About a certain return

Part 14

– Forgive me darling, to keep secret...

– Secret? I think you are confused. It would be impossible to keep in secret something that you don't know.

– Ha, ha!

– On the other hand, I believe, Verlucius said: the greatest secret, that you must keep at any price, is the lack of knowledge.

Mr Feroiu looked at her in adoration.

– I met really great men, mister... Mister?

– It's the delivery man, darling.

– You acted like giving me a bitter pill! I know very well he's the messenger! Oh, how you can push me towards the senselessness, towards the precipice, as poor Pavian would say. What a spirit! I have the feeling I haven't been understood. Do you know what, mister..., I became sensitive exactly to the medication that can cure me, and get a rash, excuse me, all over my little bottom.

People like these really exist, it's not fabricated, and Momalia was a very talented actress. She was asking for applauses, she asked to be called back on stage, she had her own fans, her own performance, not accepted by everyone. The ignorant majority!

– Madam, you know, I'm the delivery man. You don't need to memorize a common name. You can use a substitute. For you, with your knowledge, a lady well known in the high society...

– Oh, please, leave it! Oh, men!

And Momalia moved the finger leaving her double chin to wave freely.

– Feroiu told me that you also have your small literary secret. Is it true?

– Oh! I made bashful. I haven't... I don't want to upset you, madam, with my little... You know?

– Mister messenger, it's said... a great wise man said it, that three children started their in attendance life with the following personality features: one of them was shy, the other suspicious, and always ready for a fight, and the third, finally, too full of himself. Which of them, do you think, was best successful in life?

What a riddle I've been given by Momalia!

– All right madam, you've convinced me that you are willing to have a look at my petty stories.

– You didn't answer my question. What do you think?

– I don't know. The one that puts on airs...

– No, the suspicious one. He was the son of the Supreme Council's Head Great Judge.

If I said something else, she would have twisted my words. What a woman this Momalia!

– The puzzle has another meaning. If you would have said "the suspicious one", I would have answered "the peacock", and if you would have said "the shy one" I would have picked any of the other two. From here you can extract a wise conclusion: someone with complexes cannot be successful in any situation, even if he is the son of the Minister's President.

And, in fact, what's the big deal to be successful? It was not easy with Momalia. She kept on using this style.

– Come on! What sort of literature could interest you? Science-fiction? Fantasy, novels, propaganda? What kind of literature do you think is in fashion?

– Vanguards...

– What do you mean?

– I don't fully understand. Something new... arousing... imaginary...