PARTISAN REVIEW
It won't stop all day, said Camier.
Long or shon, tis but a shower, said Mercier.
I can't stand there doing nothing, said Camier.
Then let us sit, said Mercier.
Worse still, said Camier.
345
Then let us walk up and down, said Mercier, yes, arm in arm let us
pace
to
and fro. There is not much room, but there might be even less.
Lay down our unbrella, there, help me off with our knapsack, so,
thanks, and off we go.
Camier submitted.
Every now and then the sky lightened and the rain abated. Then
they would halt before the door. This was the signal for the sky to
darken again and the rain to redouble in fury.
Don't look, said Mercier.
The sound is enough, said Camier.
True, said Mercier.
After a moment of silence Mercier said:
The dogs don 't trouble you?
Why does he not withdraw? said Camier
He cannot, said Mercier.
Why? said Camier.
One of nature's little gadgets, said Mercier, no doubt to make in–
semination double sure.
They begin astraddle, said Camier, and finish arsy-versy.
What would you? said Mercier. The ecstasy is past, they yearn to
pan, to go and piss against a post or eat a morsel of shit, but cannot. So
they turn their backs on each other. You'd do as much, if you were
they.
Delicacy would restrain me, said Camier.
And what would you do? said Mercier.
Feign regret, said Camier, that I could not renew such pleasure
incontinen t.
After a moment of si lence Camier said:
Let us sit us down, I feel a ll sucked off.
You mean sit down, said Mercier.
I mean sit us down, said Camier.
Then let us sit us down, said Mercier.
On all hands already the workers were at it again, the air waxed
loud with cries of pleasure and pain and with the urbaner notes of
