Three Strong Women

Marie NDiaye

“Sounds of shouting and laughter on the television filtered through a curtain of plastic strips separating the shop from the grocer’s living room. The sounds grew louder as the woman slipped through the curtain, parting the strips carefully to prevent the flies coming.

Rudy cleared his throat.

The woman waited, her head cocked slightly toward the back room so that she could go on listening to the program.

In a hoarse voice he asked for a baguette and a slice of ham.”

pg. 195

“She noticed roast chicken, couscous, saffron rice, a dark meat in peanut sauce, and other dishes she could just make out under their steamy glass covers. The profusion was staggering. It was beginning to make her feel queasy.”

pg. 13

“She was crossing the terrace when she saw them—Jakob, Grete, and Lucie—sitting where they’d been before. They were being served bissap juice.

They hadn’t seen her yet.”

pg. 56

“For dessert, Masseck put a mango cut in pieces before him.

He pushed one piece into his mouth, then another. Nora saw him chewing with difficulty, and trying to swallow. In vain.

He spat the mango pulp onto his plate.

Tears were pouring down his cheeks.

Nora felt her own cheeks burning.”

pg. 15

“In the tiny kitten all in dark wood, a boy was sitting at the narrow table having his tea.

He was dipping into a glass of milk a shortbread cookie that Rudy recognized as being like those Mummy made for special occasions.

He was about Djibril’s age.

He waas a beautiful child with pale eyes and fair curly hair.

Rudy nearly retched.”

pg. 217

“‘What for Fanta, what for,” he murmured.

Because wasn’t he, in a sense, now worthier of being loved he had been that morning?

And being on that lofty perch from which she could launch an attack bird that enjoyed her full support, could she not understand that?”