The Price of Dreams: Patricia Highsmith, the novel of her life by Margherita Giacobino

Author:Margherita Giacobino [Giacobino, Margherita]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dedalus Limited
Published: 2020-08-04T22:00:00+00:00

VI

Why do my books not sell in America? Because they are “too psychologically subtle”, says my American agent – and there is not a single “likeable” character in them. Perhaps that is because I don’t like anyone. Next time I’ll write about animals.

And so the affair with Catherine is over, with the by now familiar unpleasant sentimental and bureaucratic aftermath. What on earth prompted her, more than once, to want to share her bed and her purse with a woman, only to find herself on her own, saddled with a house where she no longer lives?

The curse of houses! This urge to possess, to settle down, combined with that other urge to go away, to spread her wings, to break free of every bond. It would be so much easier to be a snail that carries its shell around with it, and is masculine or feminine at will – not to mention the fact that snails make love with delicate concentration, with slow and ecstatic movements, for hours, as if nothing else existed in the world.

Snails are Pat’s next favourite animal after cats. She breeds them, she even takes them with her when she travels, having to smuggle them because the customs authorities do not allow it. All her predilections, it goes without saying, are forbidden by law.

She likes cats more and more: they are soft, elegant, mysterious and sensual. Like women. But unlike women they make no demands, and with cats there is no recrimination and no blackmailing.

As soon as she settles in France, she gets herself a splendid Siamese cat she calls Sam.

Together with a friend, Evelyn, nicknamed Madame because of her grand manner, she buys a house in the Île de France. It is a little house tucked away in the middle of an old neighbourhood and squeezed in between other buildings, almost invisible to anyone who does not know of its existence. It is like her life: she tries to blend in with others, not to be noticed.

Without ever succeeding.

Evelyn, another huge mistake. Cohabitation turns the charming and witty woman who in recent years has been a delightful travelling companion into a possessive harridan, always upbraiding her and creating violent scenes inspired by jealousy.

Within a few months she finds herself with another wife. As if there were no escape.

And they are not even lovers, only friends!

She is definitely bedevilled by bad luck, even though she is prepared to admit it is partly her own fault.

It is true: Sam, who is still a kitten and uncontrollable, has pulled the threads in Evelyn’s carpet – in fact, Evelyn has actually asked to be compensated for the damage.

And yes, when Pat types she makes a noise, but how was she to know that Madame was so sensitive that she would not be able to sleep because of it? Furthermore, Madame cannot stand her English girlfriend Violet, and the antipathy is reciprocated.

Violet is the first woman in her life who approaches Pat with the reverential awe of a true fan:

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