Mysteries - Knut Hamsun [71]
Nagel had been drinking steadily while Miniman was talking; he rang for more wine and went on drinking. Suddenly he says, “I would like to ask you something that just occurred to me: Do you think I am a fairly good judge of people? Don’t look so astonished, it’s only a friendly question. Do you consider me capable of seeing through the person I’m talking to?”
Miniman gives him a wary look, not knowing what to answer. Then Nagel goes on, “By the way, I owe you an apology. The last time I had the pleasure of seeing you in my place, I also upset you by asking some extremely stupid questions. You will remember that, for one thing, I offered you so and so much money to assume the paternity of a child, heh-heh-heh. But that blunder was committed because I didn’t know you then; now, however, I astonish you afresh, even though I know you extremely well and hold you in great esteem. Today, though, it’s happening solely because I’m nervous and already terribly drunk. That’s the whole explanation. Obviously, you can see I’m dead drunk. Of course you can, why pretend? But what was I going to say? Oh yes, I would really be interested to know to what extent you consider me capable of seeing through the human soul. Heh-heh! 7 For example, I think I can detect subtle undertones in the voice of the person I’m speaking to, I have an incredibly good ear. When I’m talking to someone, I don’t need to look at him in order to follow exactly what he’s saying, I can hear right away whether he’s shamming or pulling my leg. The voice is a dangerous instrument. Now, don’t misunderstand me: I do not mean the material sound of the voice, whether it be high or low, rich or raspy; I do not mean the physical voice, its tonal substance—no, I’m referring to the mystery back of it, the world from which it emanates.... Oh, to hell with the world back of it! Why should there always be a world behind everything? Why should I care a damn?”8
Nagel took another drink and went on talking. “You’ve become so quiet. Don’t let my brag about being a good judge of people turn your head so that you’re afraid to move. Heh-heh-heh, that would look nice, wouldn’t it? But now I’ve forgotten what I wanted to say. Oh well, I’ll just say something else, something that doesn’t concern me deeply but that I’ll say anyway, until I recall what I’ve forgotten. Good Lord, how I go on! What’s your opinion of Miss Kielland? Let me hear what you think of her. In my opinion, Miss Kielland is such an out-and-out flirt that she would be enormously pleased if others, too, preferably as many as possible—myself Included—went and took their own lives for her sake. That’s my opinion. She’s lovely, she most certainly is, and it must be a sweet pain, indeed, to feel trampled by her heel; one day, perhaps, I’ll ask her to do just that, I cannot promise I won’t. However, that’s not for now, I have plenty of time.... But good heavens, I believe I’m scaring you stiff with my talk tonight! Have I offended you, I mean personally?”
“If you only could have heard all the nice things Miss Kielland said about you! I met her yesterday, she chatted with me for quite a while—”
“Tell me—hm, beg pardon for not letting you finish what you were saying—don’t you too, perhaps, have a modest gift for picking up the quavers at the back of Miss Kielland’s physical voice? But now I’m talking utter nonsense, you can certainly hear that, can’t you? Well! Nevertheless, I would be delighted if you, too, knew something about people, so that I could congratulate you and say: there are two of us, two at most, who know something about this; come, let’s get together and form a partnership, a small association, and never use our knowledge against each other—against each other, understand—so that I, for example, will never use my knowledge against you, even though I can read you like a book. There, there, now you’re getting that wary look and start fidgeting again! You mustn’t let yourself be fooled by my brag, I’m drunk.... But now I happen to