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At the house of Beginning
Time: Hello, Beginning, how are you?
Beginning: And who are you? How did
you get in?
Time: Don't be afraid! I am Time, and came to pay you a visit of courtesy.
Beginning: 'Afraid'? 'Courtesy'? You talk nonsense! How did you find me?
Time: I didn't. Chrys did—the golden horse that Eternity lent me to visit Past, your neighbour. I just whispered in his ear: "Take me to the abode of Beginning", and here I am! Wonderful beast, don't you think?
Beginning: Did you tell Eternity that you were visiting me?
Time: Not really ... I said that I was going to visit Past, whom she put under my custody along with the other two. So after meeting him, I came to see you for a little while. I hope you don't mind.
Beginning: I do mind a little, but how is he anyway? Is he still in good health?
Time: Still? Who? Past? Oh, he is as young and vigorous as ever! ... In much better shape than his brothers, no doubt ... A sheer delight just to look at him! What muscles! What resilience! He is always vital and happy! ... But tell me, why is it so dark in here?
Beginning: That's how I like it.
Time: Do you like being in complete darkness?
Beginning: I love Darkness, and she loves me.
Time: Yes, I notice that she covers you very nicely, but even if she didn't it wouldn't be difficult for you to hide, yourself being so diminute ... I can barely distinguish anything in here ... How do you manage to move around in this house?
Beginning: I don't move. I am in all rooms in the same breath.
Time: You're very practical, Beginning, but this is the darkest workshop I've ever known ... I wonder how you manage to start anything, or perceive any commencement of yours. Is someone helping you?
Beginning: Only Darkness, by keeping all disturbances away, except the golden horses of course. I work while dormant. No fatigue, no travelling, no servants, no employees.
Time: That was fortunate, for servants and employees are mostly a headache, the lazybones! I hope I'm not disturbing you myself ...
Beginning: Not in the sense that you'll get me aging, if that's what you mean.
Time: I just wondered about it, but since Darkness covers your smallness, I cannot see you. Why don't you come forward a little bit?
Beginning: I don't enjoy moving so much ... But if I moved, you might fall out of the window. That's why.
Time: 'Fall out'? 'Window'? ... Oh, yes! Look at that! ... You have a lovely view, here! ... Look at the meadows, the mountains, the river! Such a wonderful landscape! Like a painting, I would say! Lovely, very lovely! ... Don't you ever go outside?
Beginning: I don't move, I say ... And if I did, what for?
Time: 'What for'? ... I don't know ... To meet my servant Past, perhaps? ... You could see where he lives from here ... As a matter of fact, I see him in the fields right now! ... Wonderful fellow! ... Look at him! He rides with some damsels across the prairie ... What a sight! Look at their hair in the wind! ... Marvellous! ... Now they have dismounted to drink some wine that a gentle farmer offers them ... They sing an old song ... Oh! He kisses one of the ladies! ... Look at her gorgeous mane covering his whole head like a curtain! ... They are dancing now ... Everybody is laughing, including the farmer ... And look at the farmer's dog, jumping and running, out of joy, all over the place! What a scene! ... Lovely window, dear friend! I should visit you more often ... Now they go into a white villa ... Oh! I can see what is happening inside it, too! ... Well, that's what I call happiness! ... Who could deny that Past is the happiest fellow? ... Always carefree! That's why I love him ... Wonderful view, indeed! Who built your house?
Beginning: Darkness did.
Time: Of course! ... Would she build something similar, if ... ?
Beginning: No, she wouldn't ... And you wouldn't be here at all, if it weren't for the golden horse.
Time: I know ... But I love to come to this region, visit Past and watch how he enjoys himself uninterruptedly ... Present is ill, you know? And he's a bore too! ... He lies in bed day after day, and has become so little! ... Like yourself, I suppose. But you are used to it, whereas for him it is new ... To be so diminished, I mean ... You wouldn't recognize him! He is like a shooting star: he's there and not there ... Never there, actually! ... And yet, he used to be like Past, running from one place to the other, always strong and happy ... I remember his laughter. Those were lungs! ... But you should see how reduced and insignificant he is now! ... He looks timid and stupid ... As if he were about to disappear ... Like a spark, you know? ... Have you ever got sparks in here? ... In any case, he complains continuously: that he no longer can grasp himself, that he feels miserable, that he never enjoys himself, that Opportunity ignores him, and so on ... So ridiculous and depressing! ... That's why I don't visit him very often ... And then he tells me that his condition (I mean his being so tiny) derives from me visiting him so seldom ... But, who wishes to hear complaints? Not me! Who cares about reproaches and accusations? Not me again! Yet I go around bringing ease to many pains, purging countless things, healing innumerable wounds, and unveiling a multitude of truths ... But as I said, nothing satisfies him any more, you see ... I've even brought Consolation along to soothe him, but he cares nothing for her ... He always desires something else ... But if he doesn't give up accusing me, I'll cancel my visits altogether.
Beginning: How do you know he is not deluding you?
Time: Deluding?
Beginning: Well, does he never lie? ... Once came a golden horse, and the messenger said: "Initiate Delusion right away and send her to Present". So I did. Don't ask me when ...
Time: You could be right! Present lies quite often, though mostly to himself! But yes, he could be feigning ... How could I find out?
Beginning: What do you care?
Time: Well, he is boring, and that annoys me.
Beginning: Annoys you? I'm
amazed!
Time: On the other hand, he doesn't bother me that much, for I don't stay with him very long. I don't like him any more; he's become ... how could I say? ... repetitive. So I just say
hello and good-bye, or even
hell-bye, to make it shorter and
appropriate.
Beginning: If Present bores you, why don't you go and visit Future instead? I've heard that the veil that covered him has been taken away, or that he wears a smaller cloak now.
Time: Oh, no! He is even worse! 'Put on the veil again!' That's what I tell him! ... Have you seen him lately? Not even Tithonus looks so terribly ancient, so utterly decrepit and disgusting. The more unsubstantial he gets the more egocentrical he becomes, though ... And stubborn too! He insists in walking by himself! ... With those legs! You should see his legs! They are not thicker than the staff that supports him! I cannot figure out how he can still stand on those miserable pegs! And he is senile too! He babbles nonsense continuously ... Delirious projects ... Yes, projects! As if he did not live close to End ...
Beginning: That's your work too.
Time: Not that I enjoy it. I obey Eternity, remember?
Beginning: I am not given to that kind of recollection.
Time: My sister Memory doesn't come here very often, does she? Is it every other age, or even more seldom? ...Oh! Look! I see Future through the other window, though he is so distant! ... Can you see what I was just telling you?
Beginning: No, I can't.
Time: Well, turn around and look!
Beginning: I cannot turn around.
Time: What are you talking about? Turn around, I say!
Beginning: No! I just care for a front view.
Time: What's the front and what's the back? Turn around!
Beginning: No! If I did, you might faint and lose your sense of direction. Would you like that? And after recovering your other senses, you would not be able to find your way back ... How are you then going to deliver the golden horse that Eternity entrusted you? ... She will not be pleased; you can be sure of that ... She might turn you upside down, bound you to a wheel, and send you circling through the air for a couple of ages.
Time: All right, all right! I'll look myself ... This is a good window too ... But what an ugly view! Fortunately, I don't smell anything from here ... There goes Future, walking around in 'his domain' as he calls the arid and dirty region where he purposelessly roams ... 'My Domain', he says, but I told you he was senile ... 'His domain' is mostly burnt, stony and full of garbage ... But he loves desolation, the old carcass ... Oh, no! Now he puts dirt in his mouth! And he seems to enjoy it too! ... Wait! ... Now he has discovered a wounded bird, and is examining it with his staff ... He picks it up ... Oh, no! He bit the head off with his new teeth of steel, and is now tearing the animal apart with his bare hands! ... Disgusting! ... He holds the heart in his hand and looks at it against the light ... What does he expect to find? ... He's mad, I tell you! ... I feel sick ... I'll instead watch Past again; where is the other window?
Beginning: Which window?
Time: Past's window ... the window through which I was watching Past before.
Beginning: 'Before'? What exactly do you mean?
Time: You're really in the deepest darkness, aren't you?
Beginning: So I am.
Time: 'Before' is Past. Where is Past?
Beginning: You tell me. He is
your servant.
Time: Right! Where is the window through which I was watching Past?
Beginning: How could I know? I never watch Past.
Time: You never watch Past, although he dwells near by. You never watch Future either, since you would not turn around. Yet, both can be seen from your windows. Have you seen Present from some other window?
Beginning: Perhaps I saw his tail in my dreams.
Time: But I did watch Past through the window!
Beginning: Yes, you did, although there are no windows here. Then you watched Future from another window. Now Past's window is gone, for some reason that you ignore ... Right now, I can do nothing about it, and very soon I'll go to sleep. I have work to do: many new starts, both small and big. They'll be ready when I wake up, so you'd better go back to your realms and get your reports. Some of them could be particularly relevant.
Time: Of course, dear Beginning ... I just wonder whether you would be so gentle to let me know something in advance. Just a few reports would do ... Any report! Enough to let me spend some days with my dear Past, away from my tedious work ... I love youth more than many can imagine, and his days are so luminous! ... If you had seen his days, you'd understand. I am not supposed to be with him so often, you know? I have many instants and moments to take care of, but a few reports could save me some ... Well ... I mean that I would not have to return immediately, and could enjoy myself just a little bit ...
Beginning: Dear Time, I practically don't know who you are, nor do I exactly know what you do. Yet, be reassured that though I wonder if I should, I would help you if I could ...
Time: What is this babbling?
Beginning: I mean that even if I fill your bag with reports, you will not meet him again.
Time: Who?
Beginning: Past, as you knew him.
Time: What are you talking about? You remind me of Future. Have you gone mad? Have you been talking to End?
Beginning: Past is dead. That's why you cannot find the window. Now I've said it!
Time: Dead? What do you know?
Beginning: A golden horse came all the way from End to tell me. Your horse came afterwards ...
Time: A golden horse? What did the horse say?
Beginning: He told me about your coming, about the window, about the white villa, and more ...
Time: So you're a seer too! For you already knew all this, when I was watching Past ... What about the white villa?
Beginning: There was a fight. You stopped watching; that's why you didn't see it.
Time: Some of those long-haired bitches murdered him, right?
Beginning: No, not the girls.
Time: Who then? A jealous husband?
Beginning: No, he ate and drank too much, and ...
Time: His throat was choked with food.
Beginning: No, there was a fight, I said, and he left in anger.
Time: In anger? I thought Past was past anger. So he died outdoors?
Beginning: Yes ...
Time: A serpent bit him?
Beginning: No, he rode away ...
Time: And he fell from his horse upon his sword?
Beginning: No, the animal stumbled for some reason; he was thrown off and broke his neck.
Time: Well ... such things happen ... What's a neck? ... Have you initiated him again?
Beginning: When could I have done that? You've been here talking to me and keeping me awake. But I will ... As soon as you leave me, I'll work at it in my dormancy.
Time: That's it! ... I'll tell him to be more careful on coming occasions ... What about the reports?
Beginning: You may have the reports you wish, but I must initiate a different Past, and perhaps ...
Time: Different Past?
Beginning: That's what the golden horse told me.
Time: How different?
Beginning: Completely different.
Time: Do I wish to know?
Beginning: I don't think so.
Time: Tell me just a little.
Beginning: He'll be poor, sick and stupid.
Time: How poor? How sick? How stupid?
Beginning: A lot of all three: no wine, no women, no song!
Time: Mmm ... I wonder what the purpose is of initiating such a worthless Past ...
Beginning: To make Future more lovable, perhaps?
Time: Not a chance I could ever love that living carcass!
Beginning: But others might ...
Time: Others? Who? You don't know what it is like to live in the vicinity of his rotten smell, as I have lately been forced to ... I had been hoping for a golden horse to come with instructions to reverse direction ...
Beginning: Reverse direction?
Time: Yes ... so that I could move my residence close to Past's. But if Past will be as you describe, I'm no longer interested ... So we'll have anxiety at both sides?
Beginning: So it seems.
Time: For how long can we bear that?
Beginning: I don't know ... You tell
me.
Time: How would I know?
Beginning: How would I know?
Time: Mmm ... It's going to be unbearable ... It cannot last ... I bet End is going to receive a big assignment soon ...
Beginning: I work for End, and he works for me too ...
Time: Sure you do ... And great darlings you both are!
Beginning: He is behind me and I am behind him, yet we see each other's faces in the dark.
Time: Sure you do ... But I wonder whom I am going to visit now.
Beginning: Present, perhaps? After all, he is ill ... Maybe he'll increase his size if you visit him more often, and stay a little longer. Say more than hell-bye to him ...
Time: Mmm ...
Beginning: But now you should leave; I feel slumberous ... I take it that you don't need the reports any more, do you?
Time: Not really ...
Beginning: Good night, then! Don't forget to deliver the horse!
Time: Good night!
Outside the house, in Past's realm
The Farmer: What was it that just flew across the sky?
His Dog: It was one of those 'golden horses'.
The Farmer: Is that a bad omen?
His Dog: It means someone powerful has died.
The Farmer: I wonder who that could be.
His Dog: I believe Past is dead.
The Farmer: Past dead?
His Dog: Yes, you should fix a party, just in case ...
The Farmer: I will ... Would you like more wine?
His Dog: No, thank you, I think I've had enough for today. In my elation, I scared a couple of horses on the road to the white villa this afternoon ...
The Farmer: Old rascal! Did anyone get hurt?
His Dog: I don't know. I was too drunk. But I was not the only one, was I?
The Farmer: Lay down, and be quiet! An officer is coming! ... If he stays long, start to bark.
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