De Spaanse schrijver José Carlos Somoza werd geboren in Havana, Cuba op 13 november 1959. Zie ook alle tags voor José Carlos Somoza op dit blog.
Uit: The Athenian Murders (Vertaald door Sonia Soto)
« Like a thick mane of hair ruffled by a capricious wind, each strand waving independently, the humble crowd gradually dispersed, some leaving separately, others in groups, some in silence, others commenting on the horrifying event.
“It’s true, Hemodorus, wolves abound on Lycabettus. I’ve heard that several peasants, too, have been attacked.”
“And now this poor ephebe! We must discuss the matter at the Assembly.”
A short, very fat man remained behind, standing by the corpse’s feet, peering at it placidly, his stout, though neat, face impassive. He appeared to have fallen asleep. The departing crowd avoided him, passing without looking at him, as if he were a column or a rock. One of the soldiers went to him and tugged at his cloak.
“Return home, citizen. You heard our captain.”
The man took little notice, and continued to stare at the corpse, stroking his neatly trimmed gray beard with thick fingers. The soldier, thinking he must be deaf, gave him a slight push and raised his voice. “Hey, I’m talking to you! Didn’t you hear the captain? Go home!”
“I’m sorry,” said the man, though actually appearing quite unconcerned by the soldier’s command. “I’ll be on my way.”
“What are you looking at?”
The man blinked twice and raised his eyes from the corpse, which another soldier was now covering with a cloak. He said, “Nothing. I was thinking.”
“Well, think in your bed.”
“You’re right,” said the man, as if he had woken from a catnap. He glanced around and walked slowly away.
All the onlookers had gone by now, and Aschilos, in conversation with the captain, swiftly disappeared as soon as the opportunity arose. Even old Candaulus was crawling away, still racked with pain and whimpering, helped on his way by the soldiers’ kicks, in search of a dark corner to spend the night in demented dreams. His long white mane seemed to come alive, flowing down his back, then rising in an untidy snowy cloud, a white plume in the wind. In the sky, above the precise outline of the Parthenon, Night lazily loosened her mane, cloud-decked and edged with silver, like a maiden slowly combing her hair.”
José Carlos Somoza (Havana, 13 november 1959)
Lees verder “José Carlos Somoza, Inez van Dullemen, Timo Berger, Hadjar Benmiloud, Nico Scheepmaker, Robert Louis Stevenson, Peter Härtling” →