562
PARTISAN REVIEW
Juliette
You'll die .... See, Mother,
I was just going- I was going through
the garden to pick cherries.... Grand-dad sees me,
gets in a crouch, then snatches at my basket-
the new one, the one with the oilcloth lining,
already stained with juice- he snatches it,
and heaves it all the way into the stream.
By now the current's carried it away.
Passerby
How very odd. God only knows in what
directions, in his brain, the thoughts make bridges.
Could be that ... no.
(laughs)
Sometimes I tend myself
to strange associations.... Like that basket,
its oilcloth lining with the cherries' juice
incarnadined- it brings to mind. . . . Good God,
what chilling nonsense! You'll permit me not
to finish ....
Wife
(not listening)
What's got into him? Your father
will be angry. Twenty sous, that basket.
(leaves with her daughter)
Passerby
(looking out the window)
They're bringing him.... It's funny how he sulks,
the old man.... Just like an offended child.
Wife
(They return with Grand-dad.)
Here, Grand-dad, we've a guest. ... Just look at him.
Grand-dad
I do not want that basket here. There must
not be such baskets.
Wife
It's all right, my dear. . ..
It isn't there. It's gone. It's gone for good.
Come on, calm down.... Good sir, perhaps you could
distract him for a while... . I have to go
and start preparing supper... .
