248
PARTISAN REVIEW
him years to recultivate this human nutrient, and without it he is
rootless , alienated and socially deprived.
"Yes, we certainly are vulnerable and under attack," he
repeated, "and I have just had this brought home to me in a very
strange way."
He paused for a moment to make sure he had our full atten- .
tion . .. .
This house is, as you know , close to the church and the village
primary school. Not only is there the charm of the bells ringing out,
but also the refreshing sound of the far-off shouts and squeals that
come from the playground . My house is open to everyone . That's
another feature of a bachelor's life . It is the woman who bars the
door of a house. She is the guardian of the home, an often jealous
guardian, sometimes overly intent on creating a vacuum around her
husband . We all know that for every two friends who marry we lose
one . Madame wants to keep him for herself, and she resents the ele–
ment of complicity inherent in any of her husband's relationships
dating from before their marriage.
But my door is always open. Four times a day, little groups of
chirruping schoolboys and schoolgirls pass by the wide-open garden
gates . Often , when the weather is fine, they venture in. There are
various trees with walnuts, apples, cherries , medlars . In spring, if
they look closely enough along the bottom of the walls, they will find
wild strawberries. Their curiosity is also aroused by this funny
work I do as a photographer. How can anyone earn a living like
that? It might be different if! had a shop and sold film and cameras,
or if I could be seen working at christenings and weddings and
hunters' meets! But no , I'm a "reporter." When it comes down to it,
they don't really know what I do . So you see , this obscure occupa–
tion , these open doors, the fact that there is no woman about the
place; it all provokes the contempt of sober-minded people and the
curiosity of children . They risk an expedition. They discover me and
we get to know each other. They rapidly investigate the house , and
are pleased at the supplies of ice-cream in the freezer. It's something
I replenish at the same time as I do the birds' and the cat's bowls , and
with similar feelings.
Please bear in mind that these forays are almost always made
by little boys, even though the school is mixed. Little girls, who are
more timid-or sure to be chastised-are not so willing to step into a
stranger's house. And it is remarkable that for all the so-called "per-
