Part 22 (1/2)
”That you. . . would take me away.”
”Yes ”
”And he?”
”Then I shouldn't talk to him?” I asked, feeling stupid.
”Talk? You want to do it yourself?”
”Who else?”
”It has to be. . . the end?”
Something was choking me; I cleared my throat.
”Really, there's no other way.”
”I thought it would be . . . a mesk.”
”A what?”
”You don't know?”
”I understand nothing. No. I don't know. What is that?” I said, feeling an ominous chill. Again I had hit upon one of those sudden blanks, a mire of misunderstanding.
”It is like this. A man. . . a woman. . . if someone meets a person. . . if he wants, for a certain period of time. . . You really know nothing about this?”
”Wait, Eri. I don't know, but I think I'm beginning to. Is it something provisional, a kind of temporary suspension, an episode?”
”No,” she said, and her eyes grew round. ”You don't know what it is. . . I don't exactly know how it works myself,” she admitted. ”I've only heard about it. I thought that that was why you. . .”
”Eri, I'm completely in the dark. d.a.m.ned if I understand any of this. Does it have. . . ? In any case, it is connected in some way with marriage, right?”
”Well, yes. You go to an office, and there, I'm not exactly sure, but anyway, after that it's. . . it's. . .”
”It's what?”
”Independent. So that nothing can be said. No one. Including him. . .”
”So it is, after all. . . it is a kind of legalization -- well, h.e.l.l! -- a legalization of infidelity?”
”No. Yes. That is, it is not infidelity then -- no one speaks of it like that. I know what that means; I learned about it. There is no infidelity because, well, because after all Seon and I are only for a year.”
”Wha-a-at?” I said, because I thought that I was not hearing correctly. ”And what does that mean, for a year? Marriage for a year? For one year? Why?”
”It is a trial.”
”Ye G.o.ds and little fishes! A trial. And what is a mesk? A notification for the following year?”
”I don't know what you mean. It is. . . it means that if the couple separates after a year, well, then the other arrangement becomes binding. Like a wedding.”
”The mesk?”
”Yes.”
”And if not, then what?”
”Then nothing. It has no significance.”
”Aha, I think I see now. No. No mesk. Till death do us part. You know what that means?”
”I do. Mr. Bregg?”
”Yes.”
”I'm completing my graduate studies in archeology this year. . .”
”I understand. You're letting me know that by taking you for an idiot I'm only making an idiot of myself.”
She smiled.
”You put it too strongly.”
”Yes. I'm sorry. Well, Eri, may I talk to him?”
”About what?”
My jaw fell. Here we go again, I thought.
”Well, what do you, for Christ's. . .” I bit my tongue. ”About us.”
”But that just isn't done.”
”It isn't? Ah. Well, all right. And what is done?”
”One goes through the separation procedure. But, Mr. Bregg, really. . . I. . . can't do it this way.”
”And in what way can you?”
She gave a helpless shrug.
”Does this mean we are back where we began yesterday evening?” I asked. ”Don't be angry with me, Eri, for speaking like this, I am doubly handicapped, you see. I'm not familiar with all the formalities, customs, with what should be done and what shouldn't, even on a daily basis, so when it comes to things like. . .”
”No, I know. I know. But he and I. . . I. . . Seon. . .”
”I understand,” I said. ”Look here. Let's sit down.”
”I think better when I stand.”
”Please. Listen, Eri. I know what I should do. I should take you, as I said, and go away somewhere -- and I don't know how I have this certainty. Perhaps it only comes from my boundless stupidity. But it seems to me that eventually you could be happy with me. Yes. At the same time I -- observe -- am the type who. . . well, in a word, I don't want to do that. To force you. Thus the whole responsibility for my decision -- let's call it that -- falls on you. In other words, to make me be a swine not from the right side, but only from the left. Yes. I see that clearly. Very clearly. So now tell me just one thing -- what do you prefer?”