To cry out ; to exclaim with a loud voice. Encourager par des cris ; appeler quelqu'un en criant. To set apart for religious use ; to honour as sacred ; to keep holy. Santificare ; consacrare ; riverire come sacro. Aim, n, Sjn generally used in the plural number Alms. The bend of the knee- joint behind ; the thigh of a beast, particularly of a hog, salted and dried in smoke ; a leg.
Solitary ; by himself ; by itself. Solitario ; solo ; unico ; soletto. Tout seul ; seulement ; solitaire. In a line with the length; throughout. Le long de ; tout le long de ; tout de son long. An elevated place on which sacrifices were offered; the Communion Table. To make some change in ; to vary. A rope or strap and headstall for leading or confining a horse ; a rope for hanging.
Cavezza ; capestro ; corda per impiccare. Licou pour un cheval ; corde. Highest point ; eminence ; high degree. Altitudine ; altezza ; di alto grade. Hauteur ; excellence ; superiorite ; altitude. Posture adapted to some purpose ; gesture. Positura; attitudine ; atteggiamento. With strength ; vigorously; violently. Tutta possa ; vigorosaraente. Vigoureusement ; avec force. Stability ; truth ; a title of Christ ; be it established. Amen ; cosl sia. To go between a walk and a trot ; to walk daintily.
Andare a 1' ambio ; cavallo che va a I'ambio, tra camminare e trottare. Spacious; copious; rich ; diffuse. Fragrant ; delicious ; resembling ambrosia. Fragrante ; delizioso ; da ambrosia. An early coin struck by the Dukes of Milan. Moneta antica dei Duchi di Milano. Monnaie ancieune du temps des dues de Milan. In the midst or middle. In mezzo a ; nel mezzo di ; fra. Au milieu de ; parmi ; entre. An, indef art, an. One ; the form of the indefinite article before a vowel. Name of a woman. Anna, nome di donna. Annette, nom de femme. Pertaining to or lying near the anus or vent.
Appartenente alle regioni dell' ano. Se rapportant aux regions de I'anus. A relation of events in chronological order, recorded in the year in which they happened. To make void or of no. Annullare ; rendere nullo. Annuler; casser; revoquer; aneantir. A writer of annals. Annalista ; scrittore di annali. A garland or fillet ; a chaplet or wreath. Guirlande ; bands ; chapelet ; couronne de fleurs. A ban or curse ; excommunication. Anatema ; maledizione ; scomunica. A sacred song or hymn.
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An iron instrument for holding a ship at rest in water. A violent passion of the mind, excited by a real or sup- posed injury. Colere ; corroux ; emportement.
Great anxiety accom- panied by painful constriction at the belly. Gran smania con dolori di pancia. A liquid measure of eight and a half imperial gallons. Una misura inglese per liquidi, pari a otto galloni e mezzo. Quartant ; petit baril contenant huit gallons et demi, anglais. One who hangs or causes to be hanged. Colui che appende, attacca o impicca. To desire eagerly ; to long for something with Tmeasi' ness ; to cluster.
Smaniare ; aver voglia ; bramare ; anelare; agognare. A particle which con- nects words and sentences together. A small insect ; an emmet ; a pismire. Au7itj 7 , iint. The sister of one's father or mother. The extremity of the arm, consisting of the palm and fingers.
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To frequent ; to resort to much and often j to follow im- portunately. The inclination of two lines which meet in a point but have different directions ; a fishing- rod with its line and hook. Angolo ; canto ; cantone ; canna da pesca. The joint which con- nects the foot with the leg. Caviglia ; coUo del piede. La cheville du pied. The brother of one's father or mother. Relating to the goose or goose tribe.
Che ha relazione alle oche o loro specie ; anserino. Ayant rapport aux oies ou a leur race. Replying ; corresponding to. Before; prior; previous ; in front. Inner; remote from the limits, frontier, or shore. Interne ; rimoto o remoto. Antithesis, n sing, an-tith'e-sis. An opposition of thoughts or words ; contrast. Antitheses, n pi, an-tith'e-sez. Grotesque ; fantastic ; a grotesque figure ; a buffoon. Of genuine anti- quity; old fashioned. A muscle that raises the upper eyelid. II muscolo che soleva la palpebra BUperiore. In a separate share ; to each. Tanto per uno o per testa. Chacun; partite; par pifece.
Che ha della scimia. Lnitateur de singe ; singerie ; bouffon. To pacify ; to tranquillize. Placare ; quietare ; mitigare. Apaiser ; adoucir ; calmer. To cause to grow pale; to depress with fear; to dismay. Stupefare ; atterrire ; sbigottire. To refer to a supe- rior judge or court ; to refer to another as judge. Appellare ; chiedere nuovo giudizio a giudice superiore. The fruit of the apple tree. Pomme ; le fruit du ponunier. Very applicable ; well adapted.
Acconcio ; convenevole ; adatto. Standing in front ; placed against. Dirimpetto; di contro ; opposto; con- trario. To give notice ; to inform. Awisare ; dar notizia ; infonnare. Informer de ; instruire de ; prevenir. To value ; to appraise. Fitness; dispo- sition ; suitableness ; readiness. Attezza; disposizione ; attitudine. Aptitude ; disposition ; talent naturel. Posture adapted to some purpose ; posture ; gesture. Poesia Fusello ; stile ; pergola. Berceau ; treille ; bosquet. The same as Arbor. Lo stesso che Arbor. A haven for ships ; a shelter ; a place of safety from storms or danger.
Porto di mare ; ricovero o rifugio per bastimenti. Port ; havre ; asile ; refuge. Any part of the circumfer- ence of a circle or other curved line. Arco ; curva ; segmento. A bow ; a vault ; a con- cave structure supported by its own curve. A chest ; a vessel ; the large floating vessel in which Noah was preserved during the deluge or depository.
Cassa ; area 1' area di Noe. To listen ; to lend the ear contracted from Hearken. Sentire ; ascoltare si usa in senzo imperative da Hearken. Ecouter ; preter I'oreille. A flame ; warmth ; fervency; vehemence; affection. Ardore ; affetto ; desiderio intense. Ardeur ; chaleur ; passion. More firm; more difficult of penetration or of separa- ting into parts. Pill duro ; difficile a rompere o forare ; difficile in tutti i sensi. Plus dur ; difficile k rompre ou percer. One of the letters of the alphabet. Una delle lettere dell' alfabeto.
Une lettre de I'alphabet. The Ram; the first of the twelve signs in the Zodiac. Ariete ; prime dei dedici segni del Zodiaco. To rise up ; to get up ; to come into view; to spring up- wards. Levarsi ; alzarsi ; sergere. So lever ; s'elever ; venir de ; ressus- citer. The limb of the human body from the shoulder to the hand. That which causes pain ; injury ; hurt ; mishap ; moral wrong.
Malora ; danno ; pregiudizio ; torto. Tort ; dommage ; prejudice ; mal ; malheur. Primarily, Vagabond ; downright ; thorough ; mere. Cattivo in supremo grado ; un vero furbo ; furbaccio. Insigne ; fieffe ; infame. A message ; a man- date ; any special business to be transacted by a messenger. Messaggio ; ambasciata ; commissione. Wandering; wander- ing about in search of adventures ; wild ; vile ; wicked. Errante ; ramingo ; vagante ; girovago. Tapestry ; hangings woven with figures. Arazzo ; panno tessuto a figure per tapezzeria.
Tapisserie; tapisserie k personnages. To vex ; to distress ; to fatigue to excess. Tribolare ; strapazzare ; affaticare. A straight-pointed weapon to be diBcharged from a bow. A frame of timber set with teeth, used to level ploughed land and break clods, and to cover seed. Herae ; instrument de labourage pour briser lea mottes de terra d'un champ. Practical -knowledge or skill ; contrivance ; adroitness ; profesaion ; trade.
Arte ; mestiere ; artifizio ; industria. Science ; metier ; artifice ; habilete. Firm ; not easily pene- trated or separated into parts. Duro; non penetrabile o rompibile facilmente. Dur ; ferme ; solid. A stag or male deer. The seat or source of life ; the primary organ of the blood's motion in an animal body.
A pavement or floor of brick or stone in a chimney on which a fire is made ; the house itself as the abode of comfort. Focolare ; cammino ; tappeto o il pavimento del cammino; focolare domeatico. Designating a well made by boring into the earth till water is reached. Artesiano ; pozzo artesiano. Artdsien ; puits artesien. One trained to manual dexterity ; a mechanic.
Artigiano ; artefice ; meccanico. Artisan ; artiste ; ouvrier dans un art radcanique. Also ; like ; even ; simi- larly. Come ; mentre ; quale ; siccome. Comme ; ausai ; que ; tandis que. A donkey; well-known ' animal, dull, slow, but patient, hardy, and surefooted. A large hardy tree ; that which is produced by some burnt substance. Frassino albero ; cenere. Sminuzzare ; trittare came od altro. Hacher; couper en petits morceaux. A small poisonous serpent of Egypt and Libya.
Un piccolo serpente o vipera velenosa. Aspic ; serpent venimeux. That which fastens ; a clasp that passes over a staple to be fastened by a padlock. Fermoir ; crochet ; loquet. Help ; aid ; succour. Soccorso ; aiuto ; assistenza. Assistance ; aide ; aecours. Those who assist or aid. Proof ; trial ; en- deavour ; determination of gold or silver in coin or bullion. Prova ; saggio ; sperimento ; far saggio di oro o argento. Examen ; essai des metaux.
A ti'ial or experiment ; an endeavour; an effort made for the performance of anything; a composition illustrative. Prova ; saggio ; sperimento ; composi- zione letteraria. Epreuve ; tentative ; composition litt6- raire. To give confidence by promise ; to confirm ; to insure. Assurer ; affirmer ; garantir. Of a light clear blue ; sky-colour. Azzurro ; turchino ; color del cielo. Azur ; bleu clair. Piante che producono un misto di fiori che rassomigliano piccole stelle. On stir; stirring; active. In moto ; attivo. En mouvement ; en activite. To set to; to join to; to augment; to annex.
Aggitmgere; unire; aumentare; som- mare. To reach; to come to ; to gain ; to obtain. To taint ; to find guilty of high treason or felony. Intaccare ; accusare ; accusare di lesa maestfl. FMtrir; declarer coupable ; souiller. Past participle of the verb To attain. Participio passato del verbo To attain. To wait on ; to accompany ; to be present at. Servire ; accompagnare ; essere pre- sente; attendere. Servir en quality' de domestique ; faire attention ; etre k la suite. Act of attending ; service ; retinue ; close application of mind. L' atto di attendere ; servizio ; far seguito ; assiduity.
Service d'un domestique ; suite ; at- tention. Coloro che accompagnano; inservienti ; concomitanti. Personne a la suite d'un personnage ; compagnon; serviteur; domestique. An instrument used by carpenters for boring large holes; the nave- borer. Succhiello strumento da marangone, per forare. Anything; any part; a whit. Qualche cosa ; checchesia ; qualunque cosa. Pertaining to the air or to the ear. Che ha relazione coU' orecchio o coU' aria. Ayant rapport a I'oreille on h I'air. Uttered by the mouth ; spoken.
Orale ; di voce ; di tradizione. A gallery of minstrels ; a large bay window. Una loggia o palco di ministrelli ; finestra che sporge in fuori. The external ear; one of two appendages to the heart. Auricule ; pavilion de Toreille ; oreil- lettes. Among pagans, the answer spoken by a god or some one personating a god ; any person reputed uncommonly wise. Oracle ; personne d'une grande sagesse dont les paroles font autorite. Advantage ; use ; service. Giovare ; profittare ; valere ; servire. To let down; to lower. Faire descendre ; baisser. Fear mingled with reverence or submission.
Timore misto di rispetto. The berry and seed of the. Moro di spina alba. A scale or husk ; the beard of corn or grass. Loppa ; barba delle spighe. A stone qf a fine grit, used for sharpening edged instru- ments. Cote ; pietra per affilare coltelli ed altre lame. Une pierre h affiler les rasoirs ; queux. Being in contact with the upper surface of a thing. Di sopra ; all' insil ; avanti ; di seguito. Sur ; en avant. Possessed ; belonging to ; peculiar ; usually expressing pro- perty with emphasis. Proprio ; esser proprietario di ; aver possesso ; esser padrone di.
Horses kept for hire ; horses much used in draught or in hard labour. CavaJli da nolo o da strapazzo. Witches ; furies ; fiends. Streghe ; furie ; larve ; vecchiacce. The straight line, real or imaginary, that passes through anything, and on which it may be supposed to revolve. Ligne qu'on suppose traverser la terre; axe. To talk confusedly ; to talk much ; to murmur ; to talk idly ; to tell secrets. Ciarlare ; cicalare ; chiacchierare. Babiller ; jaser; bavarder. Bauble or Bawble, n, ba'bl. A baby's plaything j a trifling piece of finery ; a gewgaw. Bagatella ; baia ; cosa da nulla.
Bagatelle ; babiole ; joujou. Swine's flesh salted or pickled, and baked by heat. Lardo ; presciutto ; lardone. Baking, p n, bak'ing. The hardening of anything by heat in an oven. II cuocere al forno. L'action de cuire au four. A light to direct seamen or that which gives them notice of danger. Fanal ; phare ; signal. To make a sign by nodding.
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Far cenno ; accennare. Participle of the past tense of the verb To begin. Participio passato del verbo To begin: Be thou or ye gone! Of the verb To begin. Dal verbo To begin: Du verbe To begin: Past ; gone by. The hinder part of any- thing. Dorso ; tergo ; schiena. Le dos ; le derriere. To mount ; to cause to recede ; to endorse. Monter, dresser un cheval. To the place left; behind ; in return to a former state. Indietro ; di ritomo. En arrifere ; en retour ; revenir. A sack ; a purse. To place, press, and bind together. Part, passato verb To back: Part, passd verba To back: Past part, verb To bag.
Part, passato verboTo bag: Mettre dans un sac. A small pack or package ; a mail boat. Piccolo involto o pacco ; im. Paquet ; petit paquet; bateau postal. An agreement or cove- nant ; something fixed. Pacte ; convention ; contrat. One who backs or supports another in a contest. Uno che seconda o appoggia. From verb To back. Dal verbo To back: Montare a cavallo ; retrocedere.
Du verbe To back: Part, noun from To bake Nome part, da To bake: Nom part, du verbe To bake: Part, noun from To pack. Nome part, da To pack: Nom part, du verbe To pack: Hurtful; destructive; injurious ; not good. A stick used to strike the ball in the game Cricket ; an animal with wings having the body of a mouse.
Maglio pel giuoco di cricket; pipis- trello ; nottola. Sella imbottita; cuscinetto; cavallo portante ; ladro di strada. A light quick stroke with the finger or hand. Piccolo colpo ; scappezzone ; colpet- tino leggero ; toccatina. Prapper legerement ; une petite tape; un petit coup de main. Luggage; travel- ling necessaries. A bundle or bale. Pacchetto ; pacco ; coUo.
Paquet ; petit colis. Past part, of the verb To bawl. Past part, of the verb To ball. Passare per le palle sia fucilato oballottato. Hardi ; audacieux ; courageux. An arrow; a dart; that which shuts or fastens a door. Dardo ; spranga o stanga di serratura. Flfeche ; dard ; verrouiller ; barre. Past part, of To bowl. Jouer a la boule. A ball ; a bundle or pack- age of goods. Rendre caution ; cautionner. A round body ; a globe ; a bullet; an entertainment of dancing. To shout ; to clamour. The body or stem of a tree. Le tronc d'un arbre.
A round pod or pericarp. A round mass or ball used for play by rolling it on a level plat of ground; around concave vessel to hold liquors. Scodella; tazzone; boccia da giuoco. Boule ; un bol ; grande tasse. A kind of dramatic dance or poem. Ballo ; baletto figurato. The inner part of the open baud ; a tree having branches or leaves expanding like the open hand. Palmizio ; palma della mano.
Palmier ; la paume de la main. The knave of clubs. Le valet de trfefle. A public proclamation issued by one in authority; inter- diction; curse. Bando ; proclama ; scomunica. To thump; to handle roughly ; to treat with violence. A vessel broad and shallow in which provisions are dressed.
A sharp and sudden pain ; anguish ; throe ; suffering. Estremo dolore ; angoscia. Angoisse ; vive douleur ; transe. That which binds ; u. Banda ; legame ; truppa musicale. Bande ; lien ; troupe de musiciens. To palpitate ; to long ; to desire ardently. Palpiter ; battre en parlant du coeur. Baneful, a, ban'f Ul. Pernicious ; poiso- nous ; destructive. Pestifero ; funesto ; velenoso. Full of pain; giving pain to the mind or body. To joke or jest with ; to play upon ; to rally. Beffare ; burlare ; dar la baja. Raillerie ; se moquer de ; plaisanter.
A pimp; a procurer for the lust of others. A spotted fero- cious animal otherwise called the pard. A thorny shrub bearing red berries. One who composed and sung warlike songs and heroic achievements among the ancient Celts; a poet. Bardo ; vale ; poeta. From the verb To bar ; to secure with a bar or bars ; to hinder or prevent.
Dal verbo To bar: Chiudere o assicu- rare con sbarra o stanga. Du verbe To bar: Barrer ; mettre des barres. Open ; uncovered ; plain. Bear, vt and n, bar. A small ship; [vt] to muke the noise of dogs when they threaten or pursue ; to clamour at. Nave; corteccia; vt abbajare; la- trare ; scorzare. A ship wJiich carries three masts without a mizzen- topsail. Nave a tre alberi. Un voilier k trois mats. A piece of ground en- closed for the chase or other pur- poses'. A species of grain now used especially for making malt.
To confer, as with an enemy ; to discuss orally. A title or rank of nobility next in degree to a viscount. Baron, titre de noblesse. Not fruitful; not inventive ; not bearing. Sterile ; arido ; magro. Low in place, value, or station ; despicable: Base ; sostegno ; piedistallo. Base ; piedestal ; fondement. A course, woollen stuff, with a long nap. Baietta ; drappo di lana. Serge croisee ; sorte de flanelle. Bay horses reddish brown coloured. Bais ; chevaux bais ou alezans. Of the verb To base ; to place on a basis or foundation. Dal verbo To base: Du verbe To base: A hollow dish; a re- servoir; tract of country drained by a river.
Bacino ; bacile ; catino. Bassin ; vase rond ou ovale ; piece d'eau. From the verb To base. Dal verbo To base. Du verbe To base. From the verb To baize: Dal verbo To baizen: Coprire foderare di baietta. Du verbe To baizen: Couvrir de serge croisee. Basis, n sing, bas'is. That with which one steps ; that on which anything rests ; foundation.
PI Uriel de Basis. To lie in warmth or in the sun. Scaldarsi al sole o al fuoco. Chauffer au soleil, itc. Belating to Biscay or its people or language. Relativo a Biscaja o agli abitanti o linguaggio di quel paese. Appartenant k la Biscaie. Basso ; contrabasso ; stoia di giunchi. A rope or mat made of linden. Corde ; cable on natte fait de tilleul.
The chest and thorax ; the figure of a person in relief from the waist upwards. From the verb To pass. Dal verbo To pass. Du verbe To pass. To drip fat or butter as on meat while roasting ; to sew slightly. Aroser le rSti ; f aufiler. Dough to be made into bread or food. Pasta per fax pane od altro cibo.
The quantity of bread baked at one time. Infornata di pane ; infomata. A piece of cloth sewed on a garment to repair it. To beat down ; to abate. Esoa air amo ; adescare ; allettare. To wash in a bath; to wash or moisten with water or other liquid ; to lave one's body in water. Bagnare ; farsi il bagno ; inaffiare ; umettare. Place to bathe in. Luogo che serve per bagnarsi ; bagno. A way beaten or trodden by the feet of man or beast. Sentier ; chemin ; route.
A truncheon ; a marshall's staff ; a badge of honour or office. Bastone ; bacchetta ; bastone da maresciallo. Tavoletta sottile ; assicella. A wooden shoe with an iron ring, worn to keep the shoes from the dirt or mud. A mixture of several ingredients beaten together with some liquid. An oily substance made from cream or milk by churn- ing. To strike as falling drops of water or hail with a quick succession of small sounds.
A procurer or procuress ; a pimp. Bent like a bow. Piegato come un arco. Verb To bow ; to arch ; to bend, as one's body in token of respect. The trunk or the material substance of an animal; any solid figure. Bay, a and m, ba. Reddish-brown; an arm of the sea; the laurel tree which bears red berries; the bark of a dog at his game.
Bajo ; baja ; latro ; lauro. Bai ; baie ; golfe ; laurier ; abois. A Turkish rank or title. Un grado Ottomano ; un titolo. A letter of the alphabet. Una lettera dell' alfabeto. The insect that makes honey. The shore of the sea ; the strand. Lido ; spiaggia del mare. A tree which produces mast or nuts. L' albero di faggio. A well-known tree and its fruit. Peche fruit du pecher. A messenger or crier of a court; a petty officer in a parish church. Bidello ; specie di usciere. A house of worship for seamen. Una cappella o chiesuola per marinai.
Une ohapelle pour marins. A species of pepper. A heavy wooden mal- let ; an insect having a hard or shelly wing-case. A name given to several kinds of pulse. Dal verbo To be: Du verbe To be: Percuotere ; bastonare ; n battere del polso o pulsazione. Battre ; frapper ; n pulsation. A sweet succulent root, much used as vegetable and for making sugar. A substance of vegetable origin, always found more or less saturated with water.
We went out to the crowd. I dumped the rings on Roy. Or he might lose the rings, or vomit, or lose Bukowski. So here it was, finally. The Zen master began playing with his little black book. Drinks were being drained all over the place. Then the Zen master gave a little chickenshit smile. I knew the Christian wedding ceremonies by the sad rote of experience.
And the Zen ceremony actually resembled the Christian, with a small amount of horseshit thrown in. Somewhere along the way, three small sticks were lit. Zen had a whole box of the things — two or three hundred. After the lighting, one stick was placed in the center of a jar of sand.
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That was the Zen stick. Then Roy was asked to place his burning stick upon one side of the Zen stick, Hollis asked to place hers on the other. The Zen master, smiling a bit, had to reach forward and adjust the sticks to new depths and elevations. Then the Zen master dug out a circle of brown beads. He handed the circle of beads to Roy. Damn, I thought, Roy always read up on everything else. Why not his own wedding?
And the beads encircled both hands that way. It made me nervous. It could have been the F. But it was irritating because it was careless. The candlelight shone through them as if they were made of the thinnest of toilet paper. The Zen master had the thinnest ears of any man I had ever seen. That was what made him holy! I had to have those ears! For my wallet or my tomcat or my memory. Or for under the pillow. And there were more words.
Then, their hands locked together in the brown beads: The Zen master stood straight up, smiling just a touch of a smile. I touched Roy upon a shoulder: Still everybody sat there. A nation of subnormals.
The candles glowed like subnormal candles. I walked over to the Zen master. You did the ceremony quite well. But the rest of those gangsters — old Tammany Hall and the Mafia: Only one other kissed Hollis. Only one other shook the hand of the Zen master. It could have been a shotgun wedding. Now that the wedding was over, it seemed very cold in there. They just sat and stared at each other. I could never comprehend the human race, but somebody had to play clown. I ripped off my green necktie, flipped it into the air: A few stiffly warmed up, walked over and grabbed at the food, not knowing what else to do.
I got them to nibbling. Then I left and hit for the scotch and water. What was I doing in with these? Or the UCLA prof? No, the UCLA prof belonged there. There must be a repentance. Some action to humanize the proceedings. As soon as I heard the Zen master close the front door, I drained my waterglass full of scotch. Then I ran out through the candlelit room of jabbering bastards, found the door that was a job, for a moment , and I opened the door, closed it, and there I was We still had 45 or 50 steps to go to get down to the parking lot. I gained upon him, lurching, two steps to his one. We both stopped and looked at each other on that winding stairway there in the moonlit tropical garden.
It seemed like a time for a closer relationship. Then I told him: You disappoint me, Masta! I plunged down the steps, missing a few but still flying forward, which kept me from cracking my head open, and as I fell downward toward him, I tried to swing, but I was all momentum, like something cut loose without direction.
Zen caught me and straightened me. Caught a good part of him. I heard him hiss. He stepped one step back. Went way wide left. Fell into some imported plants from hell. Moved toward him again. And in the moonlight, I saw the front of my own pants — splattered with blood, candle-drippings and puke. The years of working as a factotum had not left muscles entirely lax.
I gave him one deeply into the gut, all pounds of my body behind it. Zen let out a short gasp, once again supplicated the sky, said something in the Oriental, gave me a short karate chop, kindly, and left me wrapped within a series of senseless Mexican cacti and what appeared to be, from my eye, man-eating plants from the inner Brazilian jungles.
I relaxed in the moonlight until this purple flower seemed to gather toward my nose and began to delicately pinch out my breathing. Shit, it took at least years to break into the Harvard Classics. I broke loose from the thing and started crawling up the stairway again. Near the top, I mounted to my feet, opened the door and entered. They were still talking shit. I flopped into my corner. The karate shot had opened a cut over my left eyebrow. I found my handkerchief. I need a drink! Harvey came up with one. Why was it that the buzz of human beings talking could be so senseless?
It could give an idiot the hots, and I was only half-idiot. Then I was flat upon my back, thrashing, trying to get up. Finally, three or four minutes later I managed to get to my feet. Then, finding my feet flat upon the floor again, I made for the kitchen.
Poured a drink, drained it. Then poured a refill and walked out. Roy just kept unrolling the foil. Finally, he got it all undone. They all saw it. The room was very quiet. It was a little handcrafted coffin done by the best artisans in Spain. It even had this pinkish-red felt bottom. It was the exact replica of a larger coffin, except perhaps it was done with more love. It was very quiet. But they soon gathered themselves and began talking shit again. I had really been proud of my little casket. I had looked for hours for a gift. I had almost gone crazy.
Then I had seen it on the shelf, all alone. Touched the outsides, turned it upsidedown, then looked inside. The price was high but I was paying for the perfect craftsmanship. At the same time, I needed some ant-killer spray. I found some Black Flag in the back of the store. The ants had built a nest under my front door. I took the stuff to the counter. There was a young girl there, I set the stuff in front of her. I pointed to the casket. I paid and got out of there But now, at the wedding, nobody laughed. A pressure cooker done up with a red ribbon would have left them happy.
Or would it have? Harvey, the rich one, finally, was kindest of all. Maybe because he could afford to be kind? Then I remembered something out of my readings, something from the ancient Chinese: Somehow, the next thing I knew, it was over. I was in the back seat of my own car, Hollis driving again, the beard of Roy flowing into my face again. I sucked at my fifth. I love you both, you know that! Why did you throw my little casket away? My gift to you! I lived in a front court near Hollywood of course. Then they found a space about a half a block from where I lived. They parked my car, handed me the keys.
Then I saw them walk across the street toward their own car. As I fell backwards, my first instinct was to protect the remainder of that good fifth from smashing against the cement mother with baby , and as I fell backwards I tried to hit with my shoulders, holding both head and bottle up.
I saved the bottle but the head flipped back into the sidewalk, BASH! They both stood and watched me fall. I was stunned almost into insensibility but managed to scream across the street at them: Then they got into their car, started the engine, leaned back and neatly drove off. I was being repaid for something.
The human race had always disgusted me. Essentially, what made them disgusting was the family-relationship illness, which included marriage, exchange of power and aid, which like a sore, a leprosy, became then: I got it all there, I understood it as they left me there, pleading. Five more minutes, I thought. I was the last of the outlaws. Billy the Kid had nothing on me. Just let me get to my cave. Two women walked by. They turned and looked at me. Like a little baby. I screamed up at them: Through the glass door. And I was outside unable to get up, best man to something.
All I had to do was make it to my place — 30 yards away, as close as three million light years. Thirty yards from a rented front door. Two more minutes and I could get up. Each time I tried it, I got stronger. An old drunk would always make it, given enough time. I could have made it. Then there they were. Part of the insane family structure of the World.
Madmen, really, hardly questioning what made them do what they did. They left their double-red light burning as they parked. One had a flashlight.
I never lose my sense or my coherence. Just let me fall upon my bed and sleep it off. It gave him a great feeling of superiority. Give us a better alibi than that. For a moment I forgot. I was very tired — of everything. Same sad old scene. They drove along slowly, speaking of various possible and insane things — like, about having the front porch widened, or a pool, or an extra room in the back for Granny. And when it came to sports — these were real men — the Dodgers still had a chance, even with the two or three other teams right in there with them.
Back to the family — if the Dodgers won, they won. If a man landed on the moon, they landed on the moon. But let a starving man ask them for a dime — no identification, fuck you, shithead. I mean, when they were in civvies. Our record is clear. Then I was pushed through the gristmill. After being 30 yards from my door. After being the only human in a house full of 59 people. There I was, once again, in this type of long line of the somehow guilty. The young cops, both in the city tank and the county tank, got their training on the drunks.
They had to show they had it. While I was watching they took one guy in an elevator and rode him up and down, up and down, and when he got out, you hardly knew who he was, or what he had been — a black screaming about Human Rights. I got my photo taken all over again. Fingerprinted all over again. They took me down to the drunk tank, opened that door. After that, it was just a matter of looking for floorspace among the men in the room.
Vomit and piss everywhere. I found a spot among my fellow men. Somebody there thought I was a genius. I stretched out on the boards.
Full text of "A dictionary of English homonyms : pronouncing and explanatory"
Heard a young voice. Which you either lost or sold or had stolen from you. But there was always still money and cigarettes about. But somebody had been. Io ero dietro, incastrato fra il pane rumeno, le salsicce di Vienna, le cassette di birra e di bibite. Portavo una cravatta verde: Hollis guidava a all'ora. La barbaccia di Roy, lunga tre metri, mi sbatteva sulla faccia, svolazzando. Viaggiavamo sulla mia auto, una Comet 62, solo ch'io non potevo guidare: Hollis e Roy convivevano da circa tre anni.
Io sedevo di dietro e trincavo birra. Roy mi stava illustrando, a uno a uno, tutti i parenti della sposa. Roy era un uomo di penna. Le pareti, a casa loro, eran tappezzate di foto di sessantanove. C'era anche un'istantanea di Roy che sborrava sparandosi una sega. Un congegno di fili e pulsanti. Roy diceva che gli era toccato spararsene sei, per ottenere l'effetto giusto.
Una giornata intera di lavoro. Certe ville di ricchi ce l'han lungo anche un miglio. Quello non era male: Un giardino con piante tropicali. Un quattro cinque cani. Enormi bestioni lanosi, bavosi, stupidi. Ci sbarrarono la strada. Il padrone di casa stava in piedi, sulla veranda, e ci guardava, con un bicchiere in mano.
Cominciammo a carreggiare su per le scale i salsicciotti, il pescegatto ungherese in salamoia, i gamberi. Le aragoste, il bagel. Culi di piccione macinati. Finiti i trasporti, mi sedetti e agguantai una birra. Ero l'unico in cravatta. Ero anche l'unico che aveva portato un regalo di nozze. Lo nascosi fra il muro e la caviglia rosicchiata da Aristotile. Ero sposato da due anni e mezzo con la mia prima moglie quando, una sera, arriva gente.
Io attacco a presentarli: Il maestro Zen non era ancora arrivata. Io seguitavo a trincare birra. Tutti i parenti di Hollis. Roy invece era senza famiglia. Non ha mai lavorato in vita sua. Badavano a arrivare, su per le scale: Manco un regalo di nozze. C'era uno ch'era alquanto malridotto. Gli ci vollero 25 minuti per salire le scale. Aveva un paio di stampelle su misura, potentissime, con manopole speciali e ammennicoli vari.
Solo che non gli hanno leso nessun organo vitale. Ce n'erano tanti altri. Un altro contrabbandava droga a bordo di pescherecci cinesi. Quanto a me, ero a spasso fra un impiego e l'altro. Poi venne oltre Harvey. Le mutande, troppo strette. Ne ho trovato uno migliore. C'era un po' d'agitazione. Frattanto era arrivato il maestro di Zen. Costui indossava un costume bizzarro e teneva gli occhi strizzati.
Al maestro di Zen occorrevano dei tavolini. Roy si diede a rimediarli. Il maestro di Zen era calmissimo, molto aggraziato. Tracannai la mia bumba, andai a rifare il pieno, tornai. Magari, ecco, mi carreggi in giro in una specie di gabbia di vetro, coi buchi per l'aria. Tu ti farai pappare dai ragazzi. Io, buono e zitto. Forse, anzi, un pessimo scrittore. Ma il ragazzino era in gamba. Era quel che si meritava, quel marmocchio, per la sua lingua lunga Ma s'accendevano candele dappertutto.
Qualcuno disse che non era una valvola, era non so che altro, casi ci rinunciai, mentre altre candele s'accendevano, e andai in cucina per farmi un altro scotch. Merda, ci trovai Harvey. Il tuo ragazzo, Peter Ormai c'erano candele dappertutto. Il maestro di Zen voleva che si procedesse. Roy m'aveva dato i due anelli. Io aspettavo che Harvey cadesse lungo steso, a furia di bere. Mi rodeva il culo: Avevamo fatto fuori mezzo quinto, in dieci minuti, mentre accendevano le candele. Ci unimmo alla folla.
Consegnai gli anelli a Roy. O aver perso gli anelli. O aver perso Bukowski. Alla fine, eccoci qua. Un pagine, direi. Stavo alla destra di Roy. Da tutte le parti si trincava. Il maestro di Zen fece un sorrisetto stento e stronzo. Conoscevo, per triste esperienza, il matrimonio di rito cattolico.
A un certo punto, furono accesi tre bastoncini. Il maestro ce n'aveva una scatola piena. Uno degli stecchi — quello del maestro — venne piantato acceso al centro d'una ciotola di sabbia. Ma non li piantarono bene. La porse a Roy. Cazzo, pensai, Roy s'informa sempre prima. Zen prese la destra di Hollis e la mise nella sinistra di Roy. E avvolse le loro mani nella coroncina. S'intende, avevamo tutti la coscienza pulita.
Ma lo stesso era irritante. Poi notai le orecchie del maestro di Zen, al lume di candela. Trasparenti, come fossero fatte di carta igienica. Ecco cosa lo rendeva santo! Io dovevo far mie quelle orecchie! Per ricordo, per amuleto, oppure pel mio gatto. O per tenerle sotto il guanciale. Lo sapevo, certo, che era per via che avevo bevuto tutto quel whiskey, tutta quella birra, ma, al tempo stesso, non lo sapevo. Seguitavo a fissare le orecchie del maestro Zen. Poi, con quella coroncina intrecciata alle loro mani giunte, Roy rispose: Il maestro di Zen stava eretto sulla schiena, con un sorrisa appena accennato.
Toccai Roy sulla spalla. Presi la testa di Hollis, baciai le sue bellissime labbra. Un, popolo di subnormali. Le candele ardevano subnormalmente. M'accostai al maestro Zen. Gli strinsi la mano. Hai condotto molto bene. Ma tutti gli altri — quel branco di gangsters e mafiosi e intrallazzatori — erano troppo orgogliosi e stupidi per stringere la mano a un orientale. Solo un altro strinse la mano al maestro Zen. L'avresti detta una festa di "nozze col fucile. Beh, io sarei stato l'ultimo a saperlo. Finita la cerimonia nuziale, l'atmosfera si fece freddina.
Non ho mai capito, io, la razza umana. Ma qualcuno doveva pur fare il pagliaccio. Mi sfilai la cravatta verde, la lanciai in aria. Vennero oltre, arraffarono cibarie, non sa pendo che altro fare. Avevo dato il via alla pappatoria. Io per me sgattaiolai in cucina, per il whiskey. Che ci facevo io, in mezzo a quel branco? E che cosa ci faceva il professore universitario? Ci voleva un pentimento. Un atto che umanizzasse tutta la cerimonia.
Quando udii il portone rinchiudersi dietro il maestro Zen, allora, tracannato il mio scotch, gli corsi appresso. Solcai la folla di ciarlanti bastardi, trovai la porta non facile impresa, l'aprii, la rinchiusi, lo vidi: Mister Zen era 15 gradini avanti a me. C'era un'altra cinquantina di scalini, per arrivare al pianale. L'inseguii, barcollando, ma guadagnavo terreno. Ci fermammo, ci guardammo, su quella scalinata tortuosa prospicente il giardino tropicale, al chiardiluna. Il momento pareva propizio a rapporti cordiali. Mi hai deluso, Maestro, con codesta affermazione alla buona!
Lo colpii da qualche parte. Tirai un altro pugno. Ruzzolai su un cespuglio di piante esotiche, infernali. Mi avventai di nuovo. Al lume di luna, mi vidi tutto imbrattato, davanti, di sangue e vomito e colatura di cera. Gli anni di vita sedentaria e impiegatizia non mi avevano del tutto rammollito. Gli ammollai un cazzottone in pieno petto, con tutto il peso dei miei 80 chili. Mi disimpegnai da quei famelici tralci e risalii su per le scale, a gattoni.
In cima all'ultima rampa mi tirai su, in piedi, e rientrai in casa. Nessuno fece caso a me. Seguitavano a parlare di cazzate. Andai nel mio cantuccio. Tirai fuori il fazzoletto. Quel brusio di voci umane Notai la donna che m'era stata presentata come la madre della sposa e che adesso metteva in mostra un par di gambe niente male, fasciate da calze di seta, con scarpe dai tacchi a spillo, la tomaia guarnita di strass. Roba da arrapare qualsiasi idiota, e io ero un mezzo idiota come niente.
M'alzai, andai oltre, le tirai su la gonna sulle cosce, mi chinai a baciarla svelto svelto sui ginocchi e a risalire baciucchiando su su su. La luce di candela era propizia. Mi ti voglio scopare, ma tanto, fino a farti scappare fuori la cacca dal culo. Mi trovai disteso lungo sulla schiena, annaspavo, non riuscivo a ritirarmi su. Alla fine, dopo due tre minuti, riuscii a rialzarmi: Mi reggevo ancora sulle gambe. Allora mi diressi in cucina. Mi versai un whiskey, lo tracannai. Me ne versai un altro, uscii fuori. Il regalo era avvolto in 45 metri di carta stagnola.
Si fece silenzio nella sala. Era un piccolo feretro intagliato a mano dei migliori artigiani spagnoli. Era perfino foderato di feltro rosso porpora. C'era un gran silenzio. L'unico regalo, e non era gradito, Ma ben presto si riebbero, e ripresero a parlare di fregnacce. Ero fiero del mio piccolo feretro. Ero stato ore e ore a scegliere un regalo.
A momenti diventavo matto. Alla fine lo notai, su una scansia, tutto solo. Lo presi, lo rigirai, ci guardai dentro. Costava caro ma la lavorazione artigiana era perfetta. Nello stesso negozio comprai anche del veleno per le formiche. Avevano fatto un nido presso il portone di casa mia. Mostrai i miei acquisti alla commessa, una giovane ragazza. Indicando il feretro, le chiesi: Lo sa cosa gli faccio? Sono diventati una razza superiore. Pagai, e me n'andai Adesso, alle nozze, nessuno aveva riso. Mi ricordai qualcosa che avevo letto in un libro, un antico libro cinese: Un bel momento, tutto era finito: Hollis era al volante, di nuovo.
Di nuovo la barbaccia di Roy mi svolazzava sul muso. Vi voglio bene, io. L'unico che avete ricevuto. Io abitavo ne paraggi di Hollywood per forza. Il parcheggio era un problema. Trovarono un posto a un par di cento metri da casa mia. Mi consegnarono le chiavi. Poi si diressero verso la loro automobile. Li guardai allontanarsi, poi mi volsi e, con la bottiglia in mano, mi diressi verso casa. A un certo puntai scivolai e persi l'equilibrio.
La bottiglia la salvai, ma picchiai la testa sul marciapiede, crac! Roy e Hollis mi videro cadere. Mi sono fatto male! Poi salirono sulla loro auto, misero in moto, e via, tranquillamente. Volevano farmela pagare per qualcosa. Fatica sprecata, da parte mia. La razza umana mi ha sempre, disgustato. Datti tempo cinque minuti, pensai.
Mi riposo per cinque minuti, poi riesco a alzarmi e arrivare a casa. Ero l'ultimo dei fuorilegge. Billy the Kid non aveva nulla da invidiarmi. Fa' solo che arrivi alla mia tana. La prossima volta che m'invitano a una delle loro funzioni, li mando a fare in culo. Si voltarono a guardarmi. Guarda come si stringe al cuore quella bottiglia. S'infilarono dentro il portone di casa loro. Una porta di cristallo. E io non riuscivo a alzarmi in piedi. Io, il compare d'anello. Ero a soli trenta metri da casa mia: A trenta passi dal portone di casa tua.
Fra due minuti, ce la faccio a alzarmi. Sentivo che le forze mi stavano tornando a poco a poco. Ce l'avrei potuta fare. Due tutori della pazzesca struttura familiare del mondo. Avevano lasciato le luci rosse della macchina accese. Uno aveva una torcia elettrica. Ho battuto la testa. Fate una cosa, aiutatemi a arrivare alla porta di casa mia.
Abito a 30 metri da qui. Per un momento me n'ero scordato. Ero molto, molto stanco La stessa vecchia triste storia. Se un uomo sbarcava sulla luna, era come ci sbarcassero loro. Ma aspetta che un morto di fame gli chieda un quarto di dollaro Vale a dire, quando sono in borghese. Poi tutta la trafila, un'altra volta. E pensare che ero a 30 passi dal portone di casa mia! Reduce da una festa in cui ero l'unico essere umano su 59 invitati.
Eccomi di nuovo nella legione straniera dei cosiddetti colpevoli. I giovani non capiscono niente. Han da farti vedere chi sono. Poi presero un bianco, che gridava qualcosa a proposito di Diritti Costituzionali. In quattro o cinque lo presero. Mi fecero la fotografia, mi presero le impronte digitali, insomma tutta quanta la trafila.
Mi sgnaccarono in guardina. La grande cella comune era gremita d'ubriachi, ce ne saranno stati Piscio e vomito dappertutto. Mi feci largo fra i miei compagni di sventura, cercando un posticino. C'era chi mi reputava un genio. M'allungai su un tavolaccio. Dopo un poco, sentii una voce. La voce d'un ragazzo.
Che tu perdevi o vendevi o ti veniva rubata. Compare d'anello a uno sposalizio Zen. Magari gli sposi manco avranno scopato, quella notte. Ma qualcuno era stato fottuto regolarmente. I got off the bus at Rampart, then walked one block back to Coronado, went up the little hill, went up the steps to the walk, walked along the walk to the doorway of my upper court. I stood in front of that door quite a while, feeling the sun on my arms.
I walked slowly up. I was very white and somewhat weak. She was sitting on the couch in an old green silk dress. She seemed glad, kissing me. Anybody in the bedroom? Have to eat boiled chicken, soft boiled eggs. They gave me a list. You want a bath? I loaned it to somebody. They crashed in the front. I was hoping to get it fixed for you before you got back. I was just trying to do the right thing! Then I walked back up.
I got out of the sack every morning while you were gone. I wanta celebrate your being back. I grabbed the purse and turned it upside-down on the couch. All her shit came out. Plus change, a small bottle of port, a dollar bill and a five dollar bill. She reached for the five but I got there first, straightened up and slapped her across the face. The garage was around the corner. As I walked onto the lot this Japanese guy was putting silver paint on a newly installed grille. What do I owe you? A lady brought it in here.
You bought that grille for five bucks at the junkyard. I just got out of the hospital. If I get a job I can pay you. You know where I live. After I get a job I can pay you off. Either that, or you keep the car. Give me the five. The tank was even half-full. I drove it around the block a couple of times just to see how it felt to drive a car again. Then I drove it up outside the liquor store. Working on a land deal. He looks like brains. You want me to take it somewhere else? You want me to leave the tab?
And a pack of Pall Malls and two Dutch Masters. I reached the top. But the medics never know shit. Now open me a beer. She still had it. As far as body went. He been up here? Her belly was still flat. Her haunches, hips, ass, just right. I drained a half a bottle of beer, walked up to her. She gave me a little smile. I tossed my beer bottle off, then took the wine glass out of her hand and drained it. I was feeling like a decent human being for the first time in weeks. We got real close.
She pursed those red wild lips. Then I pushed against her, hard, with both hands. She fell back on the couch. You know I love you, Harry! Then I walked up and picked her up and carried her into the bedroom and dumped her on the bed. I worked her dress up, kissing and fondling her. She was a lot of meat-woman. I got the pants down. Then, like old times, I was in. I sliced it eight or ten good slow ones, easy.