254
PARTISAN REVIEW
might come up, even a house that was a bit ramshackle that he could
set about repairing. He wasn't too fussy.
I gave my word, touched by this appeal for help and mentally
did the rounds of the people I knew. But it was clear that in this
district, overtaken by holiday houses , space is more and more sting–
ily allotted to people of modest means. I promised to ask around,
certainly, but my tone of voice betrayed that I had little hope .
Nor, however, did he and that's not what he was expecting of
me . His grey face lit up with a smile and, as if he were seized with a
sudden inspiration, he pointed towards the staircase.
"But look at your place! You've got plenty of room! Since
you're always on the second floor in your loft, why don't you rent us
the first floor?"
This abrupt proposal caught me off guard. It took my breath
away. And he was quick to press the point, as if my choking silence
indicated consent.
"We don't take up much room, you know, my wife and I and
the four kids and Pipo."
"Pipo?"
"Yes, the dog ."
I had completely forgotten him, and I now remembered that
huge friendly brute knocking over my frames and cocking his leg on
my lavender.
Finally I regained my composure. No really, it was impossible.
I couldn't dream of it. I was less alone than I appeared to be.
Friends came to visit me. Family too . The rest of the time, I needed
peace for my work. And this house-because it was high and nar–
row-made privacy impossible. Whenever somebody was in one of
the bedrooms, I could feel it, even if that person was utterly discreet.
I spoke like this for a long time, softly, my words all the while
insinuating a firm rejection of his crazy proposal.
His smile took some time to fade away, as he lowered his eyes
to the bottom of his glass in which he was mechanically swirling the
dregs of his beer.
"It's a pity," he murmured, "a real pity."
Then suddenly, he looked at me. His lips still bore the vague
trace of a smile, but his small grey eyes stared, hard and nasty .
"Yes, it's a real pity. Because if we don't find anything, well ,
we'll be gone, won't we? And Blandine, well, she'll be gone too!"
Translated from the French by Penny Hueston and
Colin Nettelbeck
