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  “Berg.”

  I replied.

  “Berg.”

  “Bemberging with bemberg into berg!” he exclaimed, and I exclaimed: “Bemberging with bemberg into berg!”

  He calmed down completely and we could hear nothing, I was thinking sparrow Lena stick Lena cat into the mouth honey lip twirl-up wall clod of dirt scratch finger Ludwik bushes hangs hang mouth Lena alone there kettle cat stick fence road Ludwik priest wall cat stick sparrow cat Ludwik hangs stick hangs sparrow hangs Ludwik cat I’ll hang————Suddenly it started pouring. Loose, dense drops, we lift our heads, it suddenly poured buckets, water came down in sheets, a sudden wind rose, panic, everyone running for the nearest tree, but the pines are leaking, dripping, dribbling, water, water, water, wet hair, backs, thighs, and just ahead of us in the dark darkness a vertical wall of falling water interrupted solely by despairing flashlights, then, in the light of the flashlights, one could see it pour, fall, also streams, waterfalls, lakes, it drips, spurts, splashes, lakes, seas, currents of gurgling water and a bit of straw, stick, leaf carried by water, disappearing, confluence of streams, rivers arising, islands, obstacles, barriers and curlicues, while above from above high up a deluge, it’s pouring, it’s falling, while below a leaf rushing by, a disappearing piece of tree bark, all resulting in shivers, head cold, fever, Lena developed a sore throat, a taxi had to be ordered from Zakopane, sickness, doctors, something else entirely, I returned to Warsaw, my parents, war with my father again, various other things, problems, complications, difficulties. Today we had chicken fricassee for dinner.

  *This is not an error. Many people have questioned it and suggest that any mention of years—i.e., thirty-seven, twenty-seven, twenty-three—may relate to milestones in Gombrowicz’s own life.