The Tunnel by Ernesto Sabato

Author:Ernesto Sabato [Sábato, Ernesto]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
ISBN: 9780141964058
Publisher: Penguin Adult
Published: 2010-03-07T22:00:00+00:00

XVIII

Every day my interrogations – about María’s silences, the look in her eyes, her hesitant words, her love affairs, a visit to the estancia – grew more intense and more unmerciful. One day I asked her why she called herself ‘Señorita Iribarne’ instead of, as Allende’s wife, ‘Señora de Allende.’ She smiled, and said:

‘What a child you are! What difference can it make?’

‘It makes a lot of difference to me,’ I said, watching her eyes.

Her smile disappeared, and she said, ‘It’s a family custom.’

‘Ah, but the first time I called your house and asked for “Señorita Iribarne,” ’ I countered, ‘the maid hesitated before answering me.’

‘You must have imagined it.’

‘Maybe. But why didn’t she correct me?’

María smiled again, more brightly.

‘I just explained,’ she said. ‘It’s our custom, so obviously the maid knows about it. Everyone calls me María Iribarne.’

‘The “María Iribarne” sounds reasonable, but I thought it was odd the maid didn’t seem surprised by the “Señorita.” ’

‘Oh … I didn’t realize that was what bothered you. Well, that isn’t usual, and that may explain why she hesitated.’

She seemed abstracted, as if considering that for the first time.

‘But I’m telling you, she didn’t correct me.’

‘Who?’ she asked, as if she had been far away.

‘The maid. She didn’t correct me when I said “Señorita.” ’

‘But, Juan Pablo. None of this is of the least importance. I can’t imagine what you want to prove.’

‘I want to prove that probably it wasn’t the first time someone called you “Señorita.” The maid would have corrected that the first time.’

María burst out laughing.

‘You are absolutely fantastic,’ she said almost happily, hugging me tenderly.

I was unmoved.

‘Furthermore,’ I continued, ‘when you first came to the phone your voice was neutral, very businesslike – until you closed the door. Then your tone was affectionate. Why the change?’

‘But, Juan Pablo,’ she replied, suddenly very serious. ‘How could I have spoken with affection in front of the maid?’

‘Yes, that part is logical. But you said, “When I close the door they know I am not to be disturbed.” That couldn’t refer to me because it was the first time I had called. Or to Hunter, since you can see him as often as you like at the estancia. It seems obvious to me that there are other people who call you, or used to call you. Is that true?’

María’s eyes filled with sadness.

‘Instead of looking so sad, you might answer,’ I commented irritably.

‘But, Juan Pablo, everything you’re saying is childish. Of course I talk to other people: cousins, family friends, my mother, how do I know?’

‘But I wouldn’t think that you would have to hide for that kind of conversation.’

‘And where do you get the right to say that I “hide”?’ she replied angrily.

‘Don’t get excited. It was you who told me about a certain Richard, who wasn’t a cousin, or a family friend … or your mother.’

María was suddenly despondent.

‘Poor Richard,’ she said softly.

‘Why “poor”?’

‘You know very well he committed suicide, and in a way I was slightly to blame.

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