The Tanners

“Why not,” Simon replied.

She said: “It seems I wasn’t mistaken when I concluded, immediately on first seeing you, that you were a young man who’d be happy to find a foothold somewhere. So tell me, what’s your name, and what have you done in the world until now?”

“My name is Simon, and as of yet I’ve done nothing at all!”

“How can that be?”

Simon said: “I received a small inheritance from my parents which I’ve just now consumed down to the last cent. I didn’t consider it necessary to find a job. The thought of learning a profession had no appeal for me at all. I found the days so beautiful I’d have considered it impertinent to desecrate them with work. You know how much is lost by daily work. I was incapable of acquiring a body of knowledge if it meant renouncing the sight of the sun and the evening moon. It took me hours to contemplate an evening landscape, and I’d spend nights on end sitting not at a desk or in a laboratory but in the grass with a river flowing past my feet and the moon peering at me through the branches of the trees. No doubt you’ll look down at such a statement, disconcerted, but should I be telling you a lie? I’ve lived in both countryside and city, but to this day I have shown no person on earth any service worthy of particular note. I do wish to do so now that an opportunity seems to have presented itself.”

“How could you have lived so wantonly?”

“I never had much respect for money, madam! Given the appropriate circumstances, on the other hand, it might well occur to me — or even strike me as a matter of some urgency — to value money belonging to others. It would seem to appear that you harbor a desire to take me into your service: Well, in this case I should naturally keep a sharp eye on your interests; for in such a case, I should have no other interests than yours, which should be mine as well. My own interests! When could I ever have gotten so far as to have interests of my own? When could I have had serious matters to pursue? I’ve frittered away my life up till now — intentionally, since it always struck me as utterly worthless. Devoting myself to the interests of others would suit me well; after all, a person with no goals of his own lives only for others’ purposes, interests and plans—”

“But surely you wish to imagine some sort of future for yourself!” —

“I’ve never once given it a moment’s thought! You’re looking at me with a rather worried, unfriendly expression. You distrust me and think me incapable of serious intentions. And in fact I must confess that to this day I’ve never once carried intentions of any sort around with me, as I’ve never before been asked by anyone to entertain an intention. This is the first time I’ve ever found myself standing before a person who wishes to avail herself of my services; this flattering circumstance compels me to be bold and tell you the truth. If I’ve been a dissolute person until now, what does it matter as long as I’m now set on becoming a better one? Are you capable of doubting my wish to show you gratitude for having scooped me up on the street and brought me to your room with the intention of giving me a human destiny? I have no future plans in mind — just the intention of pleasing you. And I know how pleasant it is when a person does his duty. So now here’s the future I’m imagining: performing my duties, which are the tasks you’ll set me. I’ve no desire to go thinking ahead to a future much more distant than the immediate one. The path my life will follow is of no interest to me, let it meander as it likes, just so people are pleased with me—”

Hereupon the lady said: “Although it is strictly speaking incautious to offer employment to a person who is nothing and can do nothing, I am willing to do so, for I believe you have the desire to work. You will be my servant and do everything I demand. You can consider yourself particularly fortunate to enjoy such benevolence, and I hope you’ll make an effort to deserve it. You surely have no credentials, otherwise this would be the moment when I’d ask for your credentials. How old are you?—”

“Twenty and a bit!”

The lady nodded. “That’s an age when a person must think of setting himself a task for life. Well, for the moment I’m prepared to overlook many aspects of your person that don’t entirely suit me, and shall give you the opportunity to become a reliable man. We shall see!—”

With these words the conversation was ended.