Улисс

           —Wouldyoulikethewindowopenalittle?

           Shedoubledasliceofbreadintohermouth,asking:

           —Whattimeisthefuneral?

           —Eleven,Ithink,heanswered.Ididn’tseethepaper.

           Followingthepointingofherfingerhetookupalegofhersoileddrawersfromthebed.No?Then,atwistedgreygarterloopedroundastocking:rumpled,shinysole.

           —No:thatbook.

           Otherstocking.Herpetticoat.

           —Itmusthavefelldown,shesaid.

           Hefelthereandthere.Voglioenonvorrei.Wonderifshepronouncesthatright:voglio.Notinthebed.Musthavesliddown.Hestoopedandliftedthevalance.Thebook,fallen,sprawledagainstthebulgeoftheorangekeyedchamberpot.

           —Showhere,shesaid.Iputamarkinit.There’sawordIwantedtoaskyou.

           Sheswallowedadraughtofteafromhercupheldbynothandleand,havingwipedherfingertipssmartlyontheblanket,begantosearchthetextwiththehairpintillshereachedtheword.

           —Methimwhat?heasked.

           —Here,shesaid.Whatdoesthatmean?

           Heleaneddownwardandreadnearherpolishedthumbnail.

           —Metempsychosis?

           —Yes.Who’shewhenhe’sathome?

           —Metempsychosis,hesaid,frowning.It’sGreek:fromtheGreek.Thatmeansthetransmigrationofsouls.

           —O,rocks!shesaid.Tellusinplainwords.

           Hesmiled,glancingaskanceathermockingeyes.Thesameyoungeyes.Thefirstnightafterthecharades.Dolphin’sBarn.Heturnedoverthesmudgedpages.Ruby:thePrideoftheRing.Hello.Illustration.FierceItalianwithcarriagewhip.MustbeRubyprideoftheonthefloornaked.Sheetkindlylent.