Selected Cronicas

THE QUIET WOMAN FROM MINAS

Aninha is a quiet woman from Minas who works here at our house. And when she speaks, which is very rarely, her voice sounds muffled. I have never had a maid called Aparecida, yet every time I am about to call Aninha, the only name that comes to mind is Aparecida. Aninha moves through the house like a silent apparition. One morning she was tidying up a corner of the sitting-room as I sat sewing in the opposite corner. Suddenly — no, not suddenly, nothing is sudden with her, but rather like a long, drawn-out silence — I could hear her voice asking me, as if reluctant to break the silence: ‘Does Madam write books?’ Taken aback, I said yes. Without interrupting her work or raising her voice, she asked me if I could lend her one of my books. I felt embarrassed but decided to speak frankly. I told her I did not think she would enjoy my books because they are rather complicated. Whereupon, still tidying up and with her voice sounding even more muffled, she replied: ‘I like complicated things. I can’t stomach sugared water.’