then, with a smirk, he answered:
"I'm not in any relationship. Understand me good. I have nothing to lose helping the Astrologer. The rest, his theories, for me it's just some talk, see. He's just a friend of mine who wants to get set up in a business, one that even comes under the law, and that's it for me. Now, the money he gets out of it he can use to start a conspiracy or a convent full of nuns, it's nothing to me personally. So, see, my part in this big underground society of his couldn't be more innocent."
"And to you it makes sense that a revolutionary group should live off the exploitation of women?"
The Ruffian glowered. Then, giving Erdosain only a sidelong glance, he explained:
"That's a lot of nonsense. The way the system works now, we exploit men, women, and children all the time. If you want to see real exploitation in this capitalist setup, just go look at the foundries down on Avellaneda, the meat packers, the glassworks, tobacco and match factories." He let out a nasty laugh to go with these remarks. "We, the men who play these games, maybe we have one or two women, but an industrialist has a whole mass of human beings. So what do you call a guy like that? Who's inhuman, someone who has a whorehouse or the stockholders of a company? And, not to get into this business of yours, but didn't they say you should keep honest and pay you a hundred pesos to carry around ten thousand pesos in your billfold?"
"You're right ... but then, why did you let me have the money?"
"Well, that's a whole different story."
"But it keeps bothering me."
"Okay, well, see you later."
And before Erdosain could answer, the Ruffian was already off down a tree-lined path. He was walking off fast. Erdosain looked at him, and then rushed to catch up with him next to an old house. Haffner wheeled around, irritated, and burst out:
"Would you mind telling me what it is you want?"
"What do I want? ... I want you to know one thing, see, that I'm not the least bit grateful for the money you gave me. You know? You want your check? Here, take it."
And he pushed it right at him, but then the Ruffian looked at him, this time with total contempt.
"Don't be silly, okay? Go pay up."
Erdosain was seeing the fence like a series of waves. He was obviously not doing very well and turned so pale he was practically yellow. He leaned on a post, sure he was going to throw up any moment now. Haffner, standing in front of him, asked condescendingly:
"Feeling better, now?"
"Yes ... a little ... "
"You're not in good shape ... you should go see a doctor."
They walked on a few steps in silence. The light bothered Erdosain's eyes, so they took a path that lay more in shade. They followed it to the train station. Haffner walked slowly through the station. Suddenly he wheeled and asked Erdosain:
"Have you ever had the urge to be cruel to people?"
"Yes, sometimes ... "
"That's odd ... because just now I was thinking about this idea I had a while ago, the idea of having a blind girl to offer my clients ... "
"Is she still alive?"
"Oh yes, and now she's pregnant. See? Blind and pregnant. I'll take you to see her someday. You can meet her. It really is a strange thing, so be prepared for something strong. See? Blind and pregnant. Oh, she's a wild one, wanders around with needles in her hands ... besides which she eats like a pig. You'll find it very interesting."
"And you're going to—"
"Right, as soon as the Astrologer gets the whorehouse set up, she'll be our number one girl. We'll keep her on ice and bring her out as the exotic spécialité de la maison ."
"You're more exotic than she is, you know?"
"How's that?"
"Because you defy explanation. While you were telling me about that blind girl, I was thinking of something the Astrologer told me. You took up with a really pure woman and even when she was right in your house you didn't lay a hand on her. Let me ask you this one thing: if that woman was in love with you and she was a virgin, why
"I'm not in any relationship. Understand me good. I have nothing to lose helping the Astrologer. The rest, his theories, for me it's just some talk, see. He's just a friend of mine who wants to get set up in a business, one that even comes under the law, and that's it for me. Now, the money he gets out of it he can use to start a conspiracy or a convent full of nuns, it's nothing to me personally. So, see, my part in this big underground society of his couldn't be more innocent."
"And to you it makes sense that a revolutionary group should live off the exploitation of women?"
The Ruffian glowered. Then, giving Erdosain only a sidelong glance, he explained:
"That's a lot of nonsense. The way the system works now, we exploit men, women, and children all the time. If you want to see real exploitation in this capitalist setup, just go look at the foundries down on Avellaneda, the meat packers, the glassworks, tobacco and match factories." He let out a nasty laugh to go with these remarks. "We, the men who play these games, maybe we have one or two women, but an industrialist has a whole mass of human beings. So what do you call a guy like that? Who's inhuman, someone who has a whorehouse or the stockholders of a company? And, not to get into this business of yours, but didn't they say you should keep honest and pay you a hundred pesos to carry around ten thousand pesos in your billfold?"
"You're right ... but then, why did you let me have the money?"
"Well, that's a whole different story."
"But it keeps bothering me."
"Okay, well, see you later."
And before Erdosain could answer, the Ruffian was already off down a tree-lined path. He was walking off fast. Erdosain looked at him, and then rushed to catch up with him next to an old house. Haffner wheeled around, irritated, and burst out:
"Would you mind telling me what it is you want?"
"What do I want? ... I want you to know one thing, see, that I'm not the least bit grateful for the money you gave me. You know? You want your check? Here, take it."
And he pushed it right at him, but then the Ruffian looked at him, this time with total contempt.
"Don't be silly, okay? Go pay up."
Erdosain was seeing the fence like a series of waves. He was obviously not doing very well and turned so pale he was practically yellow. He leaned on a post, sure he was going to throw up any moment now. Haffner, standing in front of him, asked condescendingly:
"Feeling better, now?"
"Yes ... a little ... "
"You're not in good shape ... you should go see a doctor."
They walked on a few steps in silence. The light bothered Erdosain's eyes, so they took a path that lay more in shade. They followed it to the train station. Haffner walked slowly through the station. Suddenly he wheeled and asked Erdosain:
"Have you ever had the urge to be cruel to people?"
"Yes, sometimes ... "
"That's odd ... because just now I was thinking about this idea I had a while ago, the idea of having a blind girl to offer my clients ... "
"Is she still alive?"
"Oh yes, and now she's pregnant. See? Blind and pregnant. I'll take you to see her someday. You can meet her. It really is a strange thing, so be prepared for something strong. See? Blind and pregnant. Oh, she's a wild one, wanders around with needles in her hands ... besides which she eats like a pig. You'll find it very interesting."
"And you're going to—"
"Right, as soon as the Astrologer gets the whorehouse set up, she'll be our number one girl. We'll keep her on ice and bring her out as the exotic spécialité de la maison ."
"You're more exotic than she is, you know?"
"How's that?"
"Because you defy explanation. While you were telling me about that blind girl, I was thinking of something the Astrologer told me. You took up with a really pure woman and even when she was right in your house you didn't lay a hand on her. Let me ask you this one thing: if that woman was in love with you and she was a virgin, why
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