Part I

           Itisasreasonabletorepresentonekindofimprisonmentbyanother,asitistorepresentanythingthatreallyexistsbythatwhichexistsnot.DANIELDEFOE

           Thepeculiareventsthatarethesubjectofthishistoryoccurredin194—,inOran.Thegeneralopinionwasthattheyweremisplacedthere,sincetheydeviatedsomewhatfromtheordinary.Atfirstsight,indeed,Oranisanordinarytown,nothingmorethanaFrenchPrefectureonthecoastofAlgeria.

           Ithastobesaidthatthetownitselfisugly.Itsappearanceiscalmandittakessometimetoappreciatewhatmakesitdifferentfromsomanyothertradingportsallovertheworld.Howcanoneconvey,forexample,theideaofatownwithoutpigeons,withouttreesorgardens,whereyouhearnobeatingofwingsorrustlingofleaves,inshort,aneutralplace?Thechangeofseasoncanonlybedetectedinthesky.Springdeclaresitselfsolelyinthequalityoftheairorthelittlebasketsofflowersthatstreet-sellersbringinfromthesuburbs;thisisaspringthatissoldinthemarket-place.Insummerthesunburnsthedried-outhousesandcoverstheirwallswithgreypowder;atsuchtimesonecannolongerliveexceptbehindclosedshutters.Inautumn,onthecontrary,thereareinundationsofmud.Fineweatherarrivesonlywithwinter.

           Aconvenientwayofgettingtoknowatownistofindouthowpeopleworkthere,howtheyloveandhowtheydie.