La sumisa

Imagine a husband with his wife lying before him on the table—she has committed suicide by throwing herself out the window. He is still dazed; he has not yet had time to gather his thoughts. He paces from room to room, struggling to grasp what has happened, trying to "fix his mind on a single point." Moreover, he is an inveterate hypochondriac—the sort who talks to himself. Even now, he is speaking aloud, recounting the events and trying to make sense of them. Despite the apparent coherence of his speech, he contradicts himself repeatedly, both logically and emotionally. He justifies his own actions, blames her, and drifts into digressions where banality of thought and feeling mingles with profound insight. Gradually, he clarifies the events and succeeds in focusing his thoughts. Certain memories eventually lead him to the truth—a truth that, whether he wills it or not, elevates both his understanding and his heart. By the end, the tone of his narrative has shifted significantly from the chaotic state of the beginning. The wretched man discovers the truth—clear and sharply defined, at least to his own mind.