2 ?b90

332
Lezama's working method of transforming the known into familiar yet intri-
guing entities for his own purposes. This critic notes the accusations
hurled at the child by faceless inquisitors: "Su acusaci6n: el tiempo con-
fundido, el tiempo del pasado y del futuro enemistados, el tiempo simultA-
neo, 'sin hora. '"
11
The child carries a piece of chalk, obviously a sym-
bol of his vocation; he challenges the group with his writings and finds
himself in the centre of an empty space, filled with people who are the po-
tential for that writing: "El conjunto va a lograr su condensaci6n de ese
entretejido de historias como resultado de las relaciones entre los veci-
nos. " 12
In other words, Lezama/Cemi draws inspiration from his immediate
surroundings which are filled with rather colourful personages.
Cemi's accusers perform very different roles - cLfew phrases would sum
up each appearance in the second chapter: TrAnquilo "habia domado potros
31) and was pursued by Luba (1,36-7); Vivo "era perezoso y siempre
estaba escapado. Su acci6n adquiria siempre el relieve de la fuga" (1,31);
Adalberto Kuller was a "caricaturista de cafetines", spent much time at home
with his Austrian mother and during sexual intercourse "se extasiaba" by
secretly looking at a photograph of his parents (1,33); Martincillo, el
flautista, was variously known as La Monja or La margarita tibetana because
of his sexual preferences and had an "afAn filisteo de codearse con escri-
tores y artistas" (1,33). This latter character is also noted for his
gluttony, described in unpleasant terms: "semejante a la hinchaz6n de uno de
los anillos de la serpiente cuando deshuesa un cabrito" (1,34). Lastly,
"la cuarentona Lupita" indulged in sexual encounters with an oriental gen-
tleman with particular needs (1,35)
while Mamita, the aged mother figure,
prcsided over all. The descriptions, however brief, almost exclusively
involve sexual preferences which we have seen to be very closely linked with
creativity and poetry. All seem rather confused and unproductive here.
Gimbernat de GonzAlez points out that there is an actual event amid these