"Peter N.? The Party Secretary? You know him?" He picks up the telephone.
Lucas tells him, "I was recommended by Victor."
The official hangs up and comes out of his office.
"Come on. We're going downstairs."
He knocks on a door marked SECRETARIAT OF THE REVOLUTIONARY PARTY. They go in. A young man is sitting behind a desk. The official hands him a blank card.
"It's about an identity card."
"I'll take care of it. Leave us."
The official leaves. The young man gets up and offers his hand to Lucas.
"Hello, Lucas."
"You know me?" "Everyone in town knows you. I'm very pleased to be of service to you. Let's fill in your card. Last name, first name, address, date of birth. You're only fifteen? You're big for your age. Occupation? Shall I write 'musician'?"
Lucas says, "I also live off the produce from my garden."
"Then I'll write 'gardener.' It looks more responsible. Now let's see, brown hair, gray eyes… political allegiance?"
Lucas says, "Cross that out."
"All right. And here, what do you want me to write here- 'Official assessment'?"
" 'Idiot,' if possible. I suffered a traumatic disorder. I'm not quite normal."
The young man laughs. "Not quite normal? Who would believe it? But you're right. An assessment like that could spare you a lot of inconvenience. Military service, for example. I'll write 'chronic psychological problems.' Does that suit you?"
Lucas says, "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."
"Call me Peter."
Lucas says, "Thank you, Peter."
Peter comes close to Lucas and hands him his card. With his other hand he gently touches Lucas's face. Lucas closes his eyes. Peter kisses him lingeringly on the mouth, holding Lucas's head in his hands. He stays looking at Lucas's face for a moment, then he sits down at his desk.
"Excuse me, Lucas. I was moved by your beauty. I must be very careful. The Party does not forgive this sort of thing."
Lucas says, "No one will know about it."
Peter says, "You can't hide such a vice all your life. I won't stay long in this post. I'm only here because I deserted, gave myself up, and returned with the victorious army of our liberators. I was still a student when I was sent off to war."
Lucas says, "You should get married, or at least have a mistress to allay suspicion. You should find it easy to attract a woman. You are handsome, masculine. And you are sad. Women like sad men. What's more, you have a good position."
Peter laughs. "I have no desire to attract a woman."
Lucas says, "Nevertheless, there are perhaps women one can love, in some way."
"You know a lot for someone your age, Lucas!"
"I don't know anything. I'm just guessing."
"If you need anything at all, come and see me."
2
It is the final day of the year. A great cold from the north has gripped the earth.
Lucas goes down to the river. He will take some fish to the priest for the New Year's Eve supper.
It is already dark. Lucas is armed with a hurricane lamp and a pickax. He starts to break the ice covering the pool. Then he hears a child crying. He points his lamp in the direction of the sound.
A woman is sitting on the little bridge that Lucas built many years ago. The woman is wrapped in a blanket. She is watching the river bearing away blocks of snow and ice. Inside the blanket a baby is crying.
Lucas approaches and asks the woman, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
She doesn't answer. Her large, black eyes stare into the light of the lamp.
Lucas says, "Come."
He wraps his right arm around her. He guides her toward the house, lighting the way ahead. The child is still crying.
In the kitchen it is warm. The woman sits down, uncovers her breast, and suckles the baby.
Lucas turns away. He warms up the remains of some vegetable soup.
The child sleeps on his mother's knee. The mother looks at Lucas.
"I wanted to drown him. I couldn't do it."
Lucas asks, "Do you want me to do it?"
"Do you think you could do it?"
"I've drowned mice, cats, puppies."
"A baby is a different matter."
"Do you want me to drown him or not?"
"No, not anymore. It's too late."
After a silence, Lucas says, "There's a spare room here. You can sleep here with your child."
She raises her dark eyes to Lucas. "Thank you. My name is Yasmine."
Lucas opens the door of Grandmother's room.
"Lay your child on the bed. We can leave the door open to warm the room. When you've eaten you can go and sleep next to him."
Yasmine places her child on Grandmother's bed. She comes back to the kitchen.
Lucas asks, "Are you hungry?"
"I haven't eaten since yesterday evening."
Lucas pours the soup into a bowl.
"Eat, then go to sleep. We'll talk tomorrow. I have to go now."
He goes back to the pool, scoops out two fish with the net, and goes off to the priest's house.
He prepares the meal as usual. He eats with the priest and they play a game of chess. Lucas loses for the first time.
The priest is cross.
"You are distracted this evening, Lucas. You're making stupid mistakes. Let's play again, and concentrate this time."
Lucas says, "I'm tired. I have to go home."
"You're going to hang around in the bars again."
"You are well informed, Father."
The priest laughs. "I see many old women. They tell me everything that happens in town. Don't make a face! Go on, enjoy yourself. It's New Year's Eve."
"I wish you a Happy New Year, Father."
The priest gets up, too; he places his hand on Lucas's head.
"God bless you. May His peace be with you."
Lucas says, "I'll never have peace within me."
"You must pray and hope, my child."
Lucas walks down the street. He goes past the noisy bars, doesn't stop, quickens his step. When he reaches the unlit lane that leads to Grandmother's house he is running.
He opens the kitchen door. Yasmine is still sitting on the corner seat. She has opened the door of the stove; she is looking into the fire. The bowl, full of cold soup, still stands on the table.
Lucas sits down opposite Yasmine.
"You haven't eaten."
"I'm not hungry. I'm still frozen."
Lucas takes a bottle of brandy from the shelf, pours out two glasses.
"Drink. It'll warm you up inside."
He drinks, and so does Yasmine. He pours again. They drink in silence. They hear the town bells ringing in the distance.
Lucas says, "It's midnight. A new year begins."
Yasmine lowers her head onto the table. She cries.
Lucas gets up, removes the blanket which is still wrapped round Yasmine. He strokes her long, shiny black hair. He strokes her breasts, which are swollen with milk. He unfastens her blouse, bends forward, and drinks her milk.
The next day Lucas goes into the kitchen. Yasmine is sitting on the bench with the baby on her knee.
She says, "I'd like to bathe my baby. After that I'll leave."
"Where would you go?"
"I don't know. I can't stay in this town after what has happened."
Lucas asks, "What has happened? Is it the child? There are other unmarried mothers in the town. Have your parents disowned you?"
"I haven't got any parents. My mother died giving birth to me. I lived with my father and with my aunt, my mother's sister. My aunt brought me up. When my father returned from the war he married her. But he didn't love her. He only loved me."
Lucas says, "I see."
"Yes. And when my aunt found out she denounced us. My father is in prison. I worked in the hospital as a cleaner until the birth. I left the hospital this morning. I knocked at the door of our house. My aunt wouldn't open it to me. She cursed me through the door."