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not show, was it showing? “Is something the matter, Kathy? —No,<br />
nothing, it’s just that it’s a funny name... —For someone who lives so<br />
far? said Mattie, with a sad smi<strong>le</strong>. —Perhaps. Didn’t you tell me he wrote<br />
poetry? —Yes, he did, he had published a coup<strong>le</strong> of books when he was<br />
young. I don’t have them, but you could probably find them at Fisher<br />
Library. —Would you mind if I read them? —Why would I mind? It’s<br />
so kind of you to take an interest in my life story. He also wrote poems<br />
dedicated to me at the time, but I don’t know whether he ever published<br />
them. I haven’t heard anything about him for ten years, you see... You<br />
will laugh at me, yesterday I was so troub<strong>le</strong>d by the sight of that dress,<br />
the dress that did not want to get lost, that I looked up his name in the<br />
phone book. Last year’s phone book, I haven’t got the new one. There<br />
wasn’t any Voisin. But I have this strange feeling. It must be an effect<br />
of fatigue. I’ve worked myself stupid with all these geography projects<br />
and field trips with the students. There are a few very nice kids, a girl<br />
cal<strong>le</strong>d Muriel, she makes me think of you at times. And I would like to<br />
paint again. But I never was very good. Only Jacques thought I could<br />
paint, or he said so because he wanted me to. I gave him a painting of<br />
Saint Eulalia, the “well-spoken”. He must have thrown it away. I would<br />
be ashamed, if I could see it now. I have lost the litt<strong>le</strong> ta<strong>le</strong>nt I had: see<br />
this hand, it’s not a painter’s hand any more.” Kathy protested that it<br />
was a beautiful, strong hand, it could certainly paint. She should, instead<br />
of giving away all her time and attention to the kids at school. They<br />
would not be grateful for it. She should think more of herself. “I want<br />
to see you painting again, Mattie. I’ll help you organize an exhibition.”<br />
Matilda laughed, she thanked her, but, if she ever painted again, she<br />
would only show her work to her, she said. They kissed goodbye <strong>le</strong>aning<br />
over the tab<strong>le</strong>. When Kathy <strong>le</strong>ft the Andronicus Coffee House, Mattie<br />
had already disappeared in the crowd between Soul Pattinson and the<br />
Strand Arcade.<br />
58<br />
<br />
UN AUTRE JOUR, il faisait simp<strong>le</strong>ment beau. Il n’était plus<br />
question de la pluie, car <strong>le</strong>s averses s’étaient succédé tout<br />
un week-end et encore une bonne partie de la semaine,
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