JOSEPH
BRODSKY
287
With this sort of thinking , baby, this zoo logy o f yo urs mi ght end real quick and
again become history.
. . . for insta nce a man . Mo reover, C harl es Darwin . Surviva l of the fittest, o r o f
the onc w ith thc bcst mimi cry. Thc law of thc jungle ...
Ah, Matilda, Matilda. The fittest, th e defe atest, th e law o f th e j ungle . . . N o body
survives, baby; but no body. That's the rea l law o f the jungle fo r you . As well as
of the mixed woods, plains, mo untain s, and deserts. N o body survives. N obody,
never. Nowhere. T attoo it o nto yo ur butt. O r write in d own o n your tail.
In
your ur-characters.. An yway , pick up thi s pen and take d o wn some no tes,
now that you've recovered.
Yes, I am on my hind legs aga in .
Now, on w ith it. The age nda fo r tomo rrow's cabin et sessio n ... Petrovich!
Ah' What'
[Strives to get back to I,is senses. i
Button LIp your pants and hide th e handcuffs. This conce rns you as well.
Me? What'
The agc nda fo r tomo rrow's sess io n . . Now, the startin g time is as usual: at
lunch break. An y o bj ec ti o ns' N o' Fine. T he first item : Continuatio n of th e na–
tional budge t disc ussio n . Secondly: Writing of proclamatio n to th e nati o n abo ut
the scicntifi c and tec hno logica l mo de rni za ti o n of th e Cab in et's o perati o ns.
In
short, abou t in trodu cin g computer. Third ly: T he Interio r Mini ster's repo rt o n
the intell igen tsia's reac ti on to th e new dec rees aga in st begga rs. Fo urth :
Miscellaneous. T hat's all . Eno ugh fo r to morrow, no t to me nti o n today.
[Starlds
IIp·1
But how about th e un ve iling of th e mo nument , Mr. President'
What monume nt, Matilda'
To the Victims o f Histo ry.
Oh. Clean fo rgot. Wh en 's that'
3:00
P.M.,
Mr. President.
Looks like it sho uld be entrusted to Petrov ich . I can 't do it. I'll be ti ed up with
the sofa. Pctrovich , you take my R o lex .
Much obligcd. Mu ch ..
But he is Internal Affairs, Mr. President. It's sort of awkward . Victims o f Histo ry
arrer all. Maybc you sho u ld try G ustav .
But he is Finance
Gustav'
Yes.
.On th e o th er hand , th o ugh , o nly he ca n count th em all.
