2 ?b90

166
hardly less fearsome. Cotzbal6n is one of the demons which the Quich6
gods used as an instrument of vengeance against their unsatisfactory crea-
12
tion,, Man. After destroying many by floods the demon tore Man's flesh
to pieces, like a wild cat. These mythical animals are placed in Alber-
to's mind to reveal his dilemma to the reader - their origins in myth are
not of prime importance here, as only CotzbalAn is readily recognizable
to most readers., since the image is taken directly from Latin America
culture. The agent of the gods destroys Man's body and this fact recalls
the first description of the little baths, down whose drain (tragante)
the soapsuds progress slowly "tratando de despedazar" or "tear up" "el
recuerdo del cuerpo adolescente que habia bruTiido" (1.118). The shower
is already linked with cleansing, descending to the depths, punishment
and renewal. Jos6 Eugenio's action of pouring out a glass of water seems
to suggest a further purification for Alberto, in the face of Aredo's
spying. His offering is "sin claroscuro temporal" (1,130). thus it is
permanent, unchanging, "una cascada rodeada de una naturaleza detenida.,
congelada" (1,130) recalling(although distinct from)the "agua maternal"
which suggests a return to the womb and the halting of time (1.129).
The subject of "Sentia que avanzaba siempre hacicLAngra Mainyu
(1) 130) seems to be Alberto, still under attack from Angra Mainyu, al-
though Jos4 Eugenio is the key to the previous paragraph. Destruction
of the body and consciousness occurs in sleep, equally as well as through
the violent action of the wild c, at demoný thus Alberto has found a way
to avoid the issue: CotzbalAn cannot face Angra Mainyu if the body has
already been "destroyed. " Despite the fact that Alberto has undergone
the test, it is Josd Eugenio, by his forceful presence in the mind of
Alberto, who resolves the problem of escape; it is almost as if one is
the double or alter-ego of the other. We are shown that Jos4 Eugenio
fully understandsthe trial, the choice between "el primer tragante
...