The Heart of Man by Jon Kalman Stefansson

Author:Jon Kalman Stefansson [Stefansson, Jon Kalman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Literary
Publisher: Quercus
Published: 2015-12-22T05:00:00+00:00

XVI

It took a good three weeks to right the St. Louise. A capsized ship is so heartrending, we felt it every time we looked out at the tranquil Lagoon, which reflects mountains, reflects the sky, reflects our existence and the clouds that so resemble man, rootless, transient, ever-changing. A three-week tug-of-war with the seabed. Geirþrúður sat one night on the shore and watched, just watched, one entire night. June nights here in the north must be the most beautiful in the world, the luminance of the night sky can bewilder you with happiness, it washes away anxiety, stress, hatred, envy, all of these things that are like a blight inside humankind. All is tranquil, transparent. A June night is a bit like the breath of God, and for a moment all existence is soft and still. For a moment. The wounds of life certainly don’t heal in one night, it takes more than that, but the luminance of the night strokes them carefully, and perhaps allows you to weep. Did Geirþrúður weep? Can something as clear and transparent as tears come from such dark eyes? She sat there all night. Not always alone; Helga came around one o’clock with a blanket, spread it over her shoulders, said nothing, just spread a blanket over her shoulders, though there were many words in that movement, then stood there silently, close to her mistress. Where language ends, closeness begins. Then Helga went home. Geirþrúður continued to sit through the night, in the silence, watched and thought and now and then flexed her fingers, had to do so; they were numb with longing, white from a lack of blood, perhaps they’ll be damaged and need to be cut off; Helga has sharp knives. Anything is possible. Four hours later, around five o’clock, Helga returned, not with a knife to cut away longing but with coffee and cognac. They didn’t drink much, just a little. The sun had started to warm the air, dry the dew, the flies had begun buzzing, we emerged from our houses and the dark keel sundered the morning light.

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