Page 81 - November 2020

81
Litterateur
November 2020

Emilia

Grossmann I'm sorry, but I don't intend to argue with you, and certainly not
about such obvious things. It's the principle that matters to me. That suit will go
in the dustbin. It won't hurt anyone. Believe me. No one will mourn. Not even you.
I'll take care of that. After all, I haven't been anywhere in a week. I am retired,
which is the same thing as resting, and I shall spend my retirement living with
you in harmony. You must admit that suit no longer has a place in our household.
I'm here - in person. It doesn't need to take anyone's place. To stand in for
anyone.
Emilia We two will never agree. We've lived two completely different lives,
even though they were in some way connected. We've lived close to each other,
very close, yet next to each other. Even so, I would still claim that we've never
stopped, and we never will stop, loving each other.
Grossmann I can't contradict you there. I should be contradicting myself.

Emilia I'm extremely glad we have at last, though in a roundabout
fashion, come to an irrevocable decision to hang your suit up in the cupboard.
Grossmann Forgive me for being so blunt, but my reputation as a man who
under all circumstances put forward the right opinion and had it accepted, does
not allow me to agree with you in this case. That suit belongs in the dustbin and
nowhere else. And, after all, we're not going to be the ones to go against that
obvious logic. We'll throw it away.
Emilia I can assure you it won't make much difference if you pick that
suit up and put it back in the cupboard.
Grossmann Don't worry, it won't make much difference if we throw this suit
away.
Emilia That's impossible.
Grossmann It's unavoidable. Because it's impossible to do up the trousers
of this suit, since the moths have destroyed them just at that point.
Emilia That's no obstacle. So far as I know, the deceased's hands are
clasped in the coffin, so whether your trousers will or will not be buttoned up is
neither here nor there.

Dr.Grossmann thought about this for a while and then spoke in a brooding tone.

Grossmann That's a fact. Actually, you're right.