well. The door did not open right away. The sound of jangling keys -there 16
must have been a huge bunch of them - rang through the wall. One had the impression that the visitor was amusing himself with his keys but had no intention of using them. This game continued until the visitor dropped the mass of metal to the ground with a loud crash. Thomas opened the door and caught the man just as he was bending down to pick up the mass of iron instruments that had slipped away from him. He was a solid, hearty fellow, with a youthful and scheming air about him. He gave a look of annoyance, and, with quick and skillful movements, he took hold of Thomas's wrists, and the latter suddenly found himself bound in hand cuffs. It was an unpleasant sensation to feel the coldness of the steel against his skin, but he offered no resistance. "This was bound to happen," he said to himself. He followed the young man who, unhindered by the darkness, led him down a hallway at a rapid pace. On each side of the hallway there were doors that stood out in the darkness because of the black color that had been painted over them. Thomas could not see much of anything. One of his hands was bound to the left wrist of the newcomer who was pulling him along without paying much attention. After a few abrupt and halting steps, the hallway became so narrow that it was no longer possible to con tinue. "Okay," thought Thomas, "this pause will give me an opportunity to question my companion." At this moment the sound of a bell made him look up. He had no reason to believe that this bell was meant for him, but when the sound died down, he saw the bell still swinging slightly over the door right next to him, and he approached it. Who could have rung it? The guardian gave him no time to reflect; in his hand was a key, which he slid into the lock. When the door was partly open, he pushed it with his foot and stood aside. Thomas looked in to see an ordinary bedroom, well lit and carefully furnished. Its only amenities were two armchairs and two beds arranged side by side. The colors of each set were different; the light falling on them brought out their nuances, and they seemed to comple ment one another harmoniously. The carpet had not been so well chosen, but in the center of the wall there was a painting that Thomas liked and that he promised himself to examine more closely if he ever had the op portunity. While he was glancing around at the room, the door closed; the guardian had left. He then took a few steps, carefully avoiding the stools, the almost miniature tables, the small shelves on the floor covered with worthless ceramics that made it difficult to walk around. The room seemed 17
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:
different according to whether one looked to the right or to the left, and it seemed to change again when one walked away from the door rather than toward the hallway. But these changes of perspective were not great. When facing the door, the only possible thought was to continue straight ahead, and the furniture no longer mattered. Unsatisfied with this tiring little stroll, Thomas stopped and sat down in one of the armchairs, while his companion timidly took a place in the other seat. They had not yet spo ken to each other. Thomas continued to look directly in front of him, as if he could not take his eyes from the door that had closed on him. Seated or standing, he returned always to the same fascinating point. It seemed to him that the light was growing dim or that, if the bright ness was not in fact diminishing, there was something in the air that was absorbing the rays. It was as if the night had passed through the atmo sphere and found itself there not because of the darkness whose traces could not be perceived but in the feeling to which darkness would give rise if it reigned. In truth, Thomas's eyes were growing tired and sleep lay heavy upon them. He rose with difficulty. Fortunately, the mattress was very close; he fell onto it, dragging with him the young man
must have been a huge bunch of them - rang through the wall. One had the impression that the visitor was amusing himself with his keys but had no intention of using them. This game continued until the visitor dropped the mass of metal to the ground with a loud crash. Thomas opened the door and caught the man just as he was bending down to pick up the mass of iron instruments that had slipped away from him. He was a solid, hearty fellow, with a youthful and scheming air about him. He gave a look of annoyance, and, with quick and skillful movements, he took hold of Thomas's wrists, and the latter suddenly found himself bound in hand cuffs. It was an unpleasant sensation to feel the coldness of the steel against his skin, but he offered no resistance. "This was bound to happen," he said to himself. He followed the young man who, unhindered by the darkness, led him down a hallway at a rapid pace. On each side of the hallway there were doors that stood out in the darkness because of the black color that had been painted over them. Thomas could not see much of anything. One of his hands was bound to the left wrist of the newcomer who was pulling him along without paying much attention. After a few abrupt and halting steps, the hallway became so narrow that it was no longer possible to con tinue. "Okay," thought Thomas, "this pause will give me an opportunity to question my companion." At this moment the sound of a bell made him look up. He had no reason to believe that this bell was meant for him, but when the sound died down, he saw the bell still swinging slightly over the door right next to him, and he approached it. Who could have rung it? The guardian gave him no time to reflect; in his hand was a key, which he slid into the lock. When the door was partly open, he pushed it with his foot and stood aside. Thomas looked in to see an ordinary bedroom, well lit and carefully furnished. Its only amenities were two armchairs and two beds arranged side by side. The colors of each set were different; the light falling on them brought out their nuances, and they seemed to comple ment one another harmoniously. The carpet had not been so well chosen, but in the center of the wall there was a painting that Thomas liked and that he promised himself to examine more closely if he ever had the op portunity. While he was glancing around at the room, the door closed; the guardian had left. He then took a few steps, carefully avoiding the stools, the almost miniature tables, the small shelves on the floor covered with worthless ceramics that made it difficult to walk around. The room seemed 17
:
:
different according to whether one looked to the right or to the left, and it seemed to change again when one walked away from the door rather than toward the hallway. But these changes of perspective were not great. When facing the door, the only possible thought was to continue straight ahead, and the furniture no longer mattered. Unsatisfied with this tiring little stroll, Thomas stopped and sat down in one of the armchairs, while his companion timidly took a place in the other seat. They had not yet spo ken to each other. Thomas continued to look directly in front of him, as if he could not take his eyes from the door that had closed on him. Seated or standing, he returned always to the same fascinating point. It seemed to him that the light was growing dim or that, if the bright ness was not in fact diminishing, there was something in the air that was absorbing the rays. It was as if the night had passed through the atmo sphere and found itself there not because of the darkness whose traces could not be perceived but in the feeling to which darkness would give rise if it reigned. In truth, Thomas's eyes were growing tired and sleep lay heavy upon them. He rose with difficulty. Fortunately, the mattress was very close; he fell onto it, dragging with him the young man
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