The Liar by Martin A. Hansen

Author:Martin A. Hansen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: New York Review Books
Published: 2023-04-04T00:00:00+00:00

7

AT AROUND noon, I was to be found in the sitting room of Olaf’s mother, browsing through a photo album and recalling that time when Olaf was not allowed to speak of the terrible event that had befallen him.

Well, of course, I actually sat a while on my own in the sacristy before doing anything else. After that experience, shall we call it, in the church earlier that Sunday morning. Now what do you make of all that saga, Nathan, eh? Intimate soul-baring is what you demand of me. Is it not? Well. I’ve admitted that during morning worship I felt my soul was possessed by the Dark One. The devil himself, no less! Were you not thrilled by such a frank confession? That I, who previously was neither here nor there. Completely empty and rudderless. Suddenly became the evil seducer personified. At the very least, I felt as a stranger in the congregation and became so violently apart from them that it was like a satanic possession. Were you not delighted, Nathan? Or do you not believe a word of it? Ha! How did I feel about it afterwards? Yes indeed, Nathan, you may well be saying what I said to myself in the sacristy: You get a bit twisted from an early morning dram on an empty stomach.

Now is that not true?

I won’t torture you with all that I sat mulling over on that rickety chair in the sacristy. I sat there and watched shadows weave patterns across the whitewashed ceiling. Folk outside moved past the little window as they left the church. Then utter silence. I sat there missing Pigro terribly. That little sacristy is made for melancholy. In one corner is a small, old pinewood cupboard that’s destroyed by damp. In the other corner is a round basin. Nearby, a heavily stained and pock-marked mirror hangs on the wall and a towel on a nail.

Then I left. The notion of going for a walk along the beach out at the Neb came to me strongly. I could manage that easily before going to Olaf’s mother’s to eat. But after locking the church door and reaching the gate, I saw the car from Næs Halls was still there. Rigmor sitting there waiting. She rolled the window down. Huh! she said. She flinching in her fine clothes. I noticed that she declined to look directly at me.

Get in! she said.

I sat myself in. In the back seat.

•

It’s a while till lunchtime, Johannes. She spoke without turning to me. Why don’t we drive out to the cliffs and look at the sea. You could tell me about the birds.

No. We won’t be doing that, I replied.

Don’t worry. I’ll drive you back in time for Marie, she said. She took out a new cigarette and then handed the pack over her shoulder to me.

Oh go on. Shall we? I’d really love to hear you telling me something. About the birds. Or anything. Just for half an hour.

I gave a little laugh.

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