...of wishes

Oliver looked for Madeline. She was on the other side of the room, looking at him. He could see her plump little mouth repeating the refrain. He saw the tears shining in her eyes. He had already said twice: 'Let us all treasure in our thoughts our friendship...', but now he was silent. They looked at each other fully in the eyes and now neither of them said anything. This time he is completely dressed from head to toe in his soldiers uniform. He is marked. He's going to leave. To look at Madeline, his gaze passed over the bare table, over the little heap of dead salt shining in the candlelight. He imagined he heard the rustling of Madeline's skirt when she walked with him across the fields. If I was the lamp, he thought, if I was the lamp, the tree, this table, the sow, I'd stay behind, I'd remain here. If I was the dog....

[To The Slaughterhouse, Giono, J.]