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t on him for everything。 What would happen to her here if he abandoned her？ Would she have to live her whole life in fear of losing him？
She told herself： Their acquaintance had been based on an error from the start。 The copy of Anna Karenina under her arm amounted to false papers； it had given Tomas the wrong idea。 In spite of their love； they had made each other's life a hell。 The fact that they loved each other was merely proof that the fault lay not in themselves； in their behavior or inconstancy of feeling； but rather in their incompatibility： he was strong and she was weak。 She was like Dubcek； who made a thirty…second pause in the middle of a sentence； she was like her country； which stuttered； gasped for breath； could not speak。
But when the strong were too weak to hurt the weak； the weak had to be strong enough to leave。
And having told herself all this； she pressed her face against Karenin's furry head and said； Sorry； Karenin。 It looks as though you're going to have to move again。
28
Sitting crushed into a corner of the train compartment with her heavy suitcase above her head and Karenin squeezed against her legs； she kept thinking about the cook at the hotel restaurant where she had worked when she lived with her mother。 The cook would take every opportunity to give her a slap on the behind； and never tired of asking her in front of everyone when she would give in and go to bed with him。 It was odd that he was the one who came to mind。 He had always been the prime example of everything she loathed。 And now all she could think of was looking him up and telling him； You used to say you wanted to sleep with me。 Well； here I am。
She longed to do something that would prevent her from turning back to Tomas。 She longed to destroy brutally the past seven years of her life。 It was vertigo。 A heady； insuperable longing to fall。
We might also call vertigo the intoxication of the weak。 Aware of his weakness； a man decides to give in rather than stand up to it。 He is drunk with weakness； wishes to grow even weaker； wishes to fall down in the middle of the main square in front of everybody； wishes to be down； lower than down。
She tried to talk herself into settling outside of Prague and giving up her profession as a photographer。 She would go back to the small town from which Tomas's voice had once lured her。
But once in Prague； she found she had to spend some time taking care of various practical matters； and began putting off her departure。
On the fifth day； Tomas suddenly turned up。 Karenin jumped all over him； so it was a while before they had to make any overtures to each other。
They felt they were standing on a snow…covered plain； shivering with cold。
Then they moved together like lovers who had never kissed before。
Has everything been all right？ he asked。
Yes； she answered。
Have you been to the magazine？
I've given them a call。
Well？
Nothing yet。 I've been waiting。
For what？
She made no response。 She could not tell him that she had been waiting for him。
29
Now we return to a moment we already know about。 Tomas was desperately unhappy and had a bad stomachache。 He did not fall asleep until very late at night。
Soon thereafter Tereza awoke。 （There were Russian airplanes circling over Prague； and it was impossible to sleep for the noise。） Her first thought was that he had come back because of her； because of her； he had changed his destiny。 Now he would no longer be responsible for her； now she was responsible for him。
The responsibility； she felt； seemed to require more strength than she could muster。
But all at once she recalled that just before he had appeared at the door of their flat the day before； the church bells had chimed six o'clock。 On the day they first met； her shift had ended at six。 She saw him sitting there in front of her on the yellow bench and heard the bells in the belfry chime six。
No； it was not superstition； it was a sense of beauty that cured her of her depression and imbued her with a new will to live。 The birds of fortuity had alighted once more on her shoulders。 There were tears in her eyes； and she was unutterably happy to hear him breathing at her side。
PART THREE
Words Misunderstood
1
Geneva is a city of fountains large and small； of parks where music once rang out from the bandstands。 Even the university is hidden among trees。 Franz had just finished his afternoon lecture。 As he left the building； the sprinklers were spouting jets of water over the lawn and he was in a capital mood。 He was on his way to see his mistress。 She lived only a few streets away。
He often stopped in for a visit； but only as a friend； never as a lover。 If he made love to her in her Geneva studio； he would be going from one woman to the other； from wife to mistress and back in a single day； and because in Geneva husband and wife sleep together in the French style； in the same bed； he would be going from the bed of one woman to the bed of another in the space of several hours。 And that； he felt； would humiliate both mistress and wife and； in the end； himself as well。
The love he bore this woman； with whom he had fallen in love several months before； was so precious to him that he tried to create an independent space for her in his life； a restricted zone of purity。 He was often invited to lecture at foreign universities； and now he accepted all offers。 But because they were not enough to satisfy his new…found wanderlust； he took to inventing congresses and symposia as a means of justifying the new absences to his wife。 His mistress； who had a flexible schedule； accompanied him on all speaking engagements； real and imagined。 So it was that within a short span of time he introduced her to many European cities and an American one。
How would you like to go to Palermo ten days from now？ asked Franz。
I prefer Geneva； she answered。 She was standing in front of her easel examining a work in progress。
How can you live without seeing Palermo？ asked Franz in an attempt at levity。
I have seen Palermo； she said。
You have？ he said with a hint of jealousy。
A friend of mine once sent me a postcard from there。 It's taped up over the toilet。 Haven't you noticed？
Then she told him a sto