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I�ISS of the 1111111�1� \\'ti•\\AI by i\\ANIII�I� 11111t; Translated from the Spanish by THOMAS COLCHIE e Vintage Books ·A Division o j Random House ·New York

First Vintage Books Edition, August 1980 Copyright© 1978, 1979 by Manuel Puig All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto. Originally published in Spain as El Beso de Ia Mujer Arana. Copyright © 1976 by Manuel Puig. Published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, in April 1979. The author wishes to thank The Center for Inter-American Relations for assistance in the translation of this book. Some chapters appeared in slightly different form in Fiction and Triquarterly. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Puig, ManueL Kiss of the spider woman. Translation of El beso de Ia mujer arana. Reprint of the 1979 ed. published by Knopf, New York. I. Title. [PZ4.P9786Ki 1980] [PQ7798.26.U4] 863 80-12179 ISBN 0-394-74475-6 Manufactured in the United States of America

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CHA PTER 1 -Something a little strange, that's what you notice, that she's not a woman like all the others. She looks fairly young, twenty-five, maybe a little more, petite face, a little catlike, small turned-up nose. The shape of her face, it's ... more roundish than oval, broad forehead, pronounced cheeks too but then they come down to a point, like with cats. -What about her eyes? -Clear, pretty sure they're green, half-closed to focus better on the drawing. She looks at her subject: the black panther at the zoo, which was quiet at first, stretched out in its cage. But when the girl made a noise with her easel and chair, the panther spotted her and began pacing back and forth in its cage and to growl at the girl, who up to then was still having trouble with shading in the drawing. -Co uldn't the animal smell her before that? -No, there's a big slab of meat in the cage, that's all it can smell. The keeper drops the meat near the bars, and it blocks out any smell from outside, that's the point, so the panther won't get excited. And noticing the anger of the wild animal the girl begins to work more feverishly, with faster and faster strokes, and she draws the face of an animal that's also a devil. And the panther watches her, a male panther, and it's hard to tell if he's watching to tear her to pieces and make a meal of her , or if he's driven by some other, still uglier instinct. -Nobody else at the zoo that day?

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -No, almost nobody. It's winter, it's freezing. The trees are bare in the park. There's a cold wind blowing. So the girl's practically by herself, sitting there on the folding chair she brought out herself, along with the easel to clip her drawing paper to. A little further off, near the giraffe cage, there's some boys with their schoolteacher, but they go away quickly, the cold's too much for them. -And she's not cold? -No, she's not thinking about the cold, it's as if she's in some other world, all wrapped up in herself drawing the panther. -If she's wrapped up inside herself, she's not in some other world. That's a contradiction. -Yes, that's right, she's all wrapped up in herself, lost in that world she carries inside her, that she's just beginning to discover. She has her legs crossed, her shoes are black, thick high heels, open toed, with dark-polished toenails sticking out. Her stockings glitter, that kind they turned inside out when the sheen went out of style, her legs look flushed and silky, you can't tell if it's the stockings or her skin. -Look, remember what I told you, no erotic descriptions. This isn't the place for it. -Whatever you want. Okay then, she's wearing gloves, but to get on with her drawing she slips off the right one. Her fingernails are longish, they're painted almost black, and the fingers are white, until the cold begins to turn them slightly blue. She stops working for a minu te, puts one hand inside her coat to warm it. It's a heavy coat, black plush, very padded in the should ers, but thick plush, more like the coat of a Persian cat, no, a lot thicker. And who's there behind her? Someone tries to light a cigarette, the wind blowing out the flame of the match. -Who is it? -Wait. She hears the striking of the match and it startles her, she spins around. It's a guy, kind of good-looking, not a

5 pretty boy, just a likable face, hat brim turned down and a baggy overcoat, full-cut trousers. He touches the brim of his hat by way of introduction and apologizes, tells her it's sensa­ tional that drawing. She sees the guy's okay, face gives him away, he's the quiet, understanding type. With her fingers she touches up the hairdo a little, partly messed by the wind. It's cut in bangs with curls, and down to the shoulders, that's how they used to wear it, with little curls at the ends too, almost like a permanent wave. -1 picture her dark-looking, not too tall, really nice figure, and she moves like a cat. A real piece. -Who didn't want to get aroused? -Go on. -She answers that he didn't frighten her. But with all this, and the business of fixing her hair, the page works loose and the wind blows it away. The fellow runs and catches it, he brings it back to the girl and offers an apology. She says it's nothing, and by the accent he can tell she's a fo reigner. The girl explains to him she's a refugee, she studied fine arts in Budapest, when the war broke out she left fo r New York. He asks her if she's homesick for her city, and it's as if a dark cloud passes over her eyes, the whole expression of her face darkens and she says she doesn't come from a city, she's from the mountains, way off in the Carpath ians. -Where Dracula comes from. -Mmm-hmm, those mountains with dark forests, where wild beasts live who go mad with hunger in the wintertime and have to come down into the villages to kilL And people are scared to death, and hang sheep and other dead animals in their doorways and make vows, for protection. After all that, the fellow wants to see her again, and she tells him she'll be back to draw again tomorrow afternoon, like almost every day recently, whenever there's been sun. Then you see him in his studio, he's an architect, the next afternoon with his architect colleagues and his assistant, a young woman, who's an archi-

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN teet too. But when three o'clock comes and not much daylight's left, he gets the urge to put away his compass and ruler and go over to the zoo, almost directly across the way in Central Park. The assistant asks him where he's going, and why he's so happy. He treats her like a friend but it's obvious that deep down she's in love with him, even though she hides it. -She's a dog? -No, friendly face, chestnut hair, nothing out of this world, but nice enough. He leaves without giving her the pleasure of knowing where he's going. It upsets her but she doesn't let anybody see and buries herself in work so that she doesn't get more depressed. At the zoo it still hasn't begun to get dark yet, it's been a day with very strange light for wintertime, every· thing seems to stand out more sharply than ever, the black bars, the white tile walls of the cages, the gravel looks white too, and the leafless trees gray with no leaves. And the blood­ red eyes of the beasts. But the girl, whose name is Irena, isn't there. Days go by and the architect can't forget her, until one day walking down some fashionable avenue something in the window of an art gallery catches his attention. They're showing works by an artist who draws nothing but panthers. The archi­ tect walks in, Irena's there, getting congratulated from all sides. And I don't know exactly what happens then. -Try to remember. -Wait a minute ... I don't know if this is when someone gives her a greeting that scares her ... Anyway, then the architect congratulates her too and notices something different in Irena, something like happiness, she's got no dark look in her eyes like the first time. And he invites her to a restaurant and she walks out on all those critics, and they go off together. She looks as though she can walk down the street for the first time, like she'd been a prisoner, and now she's free to go wherever she wants. -But you said he takes her to a restaurant, not wherever she wants.

7 -Hey, don't take me so literally. Anyhow, when he stops in front of some restaurant, Hungarian or Rum anian, some­ thing like that, she starts feeling funny again. He thought she'd enjoy being taken someplace like that, with her own kind of people, but it backfires on him. And he figures something's going on and asks her. She lies and says something about memories of the war, which is still going strong at the time. Then he tells her they can go someplace else for lunch. But she realizes that he, the poor guy, doesn't have much time, he's on his lunch break and has to go back to the studio later. So she gets a grip on herself and walks into the restaurant, and every­ thing's fine, because the atmosphere's relaxed and the food's good, and she's back to feeling how pleasant life is. -And him? -He's happy, because he sees how to please him she got her complex under control, just the way he planned, to go there in the first place, to please her. The kind of thing when two people get to know each other and things start working. And he's so swept off his feet by her he decides not to go back to work that afternoon. He tells her how he happened by the gallery by chance, that he was actually out on another errand to buy a present. -For the other girl, the assistant. -How did you know? -Didn't , just guessed it. -You saw the film. -No, I swear. Go on. -And the girl, Irena I mean, says that then they can go do that errand. Well, right away, he wonders if he has enough cash to buy two identical presents, one for the assistant's birthday and another for Irena, so he can win her over com­ pletely. On the way Irena says how this afternoon, oddly enough, it doesn't make her sad to see it getting so dark already, when it's only three in the afternoon. He asks her why the nigh tfall upsets her, is it because she's afraid of the dark.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN She thinks about it and answers yes. And he stops in fro nt of the store where they're going and she stares at the window uncomfortably, it turns out to be a petshop that only sells birds, marvelous, in cages you can see from the window there are all kinds of birds happily flying from one perch to another, or swinging back and forth on swings, or pecking at little shreds of lettuce, or birdseed, or taking sips of cool water, freshly changed for them. -Wait a minute ... Is there any water in the bottle? -Mmm·hmm, I refilled it when they let me out of the john. -Oh, that's all right then. -You want a little? It's nice and fresh. -No, just so there's no problem with tea in the morning. Go on. -Don't worry so much, we have enough for the whole day. -But I'm getting into bad habits. I forgot to bring it along when they opened the door for showers, if it wasn't for you remembering, we'd be stuck without water later on. -There's plenty, I'm telling you ... But when the two of them walk into the petshop it's as if who knows what walked in, the Devil himself . The birds go crazy, flying at the bars of their cages, blind with fear, beating their wings. The owner doesn't know what to do. The little birds squawk with terror, but it's like the squawking of vu ltures, not some little birdsong. She grabs the archit ect by the arm and pulls him outside. The birds calm down right away. She asks if he'd mind her leaving. They make a date and separate until the next night. He goes back into the petshop, the birds go on singing peacefully, he buys a little canary for the other one's birthday. And after­ wards ... well, I don't remember so clearly what comes next, guess I'm tired. -Go on a little more. -J ust that I get sleepy and forget the film. What do you say we go on with it tomorrow? -If you really don't remember, better go on tomorrow.

9 -I'll pick it up in the morning then. -No, it's better at night, during the day I don't want to be th inking about such trivia. I've got more important things to think about. -If I'm not busy reading and I'm still keeping quiet, it's just because I'm thinking. So don't take it pers onally. -No, it's okay. I'm not going to disturb you, don't worry. -1 knew you'd understand, I really appreciate it. Good night. -Night. Sweet dreams of Irena. -1 prefer the assistant. -1 figured that a!ready. Ciao. -Good night. -We left off where he went back into the petshop and the birds weren't scared of him. It wa � her they were scared of. -1 didn't say that, you thought that up yourse lf. -All right, what happens? -Well, they go on seeing one another and they fall in love. She fascinat es him incredibly, because she's so strange, on the one hand so openly affectionate, and always looking at him, caressing him, putting her arms around him, but as soon as he wants to hold her close and kiss her she slips away and barely lets his lips brush against her. She asks him not to kiss her, ju st to let her kiss him, very tender kisseo;, but like a baby's, with her lips so soft and fleshy, but shut. -Back then, there was no sex in movies. -Wait and you'll see. The thing is that one night he takes her out to that same restaurant again, which isn't first·class but very quaint, with checkered tablecloths and everything in dark wood, or no, it must be stone, no, wait, now I know, inside it's like being in a log cabin, with gaslight and just candles on the tables. And he lifts up his glass of wine, his goblet; and pro-

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN poses a toast, because tonight a man who is very much in love is going to commit himself to marry if his chosen one will accept him. And her eyes fill up with tears, but from being so happy. They touch goblets and drink without saying another word, just holding hands. All of a sudden she lets go of his hand: she's seen someone coming over to their table. It's a woman, beautiful-looking at first sight, but a second later you notice something really strange about her face, something fr ightening and yet it's hard to know what it is. Because it's a woman's face but it's also the face of a cat. The eyes slant up, and so peculiar, I don't know how to tell you, she has no whites to her eyes, her eyes are completely green in color, with black pupils at the center, and nothing else. And her skin very pale, as if she had a lot of powder on. -But you told me she was pretty. -Yes, she's beautif ul. And from the strange outfit it's obvi- ous she's European, her hair fixed in a sausage roll. -What's a sausage roll? -Like a ... how can I explain it to you? a chignon ... a coil of hair something like a tube that goes around the head, over the forehead and all the way around in back. -Doesn't matter, go on. -But come to think of it maybe I'm wrong, I think she had more of a braid around her head, that's more like that part of the world. And a long dress down to the floor, and a fox stole over her shoulders. And she comes to the table and looks at Irena as if with hatred, or not quite, more the way a hypnotist looks, but an evil look in every way. And she speaks to Irena in an incred ibly strange language, pausing there by the table. And he, being a gentleman, gets up from his chair at the approach of a lady, but this minx doesn't even look at him and says something else to Irena. Irena answers her in that same dialect, but very frightened. He can't understand one word of what they're saying. Then, so he'll understand too, the woman sa ys to Irena: "I reco gniz ed you instantly, but you know why.

11 Be seeing you ..• " And she walks away, without having so much as looked at the guy. Irena is petrified, her eyes are filled with tears, but dark tears, looking like filthy water from a puddle. She gets up without a word and wraps a long scarf, a white one, over her head, he drops some money on the table and walks out with her, taking her by the arm. They don't say anything to each other, he sees that she's frightened. Looking over at Central Park, it's snowing lightly, the snow deadens every sound and noise, the cars almost slide down the street, very quietly, the streetlamp lights up the pure white snowflakes that are falling, and it's as though way off somewhere the cries of wild animals can be heard. And that's not so unlikely, because just a little distance from there is the city zoo, in that same park. She can't seem to go on, she begs him to hold her close. He holds her in his arms. She's shivering, from cold or fr om fear, although the distant cries seemed to have died down. She tells him, almost in a whisper , that she's afraid to go home and spend the night alone. A taxi comes by, he signals it to pull over and the two of them get in without saying a word. They go to his apartment, not talking the whole way there. His building, it's one of those old apartment houses, very well kept up, carpets, very high-beamed ceiling, dark wooden staircases all hand-carved, and there in the entranceway by the foot of the stairs a giant palm set into a magnificent urn. It must have had Chinese motifs. The palm is reflected in a tall mirror with a very elabor ate frame, also carved like the staircase. She looks at herself in the mirror, examines her face, as if searching for something in her own features. There's no elevator, he lives on the first floor. Their footsteps can barely be heard on the carpet, like out in the snow. Apartment's huge, with everyth ing tu rn- of-th e-century, very proper, the fellow's mother had it first. -And him, what's he do? -Nothing, he knows there's something going on inside the girl that's torturing her. He offers her a drink, a cup of coffee,

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN whatever she'd like. She doesn't want anything, she asks him to sit down please, she has something to say to him. He lights up his pipe and gives her the warm look he has all the time. She can't get herself to look him in the eyes, she sits resting her head on his knees. Then she begins to tell how there was some terrible legend back in her mountain village, that always terrified her, even as a kid. And this part I don't remember too well how it goes, something to do with the Middle Ages, some­ thing about villages that once were cut off for months and months by the snow, and they were starving to death, and all the men had gone off to the wars, something like that, and the starving wild beasts of the forest came right up to the people's houses, I don't remember exactly, and the Devil appeared and said a woman had to come outside if they wanted any food from him, and one woman, the bravest, went out to him, and at his side the Devil had a ravenously hungry black panther, and the woman made a pact with the Devil, so as not to die, and I don't know what happened but the woman had a daughter with the face of a cat. And when the Crusaders returned from the Holy Wars, the soldier who was married to this same woman came home, and when he tried to kiss his wife she tore him to pieces, as if a panther had done it. -1 don't really get it, it's very confusing the way you tell it. -1 can't remember right now, that's all. But it doesn't matter. What Irena tells that I do remember is that they were still giving birth to panther women in those mountains. Any­ way, by that time the soldier was dead but a fellow Crusader figured out it was the wife who murdered him and set out to fo llow her, and meantime she escaped through the snow and at first the tracks she left behind were a woman's footsteps until close to the forest they turned into a panther's, and the Cru­ sader followed them and struck deep into the forest where it was already night, and in that darkness he saw two bright green eyes of someone lying in wait for him, and with his sword

13 and dagger he made the sign of the cross and the panther lay still and turned back into a woman, lying there half asleep, as if hypnotized, and the Crusader backed away because he heard other roaring coming near, the wild beasts aroused by the woman's smell and coming to eat her. The Crusader made it back to the village more dead than alive and told them every­ thing. And the legend is that the race of panther women never died out and remains hidden in some corner of the world, and they all seem like normal women, but if a man happens to kiss any of them, the woman can turn into a savage beast. -And she's one of those panther women? -All she knows is that the stories frightened her terribly when she was a girl, and she's always lived with that fear of being a descendant of such women. -And the one back in the restaurant, what'd she have to say ? -That's just what the architect asks her. And Irena throws herself into his arms, crying, and says the woman was only saying hello to her. But then no, she gets up her courage and tells him how in the dialect of her own village she told her to remember who she was, that the sight of her face alone was enough to make it obvious they're sisters. And that she'd better watch out for men. The architect bursts out laughing. "Don't you realize," he says to her, "she saw you were from the same part of the world because people from the same country always recognize each other. If I see an American in China I go out of my way to say hello. And because she's a woman and maybe a little old-fashioned, she tells you to watch out, don't you see ?" That's what he says, and it's enough to calm her down. And she feels so peaceful now, she begins to fall asleep in his arms, and he lifts her onto the sofa that's right there, fixes a pillow under her head, and brings a blanket from his bed for her. She's fast asleep. Then ne goes to his room and the scene ends with him in his pajamas and robe, good but not too expensive-looking, a solid color, and he's watching her from

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN the doorway, the way she's sleeping, and he lights up his pipe, standing there pensive. The fireplace is lit, no, I can't remem· ber, light must be coming from the lamp on the night table, in his room. When she finally wakes up, the fire's gone out, hardly any ember � left. Dawn already breaking. -The cold wakes her up, just like us. -No, that's not what wakes her up, I knew you'd say something like that. The canary singing in the cage wakes her. Irena's afraid to go near it at first, but she hears how happy the little bird seems to be and that gives her the courage to go up close. She looks at it carefully, breathes a deep sigh of relief, satisfied because the little creature isn't afraid of her. She goes to the kitchen and makes toast with butter, and that crunchy cereal they have up there and ... -Don't talk ubout food. -And pancakes ... -Really, I'm serious about it. No food and no naked girls. -Okay, so she wakes him up and he's happy to see her so comfortable in his home and he asks her if she wants to stay and live there forever. -He's still in bed? -Mmm·hmm, she brought him his breakfast in bed. -Me, I never liked to have breakfast right away, the first thing I have to do is brush my teeth. Sorry, go ahead. -Okay, so then he wants to kiss her. And she won't let him get close. -He must have bad breath, he didn't brush his teeth yet. -If you're going to make fun, there's no reason to tell you anything more. -No, please, I'm listening. -He asks her again if she wants to marry him. She answers yes she wants to with all her heart, and she doesn't want to ever have to leave that house again, she feels so at home there, and she looks all around and the drapes are dark velvet to block the light out, and so to let the light in she draws them open

15 and behind them there's another set of lacy curtains. Then you get to see the whole turn-of ·the-century decor. She asks who picked out all the lovely things and I think he tells her how mu ch his mother had to do with all that, every piece of furni­ ture, how she was such a good mother and how much she would have loved Irena, like her own daughter. Irena goes over to him and kisses him almost with adoration, the way one kisses a holy saint, you know? On the forehead. And she begs him please never to leave her, she wants to be together with him always, all she could ever ask for is to wake up each morning to see him again, always by her side ... But, to become a real wif e to him, she asks him to give her a lit tle time, until all those fears have a chance to subside ... -You get what's going on, don't you? -That she's afraid she'll turn into a panther. -Well, I think she's frigid, she's afraid of men, either that or she has some idea about sex that's really violent, and so she invents things. -Wait, will you? He says okay, and they marry. And when the wedding night comes, she sleeps in the bed, and he's on the sofa. -Keeping an eye on his mother's furniture. -If you're going to laugh I won't go on, I'm telling you this in all seriousness, because I really like it. And besides there's something else I can't tell you, that makes me really like this film a lot. -Tell me what, what is it? -No, I was about to bring it up but now I see you're laughing, and, to tell you the truth, it makes me angry. -No, I like the picture, but you have the fun of telling it and I ju st want to chime in once in a while too, see what I mean? I'm not the type who knows how to sit around and just listen all the time, you get what I mean ? And all of a sudden I have to sit quiet listening to you for hours on end. -1 thought it helped you pass the time, and fall asleep.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -Y eah, that's true, absolutely, it does both things, it passes time and puts me to sleep. -Well? -Only, if it doesn't rub you the wrong way, I'd like us to discuss the thing a little, as you go on with it, so I get a chance now and then to rap about something. Doesn't that seem fair to you? -If it's so you can crack jokes about a picture I happen to be fond of, then the answer is no. -No, look, it could be just a simple discussion. Like for example: I personally would like to ask you how you picture the guy's mother. -If you're not going to laugh anymor e. -I promise. -Let's see ... I don't know, a really good person. A lovely lady, who gave her husband every happiness and her children too, always managing everything perfectly. -Do you picture her doing housework? -No, I see her as impeccably attired, a dress with a high collar, edged in lace to cover the wrinkles on her neck. She has that marvelous thing of certain respectable ladies, which is that little touch of coquettishness, beneath all the properness, on account of her age, but what you notice about them is the way they go on being women and wanting to please. -Yes, always impeccable. Perfect. She has her servants, she exploits people who can't do anything else but serve her, for a few pennies. And clearly, she felt very happy with her husband, who in turn exploited her, forced her to do whatever he wanted, keeping her cooped up in a house like a slave, waiting for him- -Listen ... -waiting for him every night, until he got back from his law firm, or from his doctor's office. And she was in perfect agreement with the whole system, and she didn't rebel, and she fed her own son the same crap and now the son runs

17 smack into the panther woman. Good luck with that one. -B ut tell the truth, wouldn't you like to have a mother like that? Full of affect ion, always carefully dressed ... Come on now, no kidding ... -No, and I'll tell you why, if you didn't follow me. -Look, I'm tired, and it makes me angry the way you brought all this up, because until you brought it up I was fe eling fabulous, I'd forgotten all about this filthy cell, and all the rest, just telling you about the film. -I forgot all the rest, too. -Well? Why break the illusion for me, and for your self too? What kind of trick is that to pull? -I guess I have to draw you a map, because you sure don't get the idea. -Here in the dark he starts drawing things for. me, well that's just wond erful. -Let me explain. -Sure, but tomorrow, because right now I'm up to here with it, so skip it till tomorrow ... Why couldn't I have the luck to get the panther woman's boyfriend to keep me com­ pany, instead of you? -Oh, now that's another story, and I'm not interested. -Afraid to talk about such things? -No, not afra id. Just not my bag. I already know all about yours, even if you didn't tell me a thing. -Well I told you what I'm in for, corruption of minors, and that tells it all, so don't start playing the psychologist now. -Come on, admit it, you like him because he smokes a pipe. -No, because he's the gentle type, and understanding. -His mother castrated him, plain and simple. -I like him and that's enough for me. And you, you like the assistant, some urban guerrilla that one! -1 like her, sure, more than the panther woman.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -Ciao, you tell me why tomorrow. Let me get some sleep. -Ciao. -We were just where she's going to marry the pipe-smoker. I'm all ears. -What's the little sneer for? -Nothing, tell it to me, go ahead, Molina. -No, you go ahead, you tell me about the pipe-smoker, since you know him so much better than me, I only saw the film. -T he pipe-smoker's no good for you. -Why not? -Because what you have in mind's not strictly platonic, right? Admit it. -Obviously. -Okay, the reason he likes Irena is because she's frigid and he doesn't have to make her, that's why he looks after her and takes her home where the mother's all over the place. Even if she's dead she's there, in every stick of furniture, and the curtains and all that junk, didn't you say so you rself? -Go on. -If he's left all his mother's stuff in the house just the way it was, it's because he still wants to be a little boy, back in his mama's house, and what he brings home with him isn't a woman, it's a little playmate. -But that's all your own concoction. How do I know if the house was the mother's? I told you that because I liked the apartment a lot, and since it was decorated with antiques I said it could be the mother's, but that's all. Maybe he rents the place fu rnished. -T hen you're inventing half the picture. -No, I'm not inventing, I swear, but some things, to round them out for you, so you can see them the way I'm seeing them ... well, to some extent I have to embroider a little. Like with the house, for example.

19 -Admit that it's the house you'd like to live in yours elf. -Yes, obviously. And now I have to put up with you while you tell me the same old thing everybody tells me. -Is that so ... What is it exactly I'm supposed to tell you? -You'r e all alike, always coming to me with the same business, always! -What? -How they spoiled me too much as a kid, and that's why I'm the way I am, how I was tied to my mother's apron strings and now I'm this way, and how a person can always straighten out though, and what I really need is a woman, because a woman's the best there is. -That's what they tell you? -Yes, and my answer is this ... great! I agree! And since a woman's the best there is ... I want to be one. That way I save listening to all kinds of advice, because I know what the score is myself and I've got it all clear in my head. -I don't see it so clear, at least not the way you just worked it out. -Okay, I don't need you to clear up anything for me, and now if you want I'll go on with the film for you, and if you don't, so much the better, I'll tell it to myself in a whisper, and saluti tanti, arrivederci, Sparaf ucile. -Sparaf ucile? -Obviously you don't know anything about opera. He's the villain in Rigo letto. -Te ll me the picture and then ciao, because now I want to know what happens. -Where were we? -The wedding night. When he doesn't touch her. -That's right, he's sleeping on the living-room sofa, and oh, what I didn't tell you is they've arranged, they've come to an agreement, that she'll go see a psychiatrist. And she starts going, and she gets there the first time and finds that the guy's in credibly good-looking, a fantastic flirt.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -What's your definition of incredibly good-looking? I'd like to hear. -Well, he's tall, dark, wears a mustache, very distin­ guished-looking, broad forehead, but with a pencil-line mus­ tache a little bit like a pimp's ... I don't know if I'm making it very clear ... a wise-guy's mustache, which gives him away. Anyhow, since we're on the subject, the guy who plays the psychiatrist's definitely not my type. -What actor was it? -I don't remember, just a supporting role. He's good-look- ing but too thin for my taste, if you want to know the truth, the type that looks good in a double-breasted suit, or if it's a regular suit they have to wear a vest. He's the type women find attracti ve. But with this little hotshot something shows, I don't know, how he's so positive women find him attractive. But the minute he comes on ... you have to dislike him. And so does Irena, who's over on the couch beginning to talk about her problems, but she doesn't feel comforta ble, doesn't feel like she's with a doctor, but with some guy, and she's afraid. -T his picture's really something. -Really what? Silly? -No, coherent, it's fantastic, go on. But don't get so up- tight. -She begins to talk about how afraid she is of not being a good wife and they decide next time she ought to tell him something about her dreams, or nightmares, and how in one dream she turned into a panther. So that's okay, they end the session at that point, but the next time she has her appointment she doesn't show up, she lies to her husband, and instead of going to the doctor she goes to the zoo, to look at the panther. And she stands there as if she's fascinated, she's wearing that thick plush coat, it's black but glistens almost iridescent in the light, and the panther's fur is iridescent black too. The panther is pacing back and forth in the huge cage, never taking his eyes off the girl. And here the keeper comes along, and opens the

21 door on one side of the cage ... opens it for just a second, tosses the meat in and shuts it again, only he's so busy with the hook the meat was slung on, he forgets and leaves the key in the lock of the cage. Irena sees all that, keeps quiet, the keeper picks up a broom and sets to work sweeping up the scraps of paper and cigarette butts strewn all over the place near the cages. Irena moves a little closer, stealthily, toward the lock. She removes the key and looks at it, a large key, covered with rust, she stands there pensively, a fe w seconds go by ... -What's she going to do? - ... but she goes over to the keeper and hands him the key. The old man, who seems like a good·natured guy, thanks her for it. Irena returns home, waits there for her husband to arrive, it's already the time when he usually gets back from the office. And I fo rgot to add to all this how every morning she tenderly feeds the canary, and always changes the water, and the canary sings to her. And finally the husband arrives and she hugs him and almost kisses him, she has such a strong desire to kiss him, on the mouth, and he gets all excited, and he thinks maybe the psychoanalytic treatment is doing some good, and the moment's finally approaching to really become husband and wife. But he makes the mistake of asking her how the session went that af ternoon. That makes her feel really bad, since she didn't even go, and really guilty, so she slips out of his arms and lies to him, that she went and everything was fine. But she's already slipped away and there's nothing more to do about it. He just has to grin and bear it. And another day he's back once more at work with the other architects. And the assistant, who's always looking at him, because she still cares for him, sees he's troubled and asks him to go have a drink after work, it'll lift up his spirits, and he says no, he has a lot to do, he'll probably work overtime and finally the assistant who's never cared for anyone but him says she can stay and help him out for a while.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -1 go for that chick. It's the strangest thing, you haven't said anything about her but she strikes me as okay. Funny thing, imagination. -She stays late with him, but it's not that she's on the make or anything, she's already given him up for lost after the marriage, but she wants to help him as a friend now. And there they are working away after hours. It's a big studio, with different tables to work at, to draw on, each architect has his own, but now they've all gone home and everything is swal­ lowed up in darkness, except his table, which has a glass top, with light coming from underneath the glass, so their faces catch the light from below, and their bodies cast a rather sinister shadow on the walls, gigantic-looking, and the drawing rule looks more like a sword whenever he or the assistant picks it up for a minute to draw a line. But they work silently. She peeks at him now and then, and even though she's dying to know, she never asks what's bothering him. -She's okay. Considerate, discreet. Maybe that's why I like her. -Meanwhile, Irena is waiting and waiting and finally she decides to call his office. The assistant answers and hands the phone to him. Irena is jealous, she tries to hide it. He tells her he called earlier to let her know but she wasn't in the n. Obvi­ ously, she'd been to the zoo again. So since he catches her in the wrong she has to keep quiet, she can't object about him. And from then on he begins to come home late, because some­ thing makes him put off going home. -It's all so logical, it's fantastic. -Then you're contradicting yourself ... You can see he's normal, he just wants to sleep with her, that's all. -No, listen. Before, he went home willingly because he knew she wasn't about to sleep with him, but now with analy­ sis there's a chance, and that upsets him. As long as she was just a baby, like at first, they didn't do anything more than play around a little, like kids. And maybe by playing around

that way they began to get somewhere sexually. -Playing around like kids, God, how insipid! 23 -Doesn't sound wrong to me, see, as far as your architect goes. Sorry if it sounds like I'm contradicting myself. -What doesn't sound wrong to you? -That they began by playing around, without all the usual fireworks. -Okay, so back to the film. But one thing-why's he so willing to stay out with the assistant? -Well, because he figur es being married, nothing can hap­ pen. The assistant's no sexual possibility anymore, because the wif e's apparently got him all served up already. -That's all in your head. -If you embroider, why can't I too? -J ust let me go on. One night Irena has dinner all prepared, and he doesn't come home. Table's all set, with the candles lit. She doesn't know one thing though, that since it's their wed­ ding anniversary he'd left early that afternoon to pick her up outside her psychiatrist's, and obviously, he doesn't meet her because she never goes anymore. And he finds out how long it's been since she's been there and telephones Irena, who's not at home, of course, she's gone out like every other afternoon, drawn irresistibly toward the zoo. So then he goes back to his office in desperation, he needs to tell the whole thing to the assistant. And they go off to a nearby bar for a drink togeth er, but it's not so much a drink they want, but a chance to talk privately, away from the studio. When she sees it's getting so late, Irena begins to pace back and forth in the room like a caged animal, and she calls up the office. No one answers. She tries to do something to pass the time, she's terribly nervous, she goes over to the canary's cage and notices how the canary flutters desperately, sensing her nearness, and blindly flits from one side of its little cage to the other, smashing its little wings. She doesn't resist the impulse to open the cage and stick her hand in. The bird drops dead, as if struck down, sensing

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN the closeness of her hand. Now Irena is desperate. All her hal lucinations come back to her, she runs out, going off in search of her husband, he's the only one she can ask to help her, the only person who's going to understand her. But head­ ing toward the office she unavoidably passes the bar and spots them. She stands still, she can't take another step, she's trem­ bling with rage, with jealousy. The couple get up to leave, Irena hides behind a tree. She watches them say goodbye and sepa­ rate. -How do they say goodbye? -He gives her a kiss on the cheek. She's wearing an elegant hat with the brim pulled down. Irena isn't wearing any hat, her curly hair shines under the street lights along the deserted street, because she's following the other one. The other one takes the direct route home, which means cutting through the park, Central Park, which is across from the office building, and by a street that sometimes is like a tunnel, because the park's got like little hills, and the road's straight, and at times it's cut right through the hills, it's like a regular street, with traffic but not much, like a shortcut, and a bus that cuts across there. And sometimes the assistant takes the bus so as not to walk so far, and other times she walks, because the bus only runs once in a while. And this time she decides to walk it, to air her thoughts a little, because her head is pounding after her talk with the guy. He's told her everything, about how Irena doesn't sleep with him, about the nightmares she keeps having of panther women. And the poor thing, who's so in love with the guy, she really feels all confused, because she's already resigned herself to losing him, and now, well, she's hopeful again. And on the one hand she feels glad, now that all's not lost, and on the other she's afraid of deluding herself all over again and having to suffer for it later, coming out empty· handed every time. And she goes on thinking about all this, walking a little faster because it's getting so cold. No one's around, the park's lost in shadows off to the side of the road,

25 no wind, not a leaf stirring, so the only thing you hear is fo otsteps behind the assistant, a woman's high heels clicking. The assistant turns around and sees a silhouet te, but at some distance, and with so little light she can't make out who's there. But by now the clicking can be heard getting faster. So she begins to get alarmed, because you know how it is when you've been talking about something scary, like about corpses or a crime, you're more impressionable, and you jump at every little thing, and this woman's got her mind on panther women and all that and begins to panic and starts to hurry, but she's just halfway through, with like about four blocks to go, where some buil dings begin because the park comes to an end. So she almost begins to run, which is worse. -Can I interrupt, Molina? -Mmm-hmm, but there's not much more to go now, for tonight I mean. -Only one question, which intrigues me a little. -What? -You won't get annoyed? -Depends. -It'd be interesting to know. And afterwards you ask me if you want. -Let's have it then. -Who do you identify with? Irena or the other one? -With Irena, what do you think? She's the heroine, dummy. Always with the heroine. -Okay, go on. -And you, Valentin, with who? You're in trouble because the architect seems like a moron to you. -Go ahead and laugh. With the psychiatrist. But no making jokes now, I respected your choice, with no remarks. Go on. -We can discuss it later if you want, or tomorrow. -Okay, but go on a little more. -A little bit, no more, I like to leave you hanging, that way you enjoy the film more. You have to do it that way with the

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN public, otherwise they're not satisfied. On the radio they always used to do that to you. And now on the TV soaps. -Come on. -Okay, we were just where this poor girl doesn't know whether to break into a run or not, when at this point the fo otsteps almost can't be hear d anymore, the high heels on the other one I mean, because the steps sound different, almost inaudible. The ones the assistant hears now sound like the tread of a cat, or something worse. And she spins around and doesn't see the woman-how could she disappear so suddenly? But she thinks she sees some other shadow, it slips by and immediately disappears too. And what she hears now is the sound of feet trampling the bushes in the park, the sound of an animal, approaching. -And? -To morrow we'll go on. Ciao, sleep tight. -You'll pay for this. -See you in the morning. -Ciao.

CHA PTER . , - -You're a good cook. -Thank you, Valentin. -But you're getting me into bad habits. That could hurt me. -You're crazy, live for the moment! Enjoy life a little! Are you going to spoil our dinner thinking about what's going to happen tomorrow? -I don't believe in that business of living for the moment, Molina, nobody lives for the moment. That's Garden of Eden stuff . -You believe in Heaven and Hell? -Wait a minute, Molina, if we're going to discuss things let's have some ground rules, because if we don't stick to the point it's just kid stuff , strictly sophomoric. -I'm sticking to the point. -Great, then let me state my position first, so you'll have some idea of it. -I'm listening. -There's no way I can live for the moment, because my life is dedicated to political struggle, or, you know, political action, let's call it. Follow me? I can put up with everything in here, which is quite a lot ... but it's nothing if you think about torture ... because you have no idea what that's like ... -But I can imagine. -No, you can't imagine ... Anyway, I put up with all of it ... because there's a purpose behind it. Social revolution,

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN that's what's important, and gratif ying the senses is only sec­ ondary. While the struggle goes on, and it'll probably go on for the rest of my life, it's not right for me to cult ivate any kind of sensual gratification, do you get my point? because, really, that takes second place for me. The great pleasure's something else, it's knowing I've put myself in the service of what's truly noble, I mean ... well . . . a certain ideology . . . --What do you mean, a certain ideology? -My ideals ... Marxism, if you want me to spell it out in only one word. And I can get that pleasure anywhere, right here in this cell, and even in torture. And that's my real strength. -And your girl? -T hat's also secondary. I'm secondary to her, too, because she also knows what's most impor tant. -You taught her that? -No, J think the two of us actually discovered it together. Make any sense, what I just explained to you? -Mmm-hmm ... -You don't sound too convinced, Molina. -No, don't pay any attention to me. And now I think I'll just get some sleep. -You've got to be kidding! And the panther woman? You lef t me hanging in suspense last night. -To morrow, okay? -Come on, what's up? -Nothing ... -Say something ... -No, I'm being silly, that's all. -Give me some idea, at least. -Look, it's just the way I am, I'm easily hurt by some things. And I cooked you this dinner, with my own provisions, and worst of all, mad as I am about avocados I gave you half, when I could just as easily have had the other half for myself tomorrow. And for what? ... For you to throw it right back

in my face about how I'm teaching you bad habits. -But don't act like that, you're oversensitive ... 29 -So what am I supposed to do about it? That's how I am, very sentimental. -I'll say. It sounds just like a ... -What are you stopping for? -Nothing. -Say it, I know what you were going to say, Valentin. -Don't be silly. -Say it, like a woman, that's what you were going to say. -Yes. -And what's so bad about being soft like a woman? Why is it men or whoever, some poor bastard, some queen, can't be sensitive, too, if he's got a mind to? -1 don't know, but sometimes that kind of behavior can get in a man's way. -When? When it comes to torturing? -No, when it comes to being finished with the torturers. -But if men acted like women there wouldn't be any more torturers. -And you, what would you do without men? -You're right. They're mostly brutes, but I like them. -Molina ... But you did say if they all acted like women then there wouldn't be any torturers. You've got a point there, a flimsy one, but still, it's a point. -Nice of you to say so. -What do you mean nice? -Nice and uppity: "Still, it's a point." -Okay, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. -Nothing to be sorry about. -Fine, then relax and don't try to punish me. -Punish you? You're out of your mind. -Act as if nothing happened, then. -Want me to go on with the film? -Sure, man.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -M an? Where's a man? Don't let him go. -Okay, cut the jokes and get on with the story. -Where were we ... ? -Where my girlfriend the assistant didn't hear the woman's footsteps anymore. -Right, at this point she begins really shaking with terror, she has no idea what to do, doesn't dare turn around for fear of seeing the panther woman, stops a minute to see if she can hear the human footsteps anymore, but nothing, total silence, only the rustling of leaves moved by the wind ... or by something else. Then she lets out a long, desper ate wail some­ where between a sob and a moan, but the wail is drowned out by the noise of automatic doors on the bus that's just stopped in fro nt of her; those hydraulic doors that sound like some kind of air pump, and she's safe. The driver saw her standing there and opened the doors; he asks her what's the matter, but she says it's nothing, she just doesn't feel well, that's all. And she gets on ... All right, and when Irena gets back home she's totally disheveled, shoes filthy with mud. The architect's com· pletely at a loss; doesn't know what to say, what to do with this weirdo he's married to. She walks in, looks at him strangely, goes into the bathroom to take off her muddy shoes, and he finally has the guts to talk to her because she's not looking at him, and she hears what he's saying to her, about how he went to meet her at the doctor's office and found out she hadn't been there in a long time. Then she starts crying and says how everything's ruined, that she's what she's always been afraid of being, an insane person, suffering from hallucinations, or worse even-a panther woman. Then he calms her down all over again, and takes her in his arms, and you're right, to him she's just like a baby, because when he sees her that way, so def enseless, so lost, he feels all over again how he loves her with all his heart, and lets her head rest on one should er, his shoulder I mean, and strokes her hair and tells her she's got to have faith, everything's going to work out okay.

31 -It makes sense, this film. -But there's more, it's not finished. -1 hope so, 1t can't just stop there. But you know what I like about it? That it's just like an allegory, and really clear too, of the woman's fear of giving in to a man, because by completely giving in to sex she reverts a little to an animal, you know? -We'll see ... -There's that type of woman, very sensitive, way too spiritual, who's been brought up on the idea that sex is dirty, that it's sinful, and this type of chick is screwed up, completely screwed up, most likely she turns out frigid when she gets married, because inside she's got this barrier, they've made her put up a kind of barrier, or wall, and not even bullets get through. -Not to mention other things. -Now that I'm serious, you're the one who's making jokes, see how it is, you too? -Go ahead, 0 voice of wisdom. -That's all. Go on with the panther woman. -Okay, the problem is how's he going to convince her she's got to have faith and go back and see the doctor again. -Me, you mean. -Right, but then she tells him there's something about the doctor she doesn't like. -Sure, because if he cures her, she'll have to give in to marital life, to sex. -But her husband convinces her to go back. And she does, even though she's afraid to. -Know what scares her most of all? -What? -Doctor's the sensual type-you said so yourself . -M mm-hmm. -And that's just the problem, because he turns her on, and on account of that she won't give in to any treatment.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -Fine, so she goes to the doctor's office. And she confides to him in all sincerity, tells him her greatest fear is of kissing a man and turning into a panther. And here's where the doctor makes a mistake and tries to remove her fear by showing how unaf raid he is himself , how sure he is she's an enchanting woman, an adorable woman and that's all. I mean the guy chooses a somewhat dubious trtatment, letting his desires get the best of him because he's actually looking for some way to kiss her, that's what he's looking for. But she doesn't fall for it; she has just the opposite response, that yes, the doctor's right and she's normal and so she leaves his office right then and goes away satisfied, goes straight to the architect's studio, as if with the intention, the decision already made, of giving herself to her husband that very night. She's happy, and runs all the way, and gets there almost out of breath. But in the doorway she's suddenly paralyzed. It's late already and every· one's gone home, except her husband and the assistant, and they seem to be talking, holding hands, but you can't tell if it's a friendly gesture or what. He's talking, with his eyes lowered, while the assistant listens to him knowingly. They have no idea someone's walked in. And here my memory's foggy. -Wait a second, it'll come back to you. -I remember there's a scene in a swimming pool, and another right there in the architect's studio, and still another, the last, with the psychiatrist. -Don't tell me that at the end the panther woman winds up with me. -No. Don't rush. Anyway, I can tell you this whole last part in a very sketchy way if you want, as much as I remember of it. -Sure. -So, he and the other one are busy talking there in the studio, and they stop talking because they hear a door creak. They look up and nobody's there; it's dark in the studio, there's no other light than the table they're at, with that

33 slightly sinister glare coming from below. And you hear an animal's footsteps, rustling papers underfoot and, yes, now I remember, there's a wastepaper basket in a dark corner and the basket tumbles over and the footsteps crumple some pa­ pers. The assistant screams out and hides behind him. He yells, "Who's there? Who is it?" and now, for the first time, you hear an animal's heavy breathing, like a snarl with the teeth clenched, you see? The architect has no idea what to defend himself with and grabs one of those big rulers. And you realize that unconsciously or whatever, he remembers what Ir ena's told him, how the sign of the cross can frighten both the Devil and the panther woman, and the light from under the table casts gigantic shadows on the wall, of him with the assistant hanging onto him, and a few feet away the shadow of a beast with a long tail, and it looks like the architect's holding up a cross in his hands-which is nothing but two drafti ng rulers he's put together like a cross. But suddenly you hear a horrible growl and footsteps of a frightened animal escaping into the darkness. Anyway, I don't remember if what happens now is that same night, I think so, the other one goes home again, which is like a very big hotel for women, some kind of women's club, where they live, with a big swimming pool in the basement. The assistant's so nervous, on account of everything that's happened, and returning to her hotel to­ night, where they don't allow male visitors, she thinks the best thing might be to go down and take a swim for a little while to calm her nerves, because she's so on edge. It's already very late at night and there's absolutely no one in the pool. They have changing rooms down there and she's got her own locker where she hangs her clothes and puts on her bathing suit and bathrobe. Meanwhile, upstairs in the hotel the front door opens and in comes Irena! She asks the woman at the desk about the other one, and, without suspecting anything, the woman tells her the other one just went down to the pool. And because she's a woman, Irena has no problem getting in, they just let her by

KISS oj the SPIDER WOMAN and that's that. Down below the pool's totally dark; the other one comes out of the changing room and switches on some lights inside the pool, below the surface of the water. She's fixing her hair to fit inside her bathing cap when she hears fo otsteps. She asks, kind of alarmed, if it's the attendant. No answer. Then she gets really terrified, throws off her bathrobe and dives in. From the middle of the water she peers toward the sides of the pool, still in darkness, and now you hear the snarling of some wild black beast pacing furiously, you can barely make it out, but a shadow's moving, sort of slipping along the edges of the pool. The snarls can hardly be heard. they're always snarls like with the teeth clenched, and those green eyes glitter watching the other one in the pool who now really starts screaming like crazy. At this the attendant comes running downstairs and turns on all the lights, asking her what's the matter. No one else is there, why all the scre aming? The other one's compl etely embarrassed, doesn't know how to explain why she's so fright ened; imagine what'll happen if she says some panther woman got in down there. And so she says she thought somebody was there, an animal prowling around. And the woman on duty looks at her as if to say listen to this dope talking, some friend comes to see her so she's shaking all over, just because she hears some footsteps, and there the two of them are when they notice the bathrobe on the floor, ripped to shreds, and the tracks of an animal, from having stepped in the puddles ... Are you listening to me? -Yeah, but I don't know why I can't get something out of my head tonight. -What? -Nothing, I can't conc entrate ... -But come on, open up a little. -I'm just thinking about my girl. -What's her name? -That's not the point. Look, I never talk to you about her, but I'm always thinking about her. -How come she doesn't write to you?

35 -How do you know if she writes or not! I could say I'm getting letters from somebody else and they're hers. Or are you going through my stuff when I'm taking a shower? -You're crazy, Valentin. But you never showed me a letter fr om her. -Well, I don't like to talk about this ever, but, I don't know, just now I felt like discussing something with you ... When you started talking about the panther woman's fo llowing the assistant around, I got scared. -What scared you? -I wasn't afraid for myself but for my girl. -Ah ... -I must be nuts, bringing this subject up. -Why? Talk if you feel like it ... -When you started telling how the girl was being followed by the panther woman, I pictured that it was my girl who was in danger. And I fe el so helpless here, about warning her to be careful, about not taking too many risks. -I understand. -Well, you can imagine, if she's my woman, it's because she's in the struggle too. Although I shouldn't be telling you, Molina. -Don't worry. -It's just that I don't want to saddle you with any informa- tion you're better off not having. It's a burden, and you've already got enough of your own. -Me too, you know, I have that sensation, from being in here, of not being able to do anything; but in my case it's not a wom an-not a girl I mean, it's my mother. -Your mother's not all alone, or is she? -Well, she's with an aunt of mine, my father's sister. But it's just that she's so sick. She's got high blood pressure and her heart's weak. -But, you know, with that kind of thing you can still go on, sometimes for years and years ... -But you still have to avoid upsetting them, Valentin.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -Why do you say that? -Imagine, the shame of having a son in prison. And the reaso n. -Don't think about it. The worst's over, right? Now she's got to accept it, that's all. -But she misses me so much. We've always been very close. -Try not to think about it. Or if not ... accept the fact that she's not in any danger, like the person I love. -But she's got the danger inside, she carries the enemy around inside, it's that weak heart of hers. -She's waiting for you, she knows you're going to get out of here, eight years do go by, and there's always tht. wpe of time off for good conduct and all. That will give her the strength to wait for you, think of it that way. -Mmm-hmm, you're right. -Otherwise, you'll go crazy. -Te ll me more about your girlfriend, if you feel like it ... -What can I tell you? Nothing in common with the assist- ant; I don't know why I put the two together. -Is she pretty? -Yeah, sure. -She could be ugly -what are you laughing at, Valentin? -Nothing, I don't know why I'm laughing. -But what strikes you so funny? -1 don't know ... -Must be something ... something to laugh at. -At you, and me. -Why? -1 don't know; let me think about it, because I couldn't explain it to you anyway. -Okay, just stop laughing. -Better I tell you when I really know why I was laughing. -How about if I finish the film?

37 -Yes, please. -Where were we? -Where the girl saves herself in the swimming pool. -Right, so how did it go? ... Now comes the conf rontation between the psychiatrist and the panther woman. -Can I interrupt? ••• You won't get annoyed? -What's the matter? -Better if we go on tomorrow, Molina. -Not much left to finish. -I can't concen trate on what you're saying. Sorry. -Bored? -No, not that. My head's a mess. I want to just keep quiet and see if the hysterics will pass. Because that's what my laughing's all about, a fit of hysterics, nothing else. -Whatever you want. -I want to think about my woman, there's something I'm not under standing, and I want to think about it. I don't know if that's happened to you, you feel like you're about to und er· stand something, you're on the point of untangling the knot and if you don't begin pulling the right thread ... you'll lose it. -Fine, tomorrow then. -Okay, tomorrow. -Tomorrow we'll be all finished with the film. -You don't know how sorry that makes me. -You too? -Yes, I'd like it to last a little longer. And the worst thing's that it's going to end sadly, Molina. -But did you really like it? -Well, it made our time go by faster, right? -But you didn't really really like it then. -Yes I did, and it's a shame to see it ending. -But don't be silly, I can tell you another one. -Honestly? -Sure, I remember lots of lovely, lovely films.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -Then great, you start thinking about one you liked a lot, and meanwhile I'll think about what I have to think about, it's a deal? -Don't lose that thread. -Right. -But if you drop the ball of yarn, I'll give you zero in housekeeping, Miss Valentina. -You just don't worry yourself about me. -All right, I won't meddle anymore. -And don't call me Valentina, I'm no woman. -How can I tell? -Sorry, Molina, but I don't give demonstrations. -Don't worry, I'm not asking for any. -Good night, have a good sleep. -Night, you too. -I'm listening. -Well, as I was telling you yesterday, I don't remember this last part so well. That very night the husband calls her psychiatrist to get him to come to the house. They're there waiting for her, for Irena, who hasn't arrived yet. -At whose house? -The architect's. But then the assistant calls up the archi- tect to get him to go to the women's hotel and from there to the police station, because the incident in the pool just hap­ pened, so the architect leaves the psychiatrist by himself for just a little while, no more, and, zap! Irena comes home, and finds herself face to face with the psychiatrist. It's nighttime, obviously; the room's lit with only a table lamp. The psychia­ trist, who's been reading, takes off his glasses, looks at her. Irena feels that same mixture of repulsion and desire for him, because he's good-looking, like I told you, a sexy guy. And here something strange happens. She throws herself into his arms, because she feels so abandoned, nobody wants her, her

39 husband's forsaken her. And the psychiatrist interprets this as a sign that she's interested in him sexually, and to top it off he thinks if he kisses her and even manages to go all the way, he'll be able to rid her of those strange ideas about being a panther woman. And he kisses her, and they press up against each other, embracing and kissing, until all of a sudden she ... she kind of slips out of his arms, looking at him through half-closed eyes, green eyes glittering with something like de­ sire and hatred at the same time. And she breaks away from him and goes to the other end of that room filled with lovely turn- of-the-century furniture, all beautiful velvet armchairs and tables with crochet doilies on them. But she goes into that corner because the light from the table lamp doesn't reach there. And she drops down to the floor, and the psychiatrist tries to defend himself, but it's too late, because now over in that dark corner everything turns blurry for an instant, and before you know it she's transf ormed into a panther, and he just manages to grab the poker from the fireplace to defend himself , but the panther's already pounced on him, and he tries to strike with the poker, but she's already ripped his throat open with her claws and the man's already fallen to the floor with his blood gushing out. The panther snarls and bares a set of per fect white fangs and sinks her claws in again, this time into his face, to tear it to pieces, those cheeks and mouth she'd kissed a few moments ago. By then the assistant's already with Irena's husband who'd gone to meet her at the hotel and there at the front desk they try to call the psychiatrist to warn him he's in danger, because now there's no way around it, it's not just Irena's imagination, she really is a panther woman. - -No, she's a psychopathic killer. -Okay, but the telephone rings and rings and no one an- swers; the psychiatrist is lying dead, all his blood drained. Then the husband, the assistant and the police who'd already been called to the house, climb the stairs slowly, find the door open and inside the guy's dead. Irena, she's not there.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -And then? -The husband knows where to find her, it's the only place she'd go, and even though it's midnight already, they go over to the park ... more specifically, to the zoo. Oh, but I fo rgot to tell you something! -What? -That afternoon Irena went to the zoo the same as every af ternoon to see the panther that had her hypnotized. And she was right there when the keeper came along with his keys to give the meat to the beasts. The keeper's that absent-minded old guy I told you about. Irena kept at a distance but watched everything. The keeper came up with the keys, opened the lock on the cage, slid back the bolt, opened the door and tossed in a couple of gigantic chunks of meat, and afterwards shot the bolt back through the latch on the door again, but forgot the key in the lock. When he wasn't looking, Irena approached the cage and took the key. Anyway, all that was in the afternoon but now it's night already and the psychiatrist's dead already, when the husband with the other one and the police rush toward the zoo, just a few blocks away. But Irena's just getting there, at the very cage the panther's in. Walking like a sleep­ walker. Holding the keys in her hand. The panther's asleep, but Irena's odor wakes him up. Irena looks at him through the bars. Slowly she goes up to the door, puts the key in the lock, opens it. Meantime, the others are arriving; you hear police cars approaching with sirens going to clear a way through the traffic, even though at that hour the place is almost deserted. Irena slides back the bolt and opens the door, setting the panther free. Irena's almost transported into another world; her expression's strange, tragic and yet excited sort of, her eyes misty. The panther escapes from the cage in a single leap; for a split second he looks suspended in midair, with nothing in fr ont of him but Irena. Only the force of his leap and Irena's knocked down. Cars are pulling up. The panther runs through the park and across the road, just as a police car races by at

41 fu ll speed. The car hits him. They get out and find the dead panther. The architect goes toward the cages and finds Irena stretched out on the cobblestone, right where they met for the first time. Irena's face is disfigured from the swipe of the claw. She's dead. The young assistant comes over to where he's standing and they walk off together arm in arm, trying to forget the terrible spectacle they've just seen, and, The End. -Did you like it? -Yes ... -A lot or a little? -I 'm sorry it's over. -We had a good time, didn't we? -Yeah, for sure. -I'm glad. -1 must be crazy. -What's wrong with you? -I'm sorry it's over. -So what, I'll tell you another one. -No, it's not that. You're going to laugh at what I'm going to tell you. -Let's have it. -I'm sorry because I've become attached to the characters. And now it's all over, and it's just like they died. -So, Valentin, you too have a little bit of a heart. -It has to come out some place ... weakness, I mean. -It's not weakness, listen. -Funny how you can't get along without becoming attached to something ... It's ... as if the mind had to secrete affection without stopping .. . -You think so? - ... same way your stomach secretes juices for digestion. -You really think so? -Sure, like a leaky faucet. And those drops continue drip· ping on anything, they can't be turned off.

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN -W hy? -Who knows ... because they're spilling over the top of their container. -And you don't want to think about your girl -But it's like I can't avoid it ... because I get attached to anything that reminds me of her. -Te ll me a little what she's like. -I'd give ... absolutely anything to be able to hold her, even for just a second. -That day'll come. -Sometimes I think it's never going to come. -But you're not a lifer. -Something could happen to her. -Write her, tell her not to take any chances, that you need her. -Never. If you're going to think like that, you'll never change anything in this world. -And you think you're going to change the world? -Yes, and I don't care if you laugh ... It makes people laugh to say it, but what's got to be done more than anything •.. is change the world. -But you can't change it just like that, and you can't do it all alone. -But that's just it, I'm not alone! ... you get me? ... There's the truth, that's what's important! ... That's just it, right at this minute I'm not alone! I'm with her and with everybody who thinks like her and me ... and I can't let myself fo rget it. That's the piece of thread that sometimes slips out of my fingers. But luckily I've got a good grip on it now. And I'm not about to let go ... I'm not far from any of my comrades, I'm with them! Now, at this very moment! ... It doesn't matter if I can't see them. -If you can swallow something like that, great. -What an idiot you are! -Such names ... -Don't be so annoying then ... Don't say things like that,

43 as if I were some dreamer who kids himself about everything, because that's not how it is! I'm not some loudmouth playing at cafe politics, understand? The proofs that I'm here in this place, not in a cafe! -Sorry. -It's all right. -You started to tell me something about your girl and you never told me anything. -No, better we forget the whole thing. -Whatever you want. -Even though there's no reason not to talk. It shouldn't upset me to talk about her. -If it upsets you, don't ... -It doesn't upset me ... Only it's better for me not to tell you her name. -1 just remembered the name of the actress who played the assistant. -What is it? -J ane Randolph. -Never heard of her. -She goes back a ways, to the forties, around then. For your girl's name we can simply say Jane Randolph. -J ane Randolph. -Jane Randolph in ... The Mystery of Cellblock Seven. -One of the initials actually fits ... -Which? -What do you want me to tell you about her? -Whatever you want to say, what kind of girl she is. -She's twenty-four, Molina. Two years younger than me. -Thirteen less than me. -She always was a revolutionary. At first in terms of ... well, I won't hesitate with you ... in terms of the sexual revolution. -Please, tell me about it. -She comes from a bour geois family, people who aren't very rich, but, you know, comfortable enough, two-story house

KISS of the SPIDER WOMAN in Caballito. But she spent her whole childhood and adoles­ cence tormented by watching her parents destroying one an­ other. With a father who deceived the mother, but you know what I mean ... -No, what? -Deceived her by not telling her how he needed outside relationships. And the mother devoted herself to criticizing him in front of the daughter, devoted herself to being the martyr. I don't believe in marriage-or in monogamy, to be more precise. -But how marvelous when a couple loves each other for a lifetime. -You'd really go for that? -It's my dream. -So why do you like men then? -What's that got to do with it? ... I'd like to marry a man for the rest of my life. -So you're a regular bourgeois gentleman at heart, eh, Molina? -Bourgeois lady, thank you. -But don't you see how all that's nothing but a deception? If you were a woman, you wouldn't want that. -I'm in love with a wonder ful guy and all I ask is to live by his side for the rest of my life. -And since that's impossible, because if he's a guy he wants a woman, well, you're never going to undeceive yourself. -Go on about your girl, I don't feel like talking about me. ·-Well okay, as I was telling you, they ... what's the name? -J ane. Jane Randolph. -T hey raised Jane Randolph to be a proper lady. Piano lessons, French, and painting, and after the lycee the Catholic University. -Architecture! That's why you connected the two. -No, sociology. And that was when the mess began at home. She wanted to go to the state university but they made

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