...of consent

...Shortly afterward - about a year - when you took them to a museum... - It was not to a museum. It was to an exhibition. - That may be, it is not stated precisely in the report. Shall we say to an exhibition. They turned aside from that canvas - which is very fine - by the master of Avignon. - Didn't turn aside. I exaggerated. They stood there in front of it, but without looking at it. They had that unreceptive, self-centred look... And when I said: It's lovely... - You made a declaration in which you used the expression "turned aside." You were wrong. - Yes. To tell the real truth, I should have declared rather that when I remarked: It's lovely... they remained silent. - That, however, was hardly conclusive. It would have to be proved that their silence was hostile. You know the saying: Silence gives consent? - Their silence was hostile. - Was that all there was? Nothing else? No shrugging of shoulders? A slight sneer or even just one of those faint smiles? - I saw nothing of the kind... - And you have no witness? - No, we were alone. - Then there is no proof. Here, as you were told, we only take into account what may be seen. - Then there is no proof? Really? Silence gives consent... Of course, that is impressive. Very impressive. There have of course been so many other silences concerning which I could have sworn... - Still basing yourself on mere impressions? And we can't take into consideration impressions of this kind. There could have been consent in that silence that day, just for a second, without your knowing it. - Yes, just for a second? Just, even among them? Even among them... does one ever know?... even they, forgetting my presence for once, may have felt a fluid, a current, coming from the canvas... passing over me, to one side of me, even they... it's not impossible... they who are such poor conductors, so unreceptive... it may even have passed through them... That single second is enough, isn't it? One second of repentance permits us to redeem all our sins... - Yes, but if you don't mind, let us return to what can be proved...

[Do You Hear Them?, Sarraute, N.]