Chapter 9

           YearslaterIsawthegabbiaatPiacenza;aharshblackcanarycagestrunghighupthesideofthetoweringcampanile,inwhichprisonerswerelefttostarvetodeathandrotinfullviewofthetownbelow.AndlookingupatitIrememberedthatwinterinGreece,thatgabbiaIhadconstructedformyselfoutoflight,solitudeandselfdelusions.Towritepoetryandtocommitsuicide,apparentlysocontradictory,hadreallybeenthesame,attemptsatescape.Andmyfeelings,attheendofthatwretchedterm,werethoseofamanwhoknowsheisinacage,exposedtothejeersofallhisoldambitionsuntilhedies.

           ButIwenttoAthens,totheaddressthevillagedoctorgaveme.IwasgivenaKahntestandDr.Patarescu’sdiagnosiswasconfirmed.Thetendays’treatmentwasveryexpensive;mostofthedrugshadbeensmuggledintoGreece,orstolen,andIwasatthereceivingendofaThirdMannetwork.ThesmoothyoungAmerican-traineddoctortoldmenottoworry;theprognosiswasexcellent.AttheendoftheEasterholidays,whenIreturnedtotheisland,IfoundacardfromAlison.Itwasagarishlycoloredthingwithakangarooonitballoonsaying"ThoughtI’dforgot?"Mytwenty-sixthbirthdayhadtakenplacewhileIwasinAthens.ThepostmarkwasAmsterdam.Therewasnomessage.ItwassimplysignedAlison.Ithrewitintothewastepaperbasket.Butthatevening,Itookitoutagain.

           Togetthroughtheanxiouswaitforthesecondarystagenottodevelop,Ibeganquietlytorapetheisland.Iswamandswam,Iwalkedandwalked,Iwentouteveryday

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