Under the washstand, carefully, something moved.
You hear the woman who thinks you are her child.
Beneath his prostrate head, eternity opened.
Hear how he laughs at you; in what amusement she agrees.
The curtain sighed as powers unspeakable passed through it.
Darkness purred with delight and said: What is this change your eye betrays?
Only a moment ago, I was your friend, or so you claimed; why this sudden loss of love?
Only a moment ago you were all eagerness to know my secrets; where is your hunger now?
Only be steadfast: for now, my dear, my darling, the moment comes when hunger and love will be forever satisfied.
And darkness, smiling, leaned ever more intimately inward upon him, laid open the huge, ragged mouth— Ahhhhh…!
Child, child, why do you betray me so?
Come near. Come very near.
Ohhhhhh…!
Must you be naughty? It would grieve me terribly to have to force you.
You know that you can never get away: you don’t even want to get away.
But with that, the child was torn into two creatures, of whom one cried out for his father.
The shadows lay where they belonged, and he lay shaken in his tears. He saw the windo
