Passage 3     The next morning she realized that she had slept. This surprised her – so long had sleep been denied her! She opened her eyes and saw the sun at the window. And then, beside it in the window, the deformed visage of Garth. Quickly, she shut her eyes again, feigning sleep. But he was not fooled. Presently she heard his voice, soft and kind: “Don’t be afraid. I’m your friend. I came to watch you sleep, is all. There now, I am behind the wall. You can open your eyes.”     The voice seemed pained and plaintive. The Hungarian opened her eyes, saw the window empty. Steeling herself,... Show more

Passage 3    

The next morning she realized that she had slept. This surprised her – so long had sleep been denied her! She opened her eyes and saw the sun at the window. And then, beside it in the window, the deformed visage of Garth. Quickly, she shut her eyes again, feigning sleep. But he was not fooled. Presently she heard his voice, soft and kind: “Don’t be afraid. I’m your friend. I came to watch you sleep, is all. There now, I am behind the wall. You can open your eyes.”    
The voice seemed pained and plaintive. The Hungarian opened her eyes, saw the window empty. Steeling herself, she arose, went to it, and looked out. She saw the man below, cowering by the wall, looking grief-stricken and resigned. Making an effort to overcome her revulsion, she spoke to him as kindly as she could.    
“Come,” she said, but Garth, seeing her lips move, thought she was sending him away. He rose and began to lumber off, his eyes lowered and filled with despair.    
“Come!” she cried again, but he continued to move off. Then, she swept from the cell, ran to him and took his arm. Feeling her touch, Garth trembled uncontrollably. Feeling that she drew him toward her, he lifted his supplicating eye and his whole face lit up with joy.    
She drew him into the garden, where she sat upon a wall, and for a while they sat and contemplated one another. The more the Hungarian looked at Garth, the more deformities she discovered. The twisted spine, the lone eye, the huge torso over the tiny legs. She couldn’t comprehend how a creature so awkwardly constructed could exist. And yet, from the air of sadness and gentleness that pervaded his figure, she began to reconcile herself to it.    
“Did you call me back?” asked he.    
“Yes,” she replied, nodding. He recognized the gesture.    
“Ah,” he exclaimed. “Do you know that I am deaf?”    
“Poor fellow,” exclaimed the Hungarian, with an expression of pity.    
“You’d think nothing more could be wrong with me,” Garth put in, somewhat bitterly. But he was happier than he could remember having been.   

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