[fiction]woven,sir

1、WovenSirbyJohnBergerApril22001IaminMadridwaitingfmyfriendJuanasculptwhowillbelateIthink.Juanwksinasmallgaragelikeamechaniclyingonhisbackasthoughunderneathacarhelooksathiswatchonlywhenhecrawlsoutgetstohisfeet.Wehaveagreed

2、tomeetintheloungeoftheRitzHotel.TherearetwoexotictreesleadingoffthisloungeabarnamedafterVelzquez.(Idoubtwhetherhedrankmuch.)Thewallstheceilingarepaintedawhitishyellownotwhatthepaintmanufacturerscallivybutthetruecolofelep

3、hantstusks—muchclosertothecolofoldteeth.Theceilingisashighasthreeelephantsstingononeanothersbacks.Assoonasyoucomeoffthestreetthedoubleglassdosswingshutbehindyouyouareawareofthedeafnessofmoney.Itsnotanemptysilencebutasile

4、nceofseclusion—likethatofthedepthofanocean.Thewidecarpetedstaircaseispalpablyquietintheloungethevoicesofthepeopletalkingaremuted.Twowaiterscarryingtinklingtraysofglassesfullofchampagnewearwhitegloves.Theseclusionhereprom

5、ptsmetoremembertheclamofshantytownstheeverlastingracketinprisons.Thefirstguestsarearrivingfaneveningreception.AreceptionisbeingheldtolaunchthenewVenezuelaneconomywhichevidentlynowdependsonSpanishinvests.Theguestsmostlyin

6、theirthirtieshavesurfridingsmilescontrolledeyesawayoftiltingthemselvesfwardwhichmakesmethinkofthefigureheadsoncecarvedonships.Inthemutedquietcameramenjournalistsarewaitingfthestarswhohavebeenannouncedaheadoftime.Youalway

7、sthoughtyouknewtheanswers.Youshouldhavelistenedmetoyourfather.WhereishenowIasked.IdontknowbutIfancyhemaybeinRome.BecauseoftheHolySeeNotatallbecauseofthetablecloths.IseeIsaid.Youmaymeetthedeadanywhereshesaid.Tylerisnowatt

8、hebottomofthestaircasehastakenoffhiscapiscomingintothelounge.AsIfollowhimwithmyeyeshelooksaway.Hehadagreatgiftflookingawayavoidingquestions.Hechoosesthechairvacatedbythewomanwhocouldwaitnolongerfherlover.Therehepicksupam

9、enufdrinksswichesstudiesitthroughhisthickglassesbringingitcloseuptohisfehead.Oftenwhenhepedsomesmallobject—thestubofapencilaneraser—itwasIwhowouldlookfitontheflobecausehecouldnotseewithoutbendingdown.Oncetheframeofhisgla

10、ssesbroke—itwasaverycoldwinter—itwasIwhomendedthemfhimwithsomestickingplasterthatweboughtatachemistsshop.Thiswasin19321933.Iwassevenyearsold.Nowheturnsthechairhehaschosensothatheisnotfacingmegiveshisdertoawaiter.Ononeoft

11、hetriossofasreclinesawomanwithplatinumhair.Herskeletallegsarecrossedashoeisdanglingfromherarchedfoot.Sheisovereighty.Shemightbethecigarsmokersmother.Shetooissmoking—hercigaretteinalongholder—theskinofherfaceneckislikecrp

12、epaper.Herhead—chinupassheexhalesthecigarettesmoke—reposesonacushion.Herleftarmisdrapedalongthebackofthesofathefleshofherarmisdrapedfromitsbones.Sheiswearinggoldenbraceletsapearlnecklace.DoesshecomefromacircusachteauShei

13、sfullofdisdainhastheprideofalltheappetitesshehasnotlostisdeterminedtosatisfy.MaybeCirceonherislofAeaeawasmelikethiswomanwiththeplatinumhairthantheoneintheusualdepictionscenturieslaterinRenaissancepaintings.Thethirdmember

14、ofthetrioistheconfidanteatleastfthisevening—whoknows—perhapsflifeofCirce.MaybesheishersisterPasiphatheonewhohadanaffairwiththeBullofCretegavebirthtotheMinotaur.Itisimpossibletoguesstheageofthispersontumbledintothemassive

15、armchairbesidethesofabecauseofhersize.Herimmensityseemslikethatoftimeitself.Shewearsringsonsevenfingers.Herneckisaswideasaslenderwomanswaist.FromtimetotimesheglancesprotectivelyatCirce.ThewaiterbringsTylerabottleofwhitew

16、ineinanicebucketasilverstofswichesdecatedwithparsley.Anactressaccompaniedbythreemenwearingabacklessdressmakesherentranceintothelounge.Sheisresplendentlypregnant.Inanswertoajournalistsquestionshegentlypokesafingertomakead

17、impleinherbellysaysThedleofJune!Thepeopleapplaud.AwaiterasksmewhetherIwouldliketodersomething.Idoso.AfteramomentIhearTylersvoice:Inoticethatregrettablyyouhaventimprovedyourpronunciation.YouareaslostinSpanishasyouoncewere