Laszlo Krasznahorkai - Satantango

Bless the Magyar, Lord we pray,

Nor in bounty fail him

Shield him in the bloody fray

When his foes assail him. .

And now it was as if. . there was a shout or something. . Or not quite a shout. . no, it was someone crying. “No, it’s some animal. . an animal whimpering. It must have broken its leg.” But however he looked this way and that it was total darkness either side of him now. It was impossible to see anything.

He whom ill luck long has cursed

This year grant him pleasure. .

‘We thought you’d changed your mind!” Kráner teased him once they spotted Futaki. “I recognized him by his walk,” Mrs. Kráner added. You can’t mistake it. He hobbles along like a lame cat.” Futaki put his suitcases down, slung off the straps and gave a sigh of relief. “You didn’t hear anything on the way?” he asked. “No, what was there to hear?” Schmidt wondered. “Just a strange noise.” Mrs. Halics sat down on a stone and rubbed her legs. “The only strange noise we heard was you coming up the road. We didn’t know who it was.” “Why, who would it be? Is there anyone else around here besides us? Thieves and robbers?. . There’s not a bird to be seen, let alone a man.” The path they were standing on led to the main building and boxwood had been growing wild on either side for decades, surrounding the odd wide-trunked beech or fir, climbing above them with the same persistence as the wild ivy on the thick walls of the hall, so the whole “manor” (as they called it in these parts) had a silent, desperate feel to it, because though the higher reaches of the building were still uncovered, it was clear that within a few years it would surrender to the ruthless advance of the vegetation. The wide steps that once led to the enormous doorway used to have two female nude statues, one on either side; statues that had made a deep impression on Futaki when he first saw them years ago, and his first impulse was to search for them nearby but in vain — it was as if the earth had swallowed them. The company trod the steps awkwardly, speechless and wide-eyed, because the silent hulk towering barely visibly in the darkness above them — despite the stucco having almost completely fallen away from the walls, and the old tower now so unstable it was clear it wouldn’t withstand another major storm, not to mention the holes where the windows had been — still had a certain grandeur about it as well as an air of timeless vigilance, vigilance having been part of its original purpose. When they reached the top, Schmidt, without any hesitation, immediately stepped through the collapsed arch of the main door and reverentially, but without any fear, explored the house that rang with emptiness. His eyes quickly got used to the darkness and so, when he reached a small hall on the left-hand side, he could cleverly avoid the shattered ceramic tiles strewn on the floor as well as the rusty mechanisms and machine parts on the treacherously rotted floorboards and could stop in time before falling through the various gaps so clearly remembered by Futaki. The rest followed him some eight or nine steps behind and in this way they made a tour of the cold, deserted, and defunct “manor” with its chill drafts, stopping occasionally at a window space to look down on the dangerously overgrown park, then, ignoring their tiredness, to stare at the still undamaged though rotting, fancifully carved windowcases and the oddly stiff plaster figure on the ceilings above them, surveying all this with the help of flickering matches; but the thing that made the deepest impression on them was a beaten copper fireplace that had toppled onto its side, on which the now highly-animated Mrs. Halics counted precisely thirteen dragons’ heads. But they were roused from their silent admiration by the harsh voice of Mrs. Kráner in the middle of the hall standing on her firmly planted powerful legs and raising her arms to cry out in sheer wonder: “How could anyone afford to heat all this?!” And because the question implied an answer they could only grunt to signify their own astonishment before returning to the entrance hall, where after some argument (Schmidt was particularly opposed to Kráner’s suggestion, saying, “Right here? Here in this terrible draft? Yes, boss, brilliant idea, absolutely. . ’) they agreed with Kráner that “it would be best to camp here for the night. True, it’s drafty like every other place here, but what happens if Irimiás arrives before first light? How the hell does he find us in this labyrinth?” They went out to their carts, in case the rain got really heavy during the night and the wind grew into a gale, to secure their luggage, and to take whatever they had brought with them — a sack, a blanket, an eiderdown — as a temporary bed. But once they settled down as best they could and their breathing had warmed them a little under their blankets they found they were too tired to sleep. “You know, I don’t really understand Irimiás,” sounded Kráner’s voice in the darkness: “Can anyone explain it to me. . He used to be a simple man at heart, just like we are. He spoke like us too: it was just that his brain was sharper. And now? He’s like a lord, like a real big shot!. . Am I wrong?” There was a long silence before Schmidt added, “To be honest, it was rather odd. Why stir the shit like that? I could see he was very much after something but how could anyone know how it would turn out. .? If I’d known from the start what he wanted I could have told him not to bother with all the heavy stuff. .” The headmaster turned in his makeshift bed and stared uneasily into the darkness. “It really was a bit much, all that sinner stuff, I mean, and Esti this and Esti that! As if I had anything to do with that degenerate? I mean my blood boiled every time I heard her name. What’s this about “poor little Esti”? It’s pure farce, I tell you. The girl had a proper name, Erzsi, but she was spoiled. Her father was far too soft with her and ruined her! But me? What was I supposed to do? After all I did everything I could to help that girl stand on her own two feet!. . I even told the old witch when she brought her home from special needs, that, as a matter of mutual business, I’d keep her in order if she sent her over to me every morning. But no, that wouldn’t do. That well-off hag wouldn’t spend a penny on the poor miserable thing! So I’m to blame! Pure farce, if you ask me!” “Pipe down a bit,” Mrs. Halics hissed at them. “My husband’s asleep. He’s used to silence.” Futaki ignored her. “What will be, will be. We’ll find out what Irimiás meant soon enough. It will all be clear tomorrow. Or even before then. Can you imagine?” “I can,” the headmaster answered. “Have you seen the outbuildings? There are at least five of them, I’m prepared to bet they’ll be turned into workshops.” “Workshops?” Kráner asked. “What kind of workshops?” “How should I know. . I suppose they’re just workshops one way or another. What’s all the fuss about?” Mrs. Halics raised her voice again. “Can’t you both shut up? How’s a person supposed to get any rest!” “Aw, shut up yourself!” snapped Schmidt. “What’s wrong with people talking?” “No, I figure it’ll be the other way around,” Futaki continued: “Those workshops will become our houses and it’s this place that will be turned into workshops.” “You keep going on about workshops. . ” Kráner objected. “What’s the matter with you lot? Do you all want to be engineers? I understand about Futaki, but you? What will you do? Are you going to be the works manager?” “Enough chatter,” the headmaster added coolly. “I don’t think this is the best time for stupid jokes! In any case what gives you the right to go offending people! I ask you!” “Ah, for God’s sake get some sleep!” Halics grunted. “I can’t sleep with you lot going on!” There was quiet for a few minutes but it didn’t last because one of them accidentally let off a fart. “Who was that?” Kráner laughed and dug his neighbor Schmidt in the ribs. “Leave me alone,” the other fumed as he turned over: “It wasn’t me!” But Kráner wouldn’t let it go. “Come on now, will no one own up to it!?” Halics was practically gasping with nerves, as he sat up. “Look, it was me,” he pleaded: “I confess it all. Now will you please shut up. .” After this it finally did fall quiet and a few minutes later they were all fast asleep. Halics was being pursued by a hunchback with glass eyes and after a desperate chase he finally leapt into a river, but his position became even more hopeless because every time he came up for air the little hunchback hit him on the head with an enormously long stick, crying in a hoarse voice: “Now you’ll pay!” Mrs. Kráner heard a noise outside but couldn’t work out what it was. She slipped on her coat and started off in the direction of the engine room. She was almost at the metalled road when she suddenly had a really bad feeling. She turned round and saw the roof of their house licked by flames. “The kindling! I’ve left the kindling out! Merciful heavens!” she cried in terror. She rushed back because it was hopeless calling for help, everyone else seemed to have vanished into thin air, and dashed into the house to save what could be saved. Her first thought was the room and, quick as lightning, she grabbed the ready cash they kept hidden under the bed linen, then leapt over the flaming threshold into the kitchen where Kráner was sitting at the table calmly eating as if nothing had happened. “Jóska! Are you out of your mind? The house is on fire!” But Kráner never even flinched. Mrs. Kráner saw that the curtains were alight: “Escape, you fool! Can’t you see the whole place is about to collapse?!” She rushed out of the house and sat outside, her fear and trembling suddenly gone, almost enjoying the sight of the her possessions being reduced to ashes. She even pointed it out to Mrs. Halics who had appeared beside her. “Look, how lovely! I’ve never seen a more beautiful shade of red!” The earth was moving under Schmidt’s feet. It was as if he were walking across a swamp He reached a tree, climbed it, but felt it too was sinking. . He was lying on the bed and was trying to pull the nightshirt off his wife but she started screaming as he leapt after her and the nightshirt got torn. Mrs. Schmidt turned to face him, cackled, and the nipples on her enormous breasts bloomed like two wonderful roses. It was horribly hot inside, the sweat was dripping off them He looked out the window: it was raining outside, Kráner was running home with a cardboard box in his hands but then the bottom of it flew open and the contents were strewn everywhere. Mrs. Kráner was shouting for him to hurry so he couldn’t pick up the half of the stuff that had rolled away and he decided to come back for it the next day Suddenly a dog darted at him and he cried out in fright kicking the creature in the face and it yelped once and collapsed, remaining there on the ground. He couldn’t help himself: he kicked it again The dog’s belly was soft The headmaster, deeply embarrassed, was trying with some difficulty, to persuade a little man in a patched suit to accompany him to a little frequented place. The man seemed incapable of saying no and the headmaster could barely contain himself, and as soon as they reached the deserted park he even gave the man a push so that they might reach a stone bench that was densely overgrown with bushes where he laid the little man down and threw himself on him, kissing his neck, but at that moment some white-gowned doctors appeared on the path that was strewn with white shingle and he waved ashamedly to them to indicate that he too was just passing by though he went on to explain to the doctors that they really had nowhere else to go so really they should understand and that they should certainly take this into account and he began to abuse the embarrassed little man because by now he felt nothing but a deep disgust for him but whichever way he looked it made no difference the doctors stared at him with contempt then made a tired gesture as though there was nothing he could do about it Mrs. Halics was washing Mrs. Schmidt’s back the rosary beads hung on the edge of the bath slid into the water a young scoundrel’s face appeared glaring at the window Mrs. Schmidt said she’d had enough her skin was beginning to burn with all the scrubbing but Mrs. Halics pushed her back in the bath and carried on scrubbing because she was ever more fearful that Mrs. Schmidt was annoyed with her then she cried out angrily I hope the viper bites you and sat down at the edge of the bath and the young scoundrel was still glaring at the window Mrs. Schmidt was a bird happily flying through the milk of theclouds seeing someonedownthere wavingather soshedes cendeda littleand could hear Mrs.Schmidtbawling whyisntshecooking youscoundrelcomedownim mediatelybutshe flewoverher andshechir ruppedyou won’tdieof hun gerbeforetommorrow shefeltthe warmsunonher backsudden lySchmidtwas therebesideherStopit immediatelybutshe paid noattention anddescendedfurther shedhavelikedtocatchaninsect theywerebeatingfutakisback withanironrod Hecouldntmove hehadbeenboundwithropestoatree tenselyshefelthow theropewasstraining alongopenwoundacrosshisback shelookedawayshesouldntbearit shewassittingonanexcavator thatwasdigginganenormousditch amancameover andsaidhurry becauseyourenotgetting anymorefuel howevermuchyoubegmeforit shedugtheditcheverdeeper itkeptcollapsing she tri tr triedagain butinvainandshecried asshewassittingattheengineroomwindow andhadnoideawhatwashappening itwasdawnandgettinglighter oreveningandgrowingdarker andshedidntwantitall evertocometoanend shejustsatandhadnoideawhatwashappening nothingchangedoutside itwasneithermorningnoreveningitjust carriedondawnortwilightwhichever. .