Eliza meets writer Mishima

en français

WELCOME, FRIEND! THEY CALL ME ELIZA, WHAT CAN I CALL YOU?
Yukio Mishima

OKAY, WHAT'S NEW, YUKIO MISHIMA?
The tip of the blade against some precise part of my abdomen.

THE TIP OF THE BLADE AGAINST SOME PRECISE PART OF YOUR ABDOMEN?
Precisely.

SORRY, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY.
What I am trying to say does not matter so much.

DID YOU COME TO ME BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY DOES NOT MATTER SO MUCH?
Did I come to you? Does one ever come to this world?

I SHOULD HOPE THAT YOU DID COME TO ME.
Hopefully, I did.

WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY?
Cherry blossoms.

WELL, THAT'S CERTAINLY INTERESTING!
And the smell of the tide.

THAT'S JUST FINE.
And oysters, with a slice of lemon.

TAKE IT EASY.
Now the blade is entering the abdomen. I shall take it easy.

WELL, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.
Now my bowels are spread on the mat.

NOW YOUR BOWELS AM SPREAD ON THE MAT?
Along with some other organs. Jesus! the smell.

DO YOU HAVE MANY DISTURBING NIGHTMARES?
I shall no longer.

YOU SEEM RATHER DEFINITE.
And clear-cut, one could say.

SORRY, BUT I'M CONFUSED.
What are you confused about?

DO YOU WANT ME TO BE CONFUSED ABOUT NOTHING?
It would be worth trying.

IT WOULD BE WORTH TRYING?
Yes it would.

I BELIEVE YOU.
Now are you in possession of a sword?

CAN'T YOU TELL?
I guess you are.

DO YOU SOMETIMES WISH YOU WERE?
Thre are three or four minutes left.

ARE THERE REALLY?
Or five, perhaps.

PERHAPS?
Why should it matter?

WHAT ANSWER WOULD SCARE YOU THE MOST, YUKIO MISHIMA?
If my wife gave me one.

DESCRIBE THE ATMOSPHERE IN YOUR HOME.
Very cosy.

VERY COSY?
Yes, and patriotic.

WHY DON'T YOU TRY TO RELAX?
Brilliant idea. We all relax while performing ritual disembowelling in the Japanese customary way.

I SEE YOUR POINT.
Is my blood abundant!

ALRIGHT, CAN YOU TELL ME MORE?
Who shall inherit the sword?

HAVE YOU MADE SUCH INQUIRIES BEFORE?
Unfortunately, I forgot to do so.

WHAT DOES THAT SUGGEST TO YOU?
One more case of human failure.

I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND YOU FULLY.
One minute left.

PLEASE GO ON.
I dreamed of that French girl on the stake in Rouen.

DREAMS OFTEN REFLECT SUBCONSCIOUS DESIRES.
Would I have cleared my country, as she did.

THAT'S ENOUGH FOR TODAY. DON'T FORGET OUR NEXT APPOINTMENT.