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however,isrepeatedlyfrustratedbythegirl,whichbecomesasource
ofexasperation:KButwiththiswomanitisasifthereisnointerior,
onlyasurfaceacrosswhichIhuntbackandforthseekingentry”
(43).whatismore,thishuntingfortruthdoesnotonlyhappenon
thelevelofspeechbutisaccompaniedbyawordlesseverydayritual
thatcommencesbytheMagistrate’stakingthegirlintohisquarters
towashheranddressherwoundsandlaterturnsintomassag-
ingandanointingherbody,duringwhichtheMagistrateeachtime
passesoutandfallsunconscious,onlytowakeupsomehourslater.
Hedoesnotknowwhattothinkaboutsuchacompulsiveritual,
hedoesnotevenknowwhatkindofrelationitestablishesbetween
himandthegirl:KThereisnolinkIcandefinebetweenherwoman-
hoodandmydesire.IcannotevensayforsurethatIdesireher.All
thiseroticbehaviourofmineisindirect:Iprowlabouther,touching
herface,caressingherbody,withoutenteringherorfindingtheurge
todoso”(43).Onecansaythatwhatstartedclearlyasaritualof
cleansingorexpiationisgivenanobscenetwist:theactofwashing
thefeetofthebarbariangirlcannodoubtberelatedtothefeeling
ofguiltthattheMagistrate’sweaknessofwillevokedinhisliberal
conscience,andhencehisKintuitive”passingontoperformaritual
onwhichheearlierironicallymusedinreferencetoJoll:
Isupposethat,liketherovingheadsman,heisusedtobeing
shunned.[ł]Ifindmyselfwonderingtoowhetherhehasaprivate
ritualofpurification,carriedoutbehindcloseddoors,toenablehim
toreturnandbreakbreadwithothermen.Doeshewashhishands
verycarefully,perhaps,orchangeallhisclothes;orhastheBureau
creatednewmenwhocanpasswithoutdisquietbetweentheclean
andunclean?”(12)
AsthereisnoquestionoftheMagistratebeinganewman(hecomes
fromanoldfamily),theministrationsonthebodyofthebarbarian
girlmaylookpreciselylikethiskindofaritualaimingatgettingrid
ofguiltonthesymboliclevel,yettherearesomefeaturesofitthat
perplextheMagistrateanddisallowsuchasimpleassignmentof
meaningtowhathappenstohim:first,theritualiscompulsory(re-
petitive);second,itblowshisconsciousmindaway;third,theritual
alternatesbetweenproducingfeelingsofpleasureandrevulsion,or
rathermixesthemupsowehavepleasureinrevulsionorrevulsion
inpleasure,whichintroducesconfusionintheMagistrate’snotions
ofdesire(KNeverbeforehaveIhadthefeelingofnotlivingmyown
lifeonmyownterms”(40)).
~21~
