractured by the glass. No
. but potential buyers often shy away
from the purchase because they fear for my life. I give them to
understand from in here, with a variety of gestures, that my presence
could, on the contrary, facilitate the first application of the device,
since I'd be able to correct actually eliminated, though still possible,
"bugs" on the spot, and perfect other performances; but to no avail.
Nobody has the courage to buy a first model of anything. Moreover,
some customers felt disturbed because I cannot tell them what my
device is able to do.
They expect that its absolute newness will be explained to them.
Actually they think of the new as a not-previously-presented variant
of the old, that this device might, for instance, suddenly lift them
into the air, together with this house and a couple of others around
it, so that they would find themselves floating above the perplexed
city like a fata morgana, or that it might turn into an aquarium with
goldfish swimming about or that we, the device and I, might sud–
denly be doubled, spewing clouds of smoke. One interested party
turned a couple of dials, hoping for the appearance of a tidal wave,
another expected the device to vomit quantities of darning eggs.
Neither Bergmann's words nor my gesturing seem to make them
realize that the truly new must deceive such expectations, must deny
any relation to the known, must remain absolutely isolated and un–
known.
The hopeful backers believe that this apparatus is the ultimate
product of human inventiveness, a super-machine equipped with all
the refinements of engineering genius. "Which hole, which tube will
emit gold on demand?" they seem to be thinking.
As
though gold
hasn't always existed. "Where is the key which, when turned, will
change this contraption into a dredge?" The fact that this device
capriciously refuses to serve and is, since I consider it successful, not
meant to perform any service, does not enlighten them in any way.
From this, some people conclude that the device demands service
from them and rush home to imitate me. I have the notion that they
are on the right road.
If
everybody were to do that-you too, my
dear Bergmann-if you all set to work, the new might become more
and more known, more and more realizable. But until then, back
to the drawing board.
Translated
by
Ursule Molinaro
