Borislav Pekic: Houses

The manuscript was made up of two separate sections, the private notes written on one set of account forms, and the will on another, although Arsénie was not always consistent. Toward the end his generally legible and decorative hand-writing had become somewhat untidy, his thoughts rambling.

From a purely legal aspect, the will was valid. However, except in the case of Katarina, its provisions couldn’t be carried out. All Arsénie’s houses had long ago been expropriated, and the more dilapidated ones pulled down. But even if that hadn’t been the case, and if by some chance the Revolution hadn’t come about, Arsénie’s will could still not have been followed as he had conceived it. At the time the will was written, Arsénie’s universal heir had already been dead for six months (Isidor committed suicide on October 20, 1967). The only other provision that could possibly be carried out concerned Arsénie’s gravestone, and that only partially. As stated earlier, some of his houses had been demolished, making it impossible to obtain a cornerstone from each. I can’t guarantee anything, but I still hope that, as the voluntary heir to Isidor’s obligations, I shall be able to fulfill at least this one wish of Arsénie’s — as soon, of course, as my financial situation improves.