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Étienne, Marie: Nightmares (Cauchemars in English)

Portre of Étienne, Marie

Cauchemars (French)

Premièrement. La Maison est restée là-bas, il part à sa recherche, reconnaît le quartier mais la nuit est tombée tandis qu’il suit les rues parallèles à la Mer, celles qui vont vers l’Ouest. Comme il ne trouve rien il prend le sens inverse, c’estàdire les rues parallèles au Palais, celles qui vont au Sud. Mais entre-temps, préoccupé de la méthode il oublie ce qu’il cherche ou ce qu’il cherche a disparu, s’est transformé, ou la nuit est vraiment trop noire : la Maison demeure introuvable.

Sauf une fois. Il la découvre en fête, des inconnus, d’anciens amis circulent et sourient. Le jardin en revanche est désert, près de l’étang un écriteau branlant porte son nom.

—Tu vois, fait remarquer un invité à Cook, tu n’es pas oublié.

Deuxièmement. Il s’apprête au voyage. Seul partir compte. Hélas ! sur le quai de la gare ses bagages l’entourent comme des bornes qui s’opposent. Plusieurs cas se présentent.

Il arrive en retard. Le train au loin ne montre plus que sa fumée tandis que sur le quai sa silhouette à lui est une borne qui s’ajoute.

Il est à l’heure. Comment s’y prendre ? Le poids le rend perplexe. Le train démarre. Sans lui.

Il est monté heureux. Tous ses bagages autour de lui sont ses petits. Hélas hélas ! il s’est trompé de train, il est monté en queue, bref le bon train démarre. Sans lui.

Il est monté heureux en tête. Le train a démarré mais son voisin bizarre se répand sur le siège. Laissant là ses bagages Cook circule, détendu, vers l’arrière. Le paysage le distrait tant et si bien qu’il prend la place, qu’il absorbe le train dont les derniers wagons suivent la courbe de la voie. Et disparaissent. Cook est seul dans le paysage.

Il atteint la falaise d’où un avion doit l’enlever en volant bas sans atterrir. Un ami porte les bagages, l’avion surgit. Des mains saisissent ses effets, s’en dessaisissent dans la mer. Cook a la peine au coeur.

Un jour enfin il vole, il voit les sources et les monts, les saules et les fleuves, les lavandières sur les berges.

—Que ne suis-je léger, pense-t-il.

Dans l’arc-en-ciel où il s’inscrit il abandonne ses bagages. Et monte.



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationhttp://irc.sunchat.hu/vers/

Nightmares (English)

First of all. The House has remained in its old spot, he goes in search of it, recognizes the neighborhood but night has fallen while he’s been following the streets parallel to the Sea, those which go West. Since he’s found nothing he goes in the opposite direction, that is, the streets parallel to the Palace, those which go South. But meanwhile, preoccupied by how to go about it, he forgets what he’s looking for or what he’s looking for has disappeared, has shifted shapes, or the night is really too black: the House is nowhere to be found.

Except once. He discovers it with a party in full swing, unknown people and former friends mill around and smile. The garden on the other hand is deserted, near the pond a rickety signboard bears his name.

—You see, one of the guests remarks to Cook, you aren’t forgotten.

Second of all. He’s getting ready for a trip. All that counts is leaving. Unfortunately, his suitcases surround him on the station platform like barriers to prevent it. Several possibilities present themselves.

He arrives late. From far o√, all that can be seen of the train is its smoke while on the platform his own silhouette is one more barrier.

He’s on time. How should he go about it? The weight stymies him. The train starts off. Without him.

He gets on happily. All the suitcases around him are his children. Too bad too bad! He’s gotten on the wrong train, he’s gotten on the end of the train, in short, the right train leaves. Without him.

He gets on happily at the head of the train. The train starts off, but his peculiar neighbor spreads himself out over the seat. Leaving his luggage there. Cook wanders, relaxed, towards the rear of the train. The landscape distracts him so thoroughly that it takes the place of, that it absorbs the train whose last cars follow the curve of the tracks. And disappear. Cook is alone in the countryside.

He reaches a cliff where a plane is to pick him up flying low without landing.

A friend is carrying his luggage, the airplane looms up. Hands seize his possessions, and then let them drop into the ocean. Cook is heartbroken.

Finally one day he takes off, he sees the springs and the mountains, the willows and the rivers, the washerwomen on the riverbanks.

—If only I were light, he thinks.

In the rainbow where he registers he abandons his luggage. And gets on board.



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationhttp://www.scribd.com

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