Read Online Abahn Sabana David by Marguerite Duras - Free Book Online

far away.”
    â€œFrom the German Jewry,” says the Jew. “From the town of Auschstaadt.”
    David pauses. Then repeats slowly:
    â€œAuschstaadt.”
    His frenzy has dissipated.
    He turns to Sabana. Fear rises in her eyes. He asks her:
    â€œAre you from Auschstaadt?”
    They all look at her. She is frozen, sitting there against the wall, in the light. The clear blue eyes are unfocused: they seek Auschstaadt.
    â€œAuschstaadt,” she repeats.
    â€œYes,” says the Jew.
    â€œWhere is Auschstaadt?” asks David.
    â€œHere,” says the Jew.
    â€œEverywhere,” says Abahn. “Like Gringo. Like the Jew. Like David.”
    â€œHere. Everywhere,” says the Jew.
    Sabana is still thinking about Auschstaadt.
    â€œAnd when?” asks David.
    â€œAlways,” says the Jew. “Right now.”
    â€œWe’re all from Auschstaadt,” says Abahn.
    Silence. A new fear seems to grow in David.
    â€œShe wouldn’t be any different from the Jew if she knew something,” says Abahn.
    David recoils, still looking at the form of Sabana on the ground, leaning back, as if he recognizes something evil in her. He says:
    â€œIt’s true, Gringo said she was crazy, that she makes things up.”
    â€œWhat do you think?” asks Abahn.
    David makes an effort to speak. The fear retreats a little. He tries to pull his thoughts together. He answers without looking up:
    â€œI don’t know.” He smiles a tight and painful smile. “I amuse myself with her.”
    Silence.
    â€œWho is she?” demands David.
    The fear has gone.
    â€œNo one knows,” says the Jew.
    David and the Jew look up at one another.
    â€¢
    D avid and the Jew are looking at each other still.
    â€œYou have to try anyway,” says the Jew to David.
    David starts to attention.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œTo move toward communism,” says the Jew.
    â€œTo where ?” David smiles as if it were a joke. The Jews smile too.
    â€œTo where we don’t know,” says Abahn. “You don’t know.”
    The Jew smiles, at David, at everyone.
    â€œYou have to try not to create it,” says the Jew.
    Unthinking, David strokes his gun. Having found it again, he yanks his hand back as if burned.
    â€œTo arrive in the forest,” says Abahn.
    â€œWild,” says the Jew.
    â€œThe forest,” David repeats.
    They fall silent. David is still looking at them. They look elsewhere.
    â€œYou came to destroy our unity,” says David. His voice is dull, flat. Trembling.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œTo divide? Sow dissent in our unity?”
    â€œYes,” says the Jew.
    â€œTo sow dissent in our spirit?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œTo what end?” asks David.
    â€œNo one knows,” says the Jew.
    â€œTo break, to shatter,” says Sabana.
    â€œWhere?” asks David.
    â€œTo Sabana,” says the Jew.
    Silence. David fights against sleep.
    â€œIt would be normal to kill you, to hunt you like a pest.”
    â€œYes,” says the Jew.
    Silence.
    Sabana looks through the dark window.
    David stands up.
    Sabana and David can hear what the Jews do not hear, see what the Jews do not see.
    â€œWe walk by the ponds,” says Sabana.
    â€œThere’s a light!” David calls out.
    She turns back to the window, the darkened park, the field of the dead.
    â€œThere’s a light out in the field,” says David.
    Sabana peers out, listening. “I saw it,” she says calmly. “It’s not there anymore.”
    He turns to her. She is still there, at the window, looking out at the field.
    â€œI’m afraid,” says David. “Come over here.”
    â€œNo.”
    He collapses back into his chair. He closes his eyes. With all his strength he tries to fall asleep again. He calls out to Sabana. He tells her to come back to him, he says he doesn’t understand.
    She does not answer.
    He calls again, weaker. Then he