The Green Face by Gustav Meyrink

Author:Gustav Meyrink [Meyrink, Gustav]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Literature, 20th Century, European Literature, v.5, Amazon.com, Retail
ISBN: 0946626928
Amazon: B0038U2V8S
Publisher: Dedalus
Published: 1991-10-29T15:00:00+00:00

“No, Eva”, Hauberrisser broke in quickly, “you are wrong. I know what you are afraid I might say. You don’t want to hear me tell you what my feelings for you are, and I am not going to mention them. In spite of the fact that what Doctor Sephardi said was said in all honesty, and in spite of the fact that I hope with all my heart that it will come to pass, yet it has still raised an almost insurmountable barrier between us, of which I am painfully aware. If we do not put all our effort into tearing it down it will stand between us for ever. And yet I am filled with an inner sense of joy that it has happened in this way. I think neither of us need fear a calculated marriage. The danger that was threatening us - please excuse me, Eva, when I use the words `we’ and ‘us’ in this way - was that it would be love and desire alone that brought us together. Doctor Sephardi was right when he said the meaning of marriage had been lost to mankind.”

“But that is what torments me”, said Eva. “Life seems tome a dreadful, devouring monster and I feel at a complete loss as to how to deal with it. Everything is stale or threadbare. Every word we use has become dry as dust. I feel like a child who is looking forward to being transported into a fairytale world and then goes to the theatre and sees actors dripping with greasepaint. Marriage has become an ugly institution which robs love of its bloom and reduces men and women to mere functions. It is like slowly sinking into the desert sand. Why can’t we be like mayflies?” She stood still and cast longing glances at a floodlit fountain enveloped in a golden haze of fluttering moths. “They spend years as grubs, crawling overthe earth, preparing fortheir wedding as for something sacred, to celebrate one short day of love before they die.” She stopped with a shudder of horror.

Her eyes had darkened, and Hauberrisser could see she was in the grip of some deep emotion. He raised her hand to his lips. For a while they stood there motionless then slowly, as if half asleep, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him.

“When will you become my wife? Life is so short, Eva.”

She gave no answer, and without a word they walked together towards the open wrought-iron gate where Baron Mill’s car was waiting to take Eva home. Hauberrisser wanted to repeat his question before she said goodbye, but she was the first to speak, snuggling up against him.

“I long for you as I long for death”, she said softly. “I will be your lover, of that I am sure; but we will be spared what people call marriage.”

He scarcely grasped the meaning of her words, he was numb with the joy of holding her in his anus. Then he responded

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