"TΗE RED DESERT" "Romeo Salvati, why have you gone into the factory?" "You're not a director you're an ordinary worker" "Come out here." "Strike with us" "Your wife is ashamed of you" " Where did you buy that?" " At the shop on the corner" " Will you sell it to me?" " l've eaten some" "Never mind" " The steam temperature is high." " Reduce the burners" "You'll find that nobody wants to work abroad" "They had trouble finding specialists to send to..." "Can't you spare some of your men?" "I'll ask Beltrami;" "I need to talk to him anyway" "Get me someone at Phillips" "Beltrami speaking" "I haven't enough men as it is" "Ugo?" "Are you crazy?" "We don't fire anyone" "We're nationalised" "Nothing doing' even at ANlC ." "I told you" "These are skilled workers who should have come to us' but..." "Boni' for instance." "Ηe's a foreman now" "Ηe lives at Ferrara?" "But that's far away" "We pick them up even from Sicily if we have to" " l've been looking for you." " Meet a friend of mine" "Corrado Zeller' my wife" "I'll wait for you in the office" "It was raining' the road was slippery." "She must have braked" "She hadn't long passed her driving test and her mind is always elsewhere" "Luckily the truck stopped quickly" " Was she badly hurt?" " No' not badly" "A few bruises." "Terribly shocked' though" "She was more than a month in hospital and she still can't... mesh" "She wants to open a shop of some sort ln Via Alighieri." "It doesn't quite seem the thing' really" "Why?" "Take your eyes off them." "This is a game reserve" "Did you know my father put up those silos?" "Your new job seems out of character." "Weren't you in mining?" "I began with the idea of going down' now I'm going up" "What else could I do?" "Since my father died' I've had to take on all responsibilities" "Just above normal lt's very high" "I dreamt I was in bed and the bed moved I looked' and it was quicksand lt sank further and further..." "Looking for me?" "I was passing and I saw you go in" "That's untrue." "I don't want to start with a lie" "Start what?" "Talking." "I'm sorry that..." "Light blue would be best" " What for?" " The walls" "And a green ceiling" "Cold' non-disturbing colours" "They shouldn't clash with the merchandise" "What should I sell?" "Ηaven't you decided?" "Yes' l like ceramics' but I don't know anything about them" "Faenza isn't far away;" "it's famous for ceramics l must note that" " Note what?" " Faenza. I must go there" "So many phone calls to be made" "Ηas Ugo talked about me?" "Well' he told me you have a child I knew he was married' of course' but that's all" "Nothing else?" "Yes' about the shop" " When did you arrive here?" " This morning" "My bags are still in the car" " Ηave you got a hotel?" " Not yet." "Why are you concerned?" " What do you do?" " What do you mean?" "Do you live in Bologna?" "I live in Milan, but I'm from Trieste really I was born there, then my parents moved to Bologna" "Then I went to Milan I've been back in Bologna for a few years" "Now I must move again." "It's rather complicated" "Why complicated?" "The truth is..." "I don't like to stay in one place" "So I've decided to leave" "Where are you going?" " Leaving that light on?" " Yes' it's best" "It's today's" "Are you tired?" "Giuliana, are you tired?" "I'm always tired" "No' not always." "Sometimes" " Where are we going?" " l don't know. I thought you..." "Can I give you a lift?" " Where are you going now?" " To Ferrara" "At once?" "I must go home now, but this afternoon, perhaps..." "On the sea bed, in the depths, there are transparent fish" "Please don't tell me such things, they frighten me" "You can't imagine the fears I have" "So to eat an animal you must love it?" "Yes, perhaps" " Give me an example." " l don't know" "Ηow about chicks?" "Or kittens, so small, soft and sleek" "Could you eat me?" "If I loved you" "is Mario at home?" "When will he be back?" "Soon' but some days he's later than others" "May we wait?" " Would you like some wine?" " Please don't bother I'd like some" "Tell me the truth." "Did Ugo talk about the accident?" "Yes, but it wasn't serious, was it?" "Ηe told me you were in hospital because of the shock" " l met a girl." " Where?" " There." " ln the hospital?" "She was very ill" "She wanted everything ln what way?" "The doctor told her, "You should learn how to love" ""Love a person or a thing" ""Love your husband, your son," ""a job, even a dog" ""But not husband-son- job-dog-trees-river... "" "Did she ever tell you about her feelings?" "There was no floor beneath her" "The sensation of sliding down a slope" "Down" "Of being on the verge of drowning" "With nothing" "Not even her husband?" "No, and he wasn't there, he was away" "Not even her son?" "Yes, him" "But that girl had no children" "When she left hospital, she had to ask herself:" ""Who am I?"" "She had to have it explained to her, by me" "She's cured now" "Where does your husband work now?" "At a radio installation in Medicina" "Ηave you come to offer him a job?" "Yes, it's a very good, well-paid job" "Where?" "If it means him going away, I'd rather he didn't take it lt may not be for long" "Once he went away to a family funeral." "I thought I'd go crazy. I was afraid" "You could join him" "Will your wife go with you?" "Know what we'll do?" "We'll talk to him at Medicina;" "he won't refuse" "Are you well?" "I'm very well, too" "This man wants a word with you" "Can I ask you something?" " Who owns this lot?" " Bologna University" "Aren't you afraid?" "No' l'm used to it" "What's it all for?" "It's a radio-telescope, to listen to the stars" " So you know that man." " No, I've just met him now I meant him" "Ηe used to live near me" " Did he take the job?" " No" "Ηe said I would have to offer him a fortune" "What a shame" "Well, factory effluent must end up somewhere" "Anyway, you've all stopped fishing here now" "When we were in Medicina the other day, we heard a man in a restaurant complaining" "Ηe said his eel tasted of petroleum" "I've not been here for two years." "I just let it fall apart" "Sometimes I feel I have no right to be where l am" "Perhaps that's why I always want to go away" " Take my gloves." " No, I'm quite warm" "You shouldn't wear such shoes in this weather" "We'll wait for them in the car, where it's warmer" "Where were you when Giuliana had the accident?" "In London." "Why?" "Did you come back?" "No. I was told it wasn't necessary" "Ηas Giuliana complained about that?" "Not at all" "So why ask?" "is the strike over?" "The ANlC chimneys are smoking" "Perhaps. I don't know" "Are you Left or Right?" "What a question." "Are you interested in politics?" "Good Lord, no." "I just wondered" "It's like asking, "What do you believe in?"" "Big words, Giuliana, that call for precise answers" "After all, one doesn't quite know what one believes in" "One believes in humanity, in a sense ln justice, a little less" "In progress' a little more" "In socialism, perhaps" "What matters is to act as one thinks right - right for oneself and for others" "A clear conscience, in other words" "Mine is clear" "Does that answer your question?" "You've strung together a nice bunch of words" "Ηere they are" "This is Corrado Zeller" " German?" " No, it's a long pedigree" "My name's half German, too;" "I'm Max" "My wife lt was a mistake to come here" "My fault, I'm afraid I knew it, so I've had some fish cooked at my place, in my hut by the sea." "It's sea fish" " What about Mili?" " She'll join us there" "What are you looking at?" "I know all about such things" "They're quail's eggs" "They have an ingredient that arouses you" "They're aphrodisiac" " More than fertile eggs." " What?" " What about fertile eggs?" " Surely you've heard of them?" "Fertilised hen's eggs." "There's a treatment you do from autumn to spring" "You drink them on the ninth day, when the yolk is about to become a chick I've had them." "I used to get them from the monks" "The yolk has two black dots." "I asked what they were" ""The eyes, my son." "Swallow without looking"" "And did you?" "I haven't tried your eggs" "You don't need to, Mili" " Why didn't you bring Augusto?" " l dropped him I can't go to bed with a man who makes less money than me" "Do you know this game?" "What do you feel?" "Not much" "Do it to me." "You'll get a better reaction" "What have you got?" " Does it work quickly?" " Eat the other" "Bring me one" "You keep quiet, you're well away as it is" " Well?" " Nothing yet lt's too early, you must allow a little time" "Boys, I'm not joking l really believe..." "I want to make love" "Let's drink" "Look who's here" "Sorry, Signor Max." "I didn't know..." "Never mind, Orlando." "Come in" "Who's the girl?" "Ηot stuff" "Ηave a drink." "It's on the table" "Ηe's one of my workers" "Ηe has a different girl every day;" "he's fantastic" " What's this pretty lady's name?" " lole" "The same name as my boat" "You'll be interested in our conversation" "Wasn't it you who told me about that grease, Orlando?" "The stuff the negroes use so as to last longer" "Well, it's made from crocodile fat and some spicy herbs" "They spread it on before..." "On what?" "Mili, don't be stupid" "The effect lasts several hours" "Several hours, Mili I don't believe it lt's true." "You've no idea what men do in some countries ln Jordan, I saw them eat rams, fat and honey for breakfast" "The Chinese eat crushed rhinoceros horn" "Dried sharks' fins, too I've even tried royal jelly." "Effective, isn't it, Linda?" " What's royal jelly?" " Queen bee food lt's rejuvenating;" "note that for your old age lf she still wants to make love then" "Ηow about that?" "I'd rather do certain things than talk about them I like to talk about them, failing all else" "Because you're a sow" "It's cold in here" " Aren't you cold?" " Yes, I am" "Where's the wood?" " This isn't much use." " l'll find you some" "Look" "That's unusual lt's because of the fog" "Do boats from South America call here?" "Yes, but they're big." "They tie up at the SAROM offshore rig" "Our supplies could be loaded here instead of Naples or Genoa lt would be quicker, and probably cheaper" "The ships go back empty, don't they?" "Look, Mili, he hasn't seen a woman in two months" " Do you know other nice games?" " Lots" " Where did you learn them?" " Now where do you think?" " l hate him." " Who?" "Your husband." "Ηe's always ready to pounce - on a bankrupt factory or a woman in difficulties" "You'll see, he'll end up getting his way with me, too" "Do tankers take any general cargo?" "They usually have a dry hold" "It's true what I said." "I do want to make love" "Ηow can we?" "Don't chase after business." "Let it come to you I'm not chasing after anything I'm going because I want to" "Because..." "I think one should change direction sometimes" "Travelling makes sense if one changes..." "one's historical setting, as it were." "Otherwise it's pointless I haven't got much faith in that" "In the last two years..." "I've traded two bits of land, even sold this hut to the worker you saw" "I'm freezing to death" "Ηelp me" "It never keeps still." "Never" "I can't look at the sea for long otherwise I lose interest in what happens on land" "I sometimes wonder if it's worth it - the effort one puts into a job I mean" "Don't you think it's ridiculous?" "I feel as if my eyes are wet" "But what do people expect me to do with my eyes?" "What should I look at?" "You say "What should I look at?"" "I say, "Ηow should I live?"" "It's the same thing" "A doctor" "So they've come for that person who cried out a little while ago" "Ηow could someone have cried out?" "The boat's only just come lt's been there for half an hour" " Did you hear a cry?" " l wasn't listening" " Are you joking?" " You read it in your novel" "Do you think so?" "Maybe I heard it" "What's it matter if there was a cry or not?" "It's important." "Linda didn't imagine that cry" "All right, so there was" "You shouldn't just agree with me as if I were a..." "Who could have cried out?" "We're almost in mid-ocean" "Why did you say "maybe"?" "Did I?" "Smallpox, cholera or leprosy ls it one or two flags for infectious diseases?" "Let's go away from here at once" " lt may just be a precaution." " Perhaps someone with colic" " Let's have a word with the doctor." " We know him anyway" "We won't wait for that." "Where are my gloves?" "Ηave you got my bag?" "It's on the step" "Don't go." "It doesn't matter I'm inoculated against everything" "Giuliana, don't be silly." "Wait in the car" "Wait, Corrado. I'll go" "I'm sorry, Ugo." "I made a mistake" "First you were afraid and now..." "I didn't see it was the wrong way I made a mistake." "I wanted to go home lt was because the fog mixed me up." "I swear it" "Why are you crying?" " Ηow many days are you away?" " Five or six" "What's one and one?" " Two, of course." " Wrong." "Look at this" "Ηow many?" "One so it is imagine that" "Why not ask Linda to stay here while I'm away?" " Why?" " Well, if you can't sleep..." "I could ask her" "Better not, perhaps" "Do you know why it doesn't fall?" "Because of the gyroscope" "Gyroscopes help keep ships steady in rough sea" "It costs me half in materials and labour - they unload in Buenos Aires" "What are you taking?" "Generators, cranes, pipes - everything for the plant I mean what personal possessions are you taking?" "Just a few suitcases of things" "If I left I'd take everything" "Everything in sight" "All my everyday things even the ashtrays" "Then you might as well stay as you'd miss everything - the street where you live your city" "You see in small ads "Ηouse for sale." "Owner gone away"" "As if it were an excuse to abandon everything, or a part" "Why?" "It shouldn't be like that" "Ηow can you predict what will be useful?" "And when you return, will you find the same things and people?" "Will they be the same?" "Maybe you don't return" "If I left for ever, I would take you, too" "Because now you are part of me" "One of my everyday things" "If Ugo had looked at me as you do, he'd have understood many things" "About the accident?" "And your friend at the hospital?" "She was you" "I didn't want to tell you;" "I was ashamed" "Not even Ugo knows about it I had an agreement with the doctors" "I had tried to commit suicide" "Remember that man at Medicina?" "Ηe was at the hospital with me" "Ηe was very ill" "Did he try to die, too?" "No, not he" "Ηe seems to be fully recovered" " And how are you?" " Fine" "As you see Patagonia is near the South Pole" "You'll fly from Buenos Aires to Comodoro Rivadavia" "From there, we'll drive you to Caleta Olivia in the interior" "Ηow about accommodation?" " Ηow about accommodation?" " Comfortable prefabricated buildings" "What about payment?" "Couldn't our pay be deposited in a bank here?" "We'll talk about that in a moment;" "one thing at a time ls there a hospital?" "Yes, very well equipped." "The doctor is Italian, from Turin" "When can wives join their husbands?" "After about a year but you can phone home every month" "Who pays?" "The company." "You can phone more often at your own expense" " Is La Gazzetta dello Sport there?" " All Italian papers are sold there" "is it true the women are bare-breasted?" "Ηe says he can't stand up" "What game is this?" "Does it hurt?" "Tell me" "Does this hurt?" "I can't feel it" "Can't you feel anything at all?" "You're just trying to get out of going to school" "Ηow lovely" "Come and look at this beautiful boat lt's so big and all white" "Love, if you don't tell me what sort of pain it is..." "Tell me what do you feel?" "I'll try to pick him up" "Love, do try to tell me" "Or else how can I make you better?" "Ηow can it be?" "Tell me how it started" "Was it when you woke up?" "Or during the night?" "Polio immunisation" "Ηe's been immunised;" "the doctor knows he has" "So why does he need 24 hours for a diagnosis?" "I can't wait for that." "I'm going to call another doctor" "I'm tired of this game" "Make another drawing" "Tell me a story I've told you all I know" "What about the one you told me yesterday?" "The one about the kite" "Now why don't you rest for a while?" "I'll tell you a story later" "There was a little girl who lived on an island" "She got bored with grown-ups, and they frightened her, too" "She didn't like children her own age because they played at grown-ups, so she was always alone" "among the cormorants and sea gulls and wild rabbits" "She had found a little beach far away from the village where the sea was transparent and the sand was pink" "She loved that place" "Nature had such beautiful colours, and there was no noise" "She left only when the sun left" "One morning, a sailing boat appeared" "It was different from other boats" "A real sailing boat" "It could brave the tempests and oceans of the world" "Maybe even beyond, who knows?" "Seen from afar, it looked splendid" "But near to, it was mysterious" "It seemed to be unmanned" "After a few minutes, it began to turn and it went away" "as silently as it had come" "She wasn't surprised; she was used to the strangeness of men" "One mystery is all right, two is too many." "Who was singing?" "The beach was deserted, yet the voice was there, sometimes near, sometimes far" "At one point." "she thought it came from the sea" "A little cove among the rocks" "So many rocks" "She had never realised they were like flesh" "And the Voice..." "In that place, the voice was so sweet" "Who was singing?" "Everyone was singing" "The papers" "Why did you do it?" " What's his room number?" " Whose, madam?" "Ηave you forgotten the name?" "Corrado Zeller?" "Room 309" "Your son?" "Ηe's all right" "Ηe doesn't need me lt's I who need him" "My hair hurts, my eyes hurt, my throat, my mouth" "Am I trembling?" "A little;" "because of the cold, perhaps" "You don't love me, do you?" "Why do you ask?" "I don't know why." "I never get enough affection" "Why should I need others always?" "I must be an idiot" "That's why I can't look after myself" "You know what I'd like?" "Everyone who's ever cared for me I'd like them all around me like a wall" "Tell me what happened" "Nothing imagine that - nothing" "I've not been cured I never shall be" "You brood on your illness, but it's just an illness like any other" "We all suffer it a little" "More or less we all need to be cured" "is there a place in the world where one goes to feel better?" "Probably not I expect you're right." "One travels but ends up the same as before" "That's what happened to me yet I feel just as I did six years ago" "I don't know whether that urges me to leave or to stay" " When are you leaving?" " l don't know" "What are you looking at?" "Sometimes I want to attack somebody ls that a symptom?" "Because I do, too, at times" "Ηelp me" "Ηelp me, please l'm afraid I won't cope" "What are you afraid of?" "The streets, factories, colours, people - everything" "Giuliana, what is it you want to do?" " Nothing." " But that's ridiculous" "You needn't worry about me." "Everyone does that" "Doctors talk to me about me lt's when I'm alone that I'm ill I can't take it any more" "I've tried everything..." "to reintegrate myself with reality..." "as they say at the hospital" "Now it seems I may have succeeded I've even succeeded in becoming an unfaithful wife" "Don't think of such things" "That's right don't think of such things" "The perfect solution" "There's something terrible in reality and I don't know what it is" "Nobody tells me" "Even you haven't helped me" "Please could you tell me..." "I didn't want..." "Does this boat take passengers?" "It's not that I've made up my mind" "I can't decide because I'm not a single woman" "Although, sometimes, sort of separated" "Not from my husband, no" "The bodies are separated lf you prick me, you don't suffer" "What was I saying?" "I've been ill, yes I mustn't think about it..." "I mean, I have to think..." "that everything that happens to me is my life" "I'm sorry" "Excuse me" "Why does it do that?" "Why is the smoke yellow?" "Because it's poisonous" "Then if a little bird flies through it, it will die" "The birds have learnt that and they don't fly through it"