"1 don't think 1 made fun of people more than I should. I .te about an existing phenomenon."

"That's your opinion. No one has ever made fun of people as ~ did."

The other two said:

"True, you have made fun of people more than you should. one should ignore the law, especially the new law."

"Yes, to be ignorant of the law doesn't exempt you from lishment. Much as this text is old, it is still applicable."

"You are lucky. It seems they were tolerant with you."

1 said:

"And yet 1 don't deserve such punishment."

"Why don't you deserve it when you know flies died about :nty years ago?"

1 was startled:

"Flies?"

"Yes, flies perished about a quarter of a century ago and you l write about their sexual activities."

1 said excitedly:

"Oh no! 1 didn't write about the sexual activities of flies. 1 lte an article about begging."

"1 wish you had written about begging. They might not have Ldemned you, at least because you would have written about lething that exists. But to write about a phenomenon that doesn't ;t is a capital crime."

"1 assure you 1 did not write anything about flies."

"Listen! Don't try to fool us. We don't care whether you write ,ut flies or beggars or women pissing in the street. We are only ng to explain to you your serious problem."

154

I said:

"There must be a mistake in my case."

"That's your bad luck. The sentence has been given."

After a moment of silence 1said:

"So you are in charge of executing the punislunent."

"No, not us. We are responsible only for watching you and making your suffering easy, then we shall deliver you to those who will execute the punislunent."

"Where?"

"Come with us."

They rose, carrying their things and I walked in front of them. One of them said to another:

"Hey! You have forgotten the soap."

I realised it was a camphor soap. They were carrying with them what they needed for a funeral. 1 was surprised they were still preserving these rituals in burying a man guilty of some sin.

We crossed the small square. It appeared to me dirty and gloomy this time. We were followed by a few people who went out of big holes like rats. Two workers cleaning a canal of dirty waters stopped. 1 smelt a putrid smell. 1 did not hold my breath as I used to do before. Did it matter now whether the smell was sweet or rotten?

When we reached the large square another regiment of rats went out. They were talking, shouting and laughing. I slipped on a fruit-skin and fell backward. Mocking laughters rang out. Two of my companions helped me up. One of them asked me:

"Are you all right?"

I murmured:

"No problem, I can walk on."

Monkeys! They still ate fruits like monkeys. They farted in streets like dogs, and yet they said flies had perished.

'55