About

He felt here and there. VOGLIO E NON VORREI. Wonder if she pronounces
that right: VOGLIO. Not in the bed. Must have slid down. He stooped and
lifted the valance. The book, fallen, sprawled against the bulge of the
orangekeyed chamberpot.

–Show here, she said. I put a mark in it. There’s a word I wanted to ask
you.

She swallowed a draught of tea from her cup held by nothandle and, having
wiped her fingertips smartly on the blanket, began to search the text
with the hairpin till she reached the word.

–Met him what? he asked.

–Here, she said. What does that mean?

He leaned downward and read near her polished thumbnail.

–Metempsychosis?

–Yes. Who’s he when he’s at home?

–Metempsychosis, he said, frowning. It’s Greek: from the Greek. That
means the transmigration of souls.

–O, rocks! she said. Tell us in plain words.