THE MADNESS OF THE DAY by Maurice Blanchot * I am not learned; I am not i norant! I ha"e #no$n %oy&!

That i& &ayin too little' I am ali"e( and thi& li)e i"e& me the reate&t *lea&ure! And $hat about death+ ,hen I die -*erha*& any minute no$.( I $ill )eel immen&e *lea&ure! I am not tal#in about the )oreta&te o) death( $hich hi& &tale and o)ten di&a reeable! Su))erin dull& the &en&e&! But thi& i& the remar#able truth( and I am &ure o) it' I e/*erience boundle&& *lea&ure in li"in ( and I $ill ta#e boundle&& &ati&)action in dyin ! I ha"e $andered; I ha"e one )rom *lace to *lace! I ha"e &tayed in one *lace( li"ed in a &in le room! I ha"e been *oor( then richer( then *oorer than many *eo*le! A& a child I had reat *a&&ion&( and e"erythin I $anted $a& i"en to me! My childhood ha& di&a**eared( my youth i& behind me! It doe&n0t matter! I am ha**y about $hat ha& been( I am *lea&ed by $hat i&( and $hat i& to come &uit& me $ell enou h! I& my li)e better than other *eo*le0& li"e&+ 1erha*&! I ha"e a roo) o"er my head and many do not! I do not ha"e le*ro&y( I am not blind( I &ee the $orld 2 $hat e/traordinary ha**ine&&3 I &ee thi& day( and out&ide it there i& nothin ! ,ho could ta#e that a$ay )rom me+ And $hen thi& day )ade&( I $ill )ade alon $ith it 2 a thou ht( a certainty( that enra*ture& me! I ha"e lo"ed *eo*le( I ha"e lo&t them! I $ent mad $hen that blo$ &truc# me( becau&e it i& hell! But there $a& no $itne&& to my madne&&( my )ren4y $a& not e"ident; only my innermo&t bein $a& mad! Sometime& I became enra ed! 1eo*le $ould &ay to me( 5,hy are you &o calm+5 But I $a& &corched )rom head to )oot; at ni ht I $ould run throu h the &treet& and ho$l; durin the day I $ould $or# calmly! * Shortly a)ter$ard( the $all li#e many my&el)( 6od( $hat he&itated( then re the madne&& o) the $orld bro#e out! I $a& mad to &tand a ain&t other&! ,hy+ For no rea&on! The un& did not o o))! I &aid to are you doin + At that *oint I &to**ed bein in&ane! The $orld ained it& e7uilibrium!

A& rea&on returned to me( memory came $ith it( and I &a$ that e"en on the $or&t day&( $hen I thou ht I $a& utterly and com*letely mi&erable( I $a& ne"erthele&&( and nearly all the time( e/tremely ha**y! That a"e me &omethin to thin# about! The di&co"ery $a& not a *lea&ant one! It &eemed to me that I $a& lo&in a reat deal! I a&#ed my&el)( $a&n0t I &ad( hadn0t I )elt my li)e brea#in u*+ Ye&( that had been true; but each minute( $hen I &tayed $ithout mo"in in a corner o) the room( the cool o) the ni ht and the &tability o) the round made me breathe and re&t on ladne&&!

Men $ant to e&ca*e )rom death( &tran e bein & that they are! And &ome o) them cry out 5Die( die5 becau&e they $ant to e&ca*e )rom li)e! 5,hat a li)e! I0ll #ill my&el)! I0ll i"e in!5 Thi& i& lamentable and &tran e; it i& a mi&ta#e! Yet I ha"e met *eo*le $ho ha"e ne"er &aid to li)e( 58uiet35( $ho ha"e ne"er &aid to death( 56o a$ay35 Almo&t al$ay& $omen( beauti)ul creature&! Men are a&&aulted by terror( the ni ht brea#& throu h them( they &ee their *lan& annihilated( their $or# turned to du&t! They $ho $ere &o im*ortant( $ho $anted to create the $orld( are dumb)ounded; e"erythin crumble&! 9an I de&cribe my trial&+ I $a& not able to $al#( or breathe( or eat! My breath $a& made o) &tone( my body o) $ater( and yet I $a& dyin o) thir&t! One day they thru&t me to the round; the doctor& co"ered me $ith mud! ,hat $or# $ent on at the bottom o) that earth3 ,ho &ay& it0& cold+ It0& a bed o) )ire( it0& a bramble bu&h! ,hen I ot u* I could )eel nothin ! My &en&e o) touch $a& )loatin &i/ )eet a$ay )rom me; i) anyone entered my room( I $ould cry out( but the #ni)e $a& &erenely cuttin me u*! Ye&( I became a &#eleton! At ni ht my thinne&& $ould ri&e u* be)ore me to terri)y me! A& it came and $ent it in&ulted me( it tired me out; oh( I $a& certainly "ery tired! Am I an e oi&t+ I )eel dra$n to only a )e$ *eo*le( *ity no one( rarely $i&h to *lea&e( rarely $i&h to be *lea&ed( and I( $ho am almo&t un)eelin $here I my&el) am concerned( &u))er only in them( &o that their &li hte&t $orry become& an in)initely reat mi&)ortune )or me( and e"en &o( i) I ha"e to( I deliberately &acri)ice them( I de*ri"e them o) e"ery )eelin o) ha**ine&& -&ometime& I #ill them.! I came out o) the muddy *it $ith the &tren th o) maturity! ,hat $a& I be)ore+ I $a& a ba o) $ater( a li)ele&& e/ten&ion( a motionle&& aby&&! -Yet I #ne$ $ho I $a&; I li"ed on( did not )all into nothin ne&&!. 1eo*le came to &ee me )rom )ar a$ay! 9hildren *layed near me! ,omen lay do$n on the round to i"e me their hand&! I ha"e been youn ( too! But the "oid certainly di&a**ointed me! I am not timid( I0"e been #noc#ed around! Someone -a man at hi& $it0& end. too# my hand and dro"e hi& #ni)e into it! Blood e"ery$here! A)ter$ard he $a& tremblin ! He held out hi& hand to me &o that I could nail it to the table or a ain&t a door! Becau&e he had a&hed me li#e that( the man( a lunatic( thou ht he $a& no$ my )riend; he *u&hed hi& $i)e into my arm&; he )ollo$ed me throu h the &treet& cryin ( 5I am damned( I am the *laythin o) an immoral delirium( I con)e&&( I con)e&&!5 A &tran e &ort o) lunatic! Mean$hile the blood $a& dri**in on my only &uit! I li"ed in citie& mo&t o) the time! For a $hile I led a *ublic li)e! I $a& attracted to the la$( I li#ed cro$d&! Amon other *eo*le I $a& un#no$n! A& nobody( I $a& &o"erei n! But one day I re$ tired o) bein the &tone that bet& &olitary men to death! To tem*t the la$( I called &o)tly to her( 59ome here; let me &ee you )ace to )ace!5 -For a moment I $anted to ta#e her a&ide!. It $a& a )oolhardy a**eal! ,hat $ould I ha"e done i) &he had an&$ered+

I mu&t admit I ha"e read many boo#&! ,hen I di&a**ear( all tho&e "olume& $ill chan e im*erce*tibly; the mar in& $ill become $ider( the thou ht more co$ardly! Ye&( I ha"e tal#ed to many *eo*le( I am &truc# by that no$; to me( each *er&on $a& an entire *eo*le! That "a&t other *er&on made me much more than I $ould ha"e li#ed! No$ my li)e i& &ur*ri&in ly &ecure; e"en )atal di&ea&e& )ind me too tou h! I0m &orry( but I mu&t bury a )e$ other& be)ore I bury my&el)! I $a& be innin to &in# into *o"erty! Slo$ly( it $a& dra$in circle& around me; the )ir&t &eemed to lea"e me e"erythin ( the la&t $ould lea"e me only my&el)! One day( I )ound my&el) con)ined in the city; tra"elin $a& no lon er more than a )anta&y! I could not et throu h on the tele*hone! My clothe& $ere $earin out! I $a& &u))erin )rom the cold; &*rin time( 7uic#! I $ent to librarie&! I had become )riend& $ith &omeone $ho $or#ed in one( and he too# me do$n to the o"erheated ba&ement! In order to be u&e)ul to him I bli&&)ully allo*ed alon tiny an $ay& and brou ht him boo#& $hich he then &ent on to the loomy &*irit o) readin ! But that &*irit hurled a ain&t me $ord& that $ere not "ery #ind; I &hran# be)ore it& eye&; it &a$ me )or $hat I $a&( an in&ect( a creature $ith mandible& $ho had come u* )rom the dar# re ion& o) *o"erty! ,ho $a& I+ It $ould ha"e thro$n me into a reat *er*le/ity to an&$er that 7ue&tion! Outdoor&( I had a brie) "i&ion' a )e$ &te*& a$ay )rom me( %u&t at the corner o) the &treet I $a& about to lea"e( a $oman $ith a baby carria e had &to**ed( I could not &ee her "ery $ell( &he $a& manoeu"erin the carria e to et it throu h the outer door! At that moment a man $hom I had not &een a**roachin $ent in throu h that door! He had already &te**ed acro&& the &ill $hen he mo"ed bac#$ard and came out a ain! ,hile he &tood ne/t to the door( the baby carria e( *a&&in in )ront o) him( li)ted &li htly to cro&& the &ill( and the youn $oman( a)ter rai&in her head to loo# at him( al&o di&a**eared in&ide! Thi& brie) &cene e/cited me to the *oint o) delirium! I $a& undoubtedly not able to e/*lain it to my&el) )ully and yet I $a& &ure o) it( that I had &ei4ed the moment $hen the day( ha"in &tumbled a ain&t a real e"ent( $ould be in hurryin to it& end! Here it come&( I &aid to my&el)( the end i& comin ; &omethin i& ha**enin ( the end i& be innin ! I $a& &ei4ed by %oy! * I $ent to the hou&e but did not enter! Throu h the o*enin I &a$ the blac# ed e o) a courtyard! I leaned a ain&t the outer $all; I $a& really "ery cold! A& the cold $ra**ed around me )rom head to )oot( I &lo$ly )elt my reat hei ht ta#e on the dimen&ion& o) thi& boundle&& cold; it re$ tran7uilly( accordin to the la$& o) it& true nature( and I lin ered in the %oy and *er)ection o) thi& ha**ine&&( )or one moment my head a& hi h a& the &tone o) the &#y and my )eet on the *a"ement! All that $a& real; ta#e note! I had no enemie&! No one bothered me! Sometime& a "a&t &olitude o*ened in my head and the entire $orld di&a**eared in&ide it( but came out a ain intact( $ithout a &cratch( $ith nothin mi&&in ! I nearly lo&t my &i ht( becau&e &omeone cru&hed la&& in my eye&! That blo$ unner"ed me( I mu&t admit! I had the )eelin I $a& oin

bac# into the $all( or &trayin into a thic#et o) )lint! The $or&t thin $a& the &udden( &hoc#in cruelty o) the day; I could not loo#( but I could not hel* loo#in ! To &ee $a& terri)yin ( and to &to* &eein tore me a*art )rom my )orehead to my throat! ,hat $a& more( I heard hyena crie& that e/*o&ed me to the threat o) a $ild animal -I thin# tho&e crie& $ere my o$n.! Once the la&& had been remo"ed( they &li**ed a thin )ilm under my eyelid& and o"er my eyelid& they laid $all& o) cotton $ool! I $a& not &u**o&ed to tal# becau&e tal#in *ulled at the anchor& o) the banda e! 5You $ere a&lee*(5 the doctor told me later! I $a& a&lee*3 I had to hold my o$n a ain&t the li ht o) &e"en day& 2 a )ine con)la ration3 Ye&( &e"en day& at once( the &e"en deadly li ht&( become the &*ar# o) a &in le moment( $ere callin me to account! ,ho $ould ha"e ima ined that+ At time& I &aid to my&el)! 5Thi& i& death! In &*ite o) e"erythin ( it0& really $orth it( it0& im*re&&i"e!5 But o)ten I lay dyin $ithout &ayin anythin ! In the end I re$ con"inced that I $a& )ace to )ace $ith the madne&& o) the day! That $a& the truth' the li ht $a& oin mad( the bri htne&& had lo&t all rea&on; it a&&ailed me irrationally( $ithout control( $ithout *ur*o&e! That di&co"ery bit &trai ht throu h my li)e! I $a& a&lee*3 ,hen I $o#e u* I had to li&ten to a man a&# me( 5Are you oin to &ue+5 A curiou& 7ue&tion to a&# &omeone $ho ha& %u&t been directly dealin $ith the day! E"en a)ter I reco"ered( I doubted that I $a& $ell! I could not read or $rite! I $a& &urrounded by a mi&ty North! But thi& $a& $hat $a& &tran e' althou h I had not )or otten the a oni4in contact $ith the day( I $a& $a&tin a$ay )rom li"in behind curtain& in dar# la&&e&! I $anted to &ee &omethin in )ull dayli ht; I $a& &ated $ith the *lea&ure and com)ort o) the hal) li ht; I had the &ame de&ire )or the dayli ht a& )or $ater and air! And i) &eein $a& )ire( I re7uired the *lenitude o) )ire( and i) &eein $ould in)ect me $ith madne&&( I madly $anted that madne&&! * They a"e me a mode&t *o&ition in the in&titution! I an&$ered the tele*hone! The doctor ran a *atholo y laboratory -he $a& intere&ted in blood.( and *eo*le $ould come and drin# &ome #ind o) dru ! Stretched out on &mall bed&( they $ould )all a&lee*! One o) them u&ed a remar#able &trata em' a)ter drin#in the *re&cribed dru ( he too# *oi&on and )ell into a coma! The doctor called it a rotten tric#! He re"i"ed him and 5brou ht &uit5 a ain&t him )or hi& )raudulent &lee*! :eally3 It &eem& to me thi& &ic# man de&er"ed better! E"en thou h my &i ht had hardly $ea#ened at all( I $al#ed throu h the &treet& li#e a crab( holdin ti htly onto the $all&( and $hene"er I let o o) them di44ine&& &urrounded my &te*&! I o)ten &a$ the &ame *o&ter on the&e $all&; it $a& a &im*le *o&ter $ith rather lar e letter&' You $ant thi& too! O) cour&e I $anted it( and e"ery time I came u*on the&e *rominent $ord&( I $anted it! Yet &omethin in me 7uic#ly &to**ed $antin ! :eadin $a& a reat $earine&& )or me! :eadin tired me no le&& than &*ea#in ( and the &li hte&t true &*eech I uttered

re7uired &ome #ind o) &tren th that I did not ha"e! I $a& told( 5You acce*t your di))icultie& "ery com*lacently!5 Thi& a&toni&hed me! At the a e o) t$enty( in the &ame &ituation( no one $ould ha"e noticed me! At )orty( &ome$hat *oor( I $a& becomin de&titute! And $here had thi& di&tre&&in a**earance come )rom+ I thin# I *ic#ed it u* in the &treet! The &treet& did not enrich me( a& by all ri ht& they &hould ha"e! 8uite the contrary! A& I $al#ed alon the &ide$al#&( *lun ed into the bri ht li ht& o) the &ub$ay&( turned do$n beauti)ul a"enue& $here the city radiated &u*erbly( I became e/tremely dull( mode&t( and tired! Ab&orbin an inordinate &hare o) the anonymou& ruin( I then attracted all the more attention becau&e thi& ruin $a& not meant )or me and $a& ma#in o) me &omethin rather "a ue and )ormle&&; )or thi& rea&on it &eemed a))ected( una&hamed! ,hat i& irritatin about *o"erty i& that it i& "i&ible( and anyone $ho &ee& it thin#&' You &ee( I0m bein accu&ed; $ho i& attac#in me+ But I did not in the lea&t $i&h to carry %u&tice around on my clothe&! They &aid to me -&ometime& it $a& the doctor( &ometime& the nur&e&.( 5You0re an educated man( you ha"e talent&; by not u&in abilitie& $hich( i) they $ere di"ided amon ten *eo*le $ho lac# them( $ould allo$ them to li"e( you are de*ri"in them o) $hat they don0t ha"e( and your *o"erty( $hich could be a"oided( i& an in&ult to their need&!5 I a&#ed( 5,hy the&e lecture&+ Am I &tealin my o$n *lace+ Ta#e it bac# )rom me!5 I )elt I $a& &urrounded by un%u&t thou ht& and &*ite)ul rea&onin ! And $ho $ere they &ettin a ain&t me+ An in"i&ible learnin that no one could *ro"e and that I my&el) &earched )or $ithout &ucce&&! I $a& an educated man3 But *erha*& not all the time! Talented+ ,here $ere the&e talent& that $ere made to &*ea# li#e o$ned %ud e& &ittin on benche&( ready to condemn me day and ni ht+ I li#ed the doctor& 7uite $ell( and I did not )eel belittled by their doubt&! The annoyin thin $a& that their authority loomed lar er by the hour! One i& not a$are o) it( but the&e men are #in &! Thro$in o*en my room&( they $ould &ay( 5E"erythin here belon & to u&!5 They $ould )all u*on my &cra*& o) thou ht' 5Thi& i& our&!5 They $ould challen e my &tory' 5Tal#(5 and my &tory $ould *ut it&el) at their &er"ice! In ha&te( I $ould rid my&el) o) my&el)! I di&tributed my blood( my innermo&t bein amon them( lent them the uni"er&e( a"e them the day! :i ht be)ore their eye&( thou h they $ere not at all &tartle&( I became a dro* o) $ater( a &*ot o) in#! I reduced my&el) to them! The $hole *re&ence o) me *a&&ed in )ull "ie$ be)ore them( and $hen at la&t nothin $a& *re&ent but my *er)ect nothin ne&& and there $a& nothin more to &ee( they cea&ed to &ee me too! ;ery irritated( they &tood u* and cried out( 5All ri ht( $here are you+ ,here are you hidin + Hidin i& )orbidden( it i& an o))en&e(5 etc! Behind their bac#& I &a$ the &ilhouette o) the la$! Not the la$ e"eryone #no$&( $hich i& &e"ere and hardly "ery a reeable; thi& la$ $a& di))erent! Far )rom )allin *rey to her menace( I $a& the one $ho &eemed to terri)y her! Accordin to her( my lance $a& a bolt o) li htnin and my hand& $ere moti"e& )or *eri&hin ! ,hat0& more( the la$ ab&urdly credited me $ith all *o$er&; &he declared her&el)( *er*etually on her #nee& be)ore me! But &he did not let me a&# anythin and $hen &he had reco ni4ed my ri ht to be e"ery$here( it meant I had no *lace any$here! ,hen &he &et me abo"e the authoritie&( it meant( You are not authori4ed to do anythin ! I) &he humbled her&el)( You don0t re&*ect me!

I #ne$ that one o) her aim& $a& to ma#e me 5&ee %u&tice done!5 She $ould &ay to me( 5No$ you are a &*ecial ca&e; no one can do anythin to you! You can tal#( nothin commit& you; oath& are no lon er bindin to you; your act& remain $ithout a con&e7uence! You &te* all o"er me( and here I am( your &er"ant )ore"er!5 Ser"ant+ I did not $ant a &er"ant at any *rice! She $ould &ay to me( 5You lo"e %u&tice!5 5Ye&( I thin# &o!5 5,hy do you let %u&tice be o))ended in your *er&on( $hich i& &o remar#able+5 5But my *er&on i& not remar#able to me!5 5I) %u&tice become& $ea# in you( &he $ill $ea#en in other&( $ho $ill &u))er becau&e o) it!5 5But thi& bu&ine&& doe&n0t concern her!5 5E"erythin concern& her!5 5But a& you &aid( I0m a &*ecial ca&e!5 5S*ecial i) you act 2 ne"er( i) you let other& act!5 She $a& reduced to &ayin )utile thin &' 5The truth i& that $e can ne"er be &e*arated a ain! I $ill )ollo$ you e"ery$here! I $ill li"e under your roo); $e $ill &hare the &ame &lee*!5 I had allo$ed my&el) to be loc#ed u*! Tem*orarily( they told me! All ri ht( tem*orarily! Durin the outdoor hour&( another re&ident( an old man $ith a $hite beard( %um*ed on my &houlder& and e&ticulated o"er my head! I &aid to him( 5,ho are you( Tol&toy+5 Becau&e o) that the doctor thou ht I $a& truly cra4y! In the end I $a& $al#in e"eryone around on my bac#( a #not o) ti htly ent$ined *eo*le( a com*any o) middle2a ed men( enticed u* there by a "ain de&ire to dominate( an un)ortunate childi&hne&&( and $hen I colla*&ed -becau&e a)ter all I $a& not a hor&e. mo&t o) my comrade&( $ho had al&o tumbled do$n( beat me blac# and blue! Tho&e $ere ha**y time&! * The la$ $a& &har*ly critical o) my beha"ior' 5You $ere "ery di))erent $hen I #ne$ you be)ore!5 5;ery di))erent+5 51eo*le didn0t ma#e )un o) you $ith im*unity! To &ee you $a& $orth one0& li)e! To lo"e you meant death! Men du *it& and buried them&el"e& in them to et out o) your &i ht! They $ould &ay to each other( 0Ha& he one by+ Ble&&ed be the earth that hide& u&!05 5,ere they &o a)raid o) me+5 5Fear $a& not enou h )or you( nor *rai&e )rom the bottom o) the heart( nor an u*ri ht li)e( nor humility in the du&t! And abo"e all( let no one 7ue&tion me! ,ho e"en dare& to thin# o) me+5 She ot &tran ely $or#ed u*! She e/alted me( but only to rai&e her&el) u* in turn! 5You are )amine( di&cord( murder( and the end!5 5,ell(5 I &aid to her( 5that0& more than enou h to et u& both loc#ed u*!5 The truth $a& that I li#ed her! In the&e &urroundin &( o"er2*o*ulated by men( &he $a& the only )eminine element! Once &he had made me touch her #nee 22 a &tran e )eelin ! I had &aid a& much to her' 5I am not the #ind o) man $ho i& &ati&)ied $ith a #nee35 Her an&$er' 5That $ould be di& u&tin 35 Thi& $a& one o) her ame&! She $ould &ho$ me a *art o) &*ace( bet$een the to* o) the $indo$ and the ceilin ! 5You are there(5 &he &aid! I loo#ed hard at that *oint! 5Are you there+5 I loo#ed at it $ith all my mi ht! 5,ell+5 I )elt the &car& )ly o)) my eye&( my &i ht $a& a $ound( my head a hole( a bull di&embo$eled! Suddenly &he cried out( 5Oh( I &ee the day( oh 6od(5 etc! I *rote&ted that thi& ame $a& tirin me out enormou&ly( but &he $a& in&atiably intent u*on my lory!

,ho thre$ la&& in your )ace+ That 7ue&tion $ould rea**ear in all the other 7ue&tion&! It $a& not *o&ed more directly than that( but $a& the cro&&road& to $hich all *ath& led! They had *ointed out to me that my an&$er $ould not re"eal anythin ( becau&e e"erythin had lon &ince been re"ealed! 5All the more rea&on not to tal#!5 5<oo#( you0re an educated man; you #no$ that &ilence attract& attention! Your dumbne&& i& betrayin you in the mo&t )ooli&h $ay!5 I $ould an&$er them( 5But my &ilence i& real! I) I hid it )rom you( you $ould )ind it a ain a little )arther on! I) it betray& me( all the better )or you( it hel*& you( and all the better )or me( $hom you &ay you are hel*in !5 So they had to mo"e hea"en and earth to et to the bottom o) it! I had become in"ol"ed in their &earch! ,e $ere all li#e ma&#ed hunter&! ,ho $a& bein 7ue&tioned+ ,ho $a& an&$erin + One became the other! The $ord& &*o#e by them&el"e&! The &ilence entered them( an e/cellent re)u e( &ince I $a& the only one $ho noticed it! I had been a&#ed' Tell u& 5%u&t e/actly5 $hat ha**ened! A &tory+ I be an' I am not learned; I am not i norant! I ha"e #no$n %oy&! That i& &ayin too little! I told them the $hole &tory and they li&tened( it &eem& to me( $ith intere&t( at lea&t in the be innin ! But the end $a& a &ur*ri&e to all o) u&! 5That $a& the be innin (5 they &aid! 5No$ et do$n to the )act&!5 Ho$ &o+ The &tory $a& o"er3* I had to ac#no$led e that I $a& not ca*able o) )ormin a &tory out o) the&e e"ent&! I had lo&t the &en&e o) the &tory; that ha**en& in a ood many illne&&e&! But thi& e/*lanation only made them more in&i&tent! Then I noticed )or the )ir&t time that there $ere t$o o) them and that thi& di&tortion o) the traditional method( e"en thou h it $a& e/*lained by the )act that one o) them $a& an eye doctor( the other a &*eciali&t in mental illne&&( con&tantly a"e our con"er&ation the character o) an authoritarian interro ation( o"er&een and controlled by a &trict &et o) rule&! O) cour&e neither o) them $a& the chie) o) *olice! But becau&e there $ere t$o o) them( there $ere three( and thi& third remained )irmly con"inced( I am &ure( that a $riter( a man $ho &*ea#& and $ho rea&on& $ith di&tinction( i& al$ay& ca*able o) recountin the )act& that he remember&! A &tory+ No! No &torie&( ne"er a ain!