see were some shiny screws, not screwed down all the way, standing out against

the walnut-stained planks. Near the casket was an Arab nurse in a white smock,

with a brightly colored scarf on her head.

 

Just then the caretaker came in behind me. He must have been running. He

stuttered a little. "We put the cover on, but I'm supposed to unscrew the casket

so you can see her." He was moving toward the casket when I stopped him. He

said, "You don't want to?" I answered, "No." He was quiet, and I was embarrassed

because I felt I shouldn't have said that. He looked at me and then asked, "Why

not?" but without criticizing, as if he just wanted to know. I said, "I don't

know." He started twirl­ ing his moustache, and then without looking at me,

again he said, "I understand." He had nice pale blue eyes and a reddish

complexion. He offered me a chair and thensat down right behind me. The nurse

stood up and went toward the door. At that point the caretaker said to me,

"She's got an abscess." I didn't understand, so I looked over at the nurse and

saw that she had a bandage wrapped around her head just below the eyes. Where

her nose should have been, the bandage was Bat. All you could see of her face

was the whiteness of the ban­ dage.

 

When she'd gone, the caretaker said, ''I'll leave you alone." I don't know what

kind of gesture I made, but he stayed where he was, behind me. Having this

presence breathing down my neck was starting to annoy me. The room was filled

with beautiful late-afternoon sunlight. Two hornets were buzzing against the

glass roof. I could feel myself getting sleepy. Without turning around, I said

to the caretaker, "Have you been here long?" Right away he answered, "Five