Skylight

20

That evening, in Anselmo’s apartment, they dined earlier than usual. Maria Cláudia had to get dressed up in order to be introduced to Paulino Morais, and it was best not to keep a person waiting when you were planning to ask him a favor. Mother and daughter had eaten quickly, then disappeared into the latter’s bedroom. There were various problems to resolve as how best to present Claudinha, and the most difficult of all was what to wear. None of her dresses set off her beauty and her youth better than a yellow sleeveless number in a light, airy fabric. When she turned, its full, gathered skirt resembled an inverted flowerhead and fell languidly from her waist like a lazy wave. This won Rosália’s vote; however, Claudinha, with her natural good sense and good taste, realized that while the dress would be ideal for the summer months, it looked out of place in a still-rainy spring. Besides, Senhor Morais might disapprove of its not having sleeves. Rosália agreed, but made no further suggestions. She had chosen that dress and that alone, and had no other preferences.

The choice was not easy, but in the end Claudinha plumped for a gray-green dress, which was discreet and appropriate for the season. It was a woolen dress, with long sleeves that fastened at the cuffs with buttons of the same gray-green color. It had a modest neckline that barely revealed her throat. For a future employee it was perfect. Rosália disagreed, but as soon as her daughter put the dress on, she saw that she was right.

Maria Cláudia was always right. She studied herself in the wardrobe mirror and liked what she saw. The yellow dress made her look younger, but what she wanted now was to look older. No frills, no bare arms. The dress she had chosen fitted her like a glove, seemed to cling to her body and respond to her slightest movement. It had no belt, but the cut of the dress gave it a natural waist, and Maria Cláudia’s waist was so slender anyway that a belt would spoil the effect. Seeing herself in the mirror, Claudinha realized which direction she should take in future as regards what she wore. No frills and fripperies to hide her figure. And at that moment, turning this way and that in front of the mirror, it occurred to her that she would look good in a lamé dress, the kind that resembles a second skin, as flexible and supple as her own.

“What do you think, Mama?” she asked.

Rosália was left speechless. She was hovering around her daughter like a dresser preparing the star for her big moment. Maria Cláudia sat down, took lipstick and rouge from her handbag and began to apply her makeup. Her hair could wait; it required only a quick brush. She didn’t overdo the makeup, though; it was even more discreet than her dress. She was relying on her understandably nervous state to give her a good color — a little nervousness always suited her. When she had finished, she stood before her mother and said again:

“What do you think?”

“You look lovely, sweetheart.”

Claudinha smiled at her own reflection, gave herself one last probing look and declared that she was ready. Rosália summoned her husband, and Anselmo duly appeared. He had adopted the noble expression of a father about to decide his daughter’s future, and he seemed genuinely moved.

“Do you like it, Papa?”

“You look charming, my dear.”

Anselmo had learned that, at key moments such as this, “my dear” was the best form of address to use. It conferred seriousness on the occasion, suggested fatherly affection and pride tinged with respect.

“I’m so nervous,” said Claudinha.

“You must keep calm,” said her father, smoothing his neat mustache with one firm hand. Nothing could trouble the firmness of that hand.

When Claudinha walked past him, Anselmo slightly adjusted the string of pearls she was wearing: the final touch, and made, as was only right, by the firm, loving hand of her father.

“Off you go, my dear,” he said solemnly.

Her heart fluttering inside her like a caged bird, Maria Cláudia went down the stairs to the first floor. She was far more nervous than she seemed. She had been to Lídia’s apartment on innumerable occasions, but never when her lover was there. This visit, then, had about it an air of complicity and secrecy, of something forbidden. She was being admitted into the presence of Paulino Morais, into direct knowledge of Lídia’s “irregular situation.” This excited and dizzied her.

Lídia opened the door, smiling broadly.

“We were expecting you.”

These words reinforced Maria Cláudia’s feeling of intimacy. She entered, trembling all over. Lídia was wearing her taffeta dressing gown and a pair of dance shoes that were attached to her ankles by two silvery straps. They looked more like sandals than shoes, and yet Maria Cláudia would have given anything to own such a pair.

Accustomed as she was to being shown straight into the bedroom, she took a step in that direction. Lídia smiled:

“No, not that way.”

Claudinha blushed scarlet. And so it was, blushing and confused, that she appeared before Paulino Morais, who was waiting for her in the dining room; he was wearing a jacket and smoking his usual cigarillo.

Lídia introduced them. Paulino got up. With the hand holding the cigarillo, he gestured to Maria Cláudia to take a seat, and they all sat down. Paulino was looking fixedly at Claudinha. She averted her gaze and stared down at the geometric figures in the carpet.

“Please, Paulino,” said Lídia, still smiling, “can’t you see you’re embarrassing Maria Cláudia?”

Paulino started slightly, then he smiled too and said:

“That certainly wasn’t my intention.” And turning to Maria Cláudia: “I didn’t think you were so… so young!”

“I’m nineteen, Senhor Morais,” she said, looking up.

“As you see, she’s still a child,” said Lídia.

Claudinha glanced across at her. The look they exchanged was suspicious and suddenly hostile. Maria Cláudia saw in a flash what Lídia was thinking, and what she saw sent a shiver of fear and pleasure through her. She sensed that Lídia was now her enemy, and she understood why. She saw herself and Lídia as if from another person’s perspective, from Paulino Morais’s perspective, for example, and the comparison clearly favored her.

“I’m not that much of a child, Dona Lídia, although I am, as Senhor Morais said, very young.”

Lídia bit her lip: she could see what Claudinha was hinting at. She immediately regained her composure, however, and laughed:

“Oh, I was just the same when I was your age. It used to drive me mad when anyone called me a child, but of course now I see they were right. So why can’t you see that too?”

“Perhaps because I’m not yet as old as Dona Lídia?”

Maria Cláudia was quick on the uptake when it came to these female skirmishes. This was her very first bout and, although she had already scored two hits and was herself as yet untouched, she was a little frightened: she feared she might not have breath enough or the right weapons to survive the rest of the duel. Fortunately for her, Paulino intervened. He took out a gold cigarette case and offered both women a cigarette. Lídia accepted.

“Don’t you smoke?” Paulino asked Maria Cláudia.

She blushed. She had smoked on several occasions in secret, but felt she should not accept. It might look bad and, besides, she was sure she would never be able to compete with Lídia when it came to holding the cigarette and raising it to her lips in a sufficiently elegant manner. She said:

“No, I don’t, Senhor Morais.”

“Very sensible.” He paused to inhale the smoke from his cigarillo, then went on: “Anyway, I don’t think it’s very nice of you two to talk about age when I’m old enough to be the father of you both.”

This remark had a soothing effect and established a truce. However, Claudinha immediately took the initiative, and with what Anselmo would have termed a charming smile, she remarked:

“You’re making yourself out to be much older than you really are.”

“All right, then, how old do you think I am?”

“About forty-five, perhaps…”

“Come now!” Paulino laughed out loud, and when he laughed his belly shook. “A little bit more than that.”

“Fifty?”

“No, fifty-six. So old enough to be your grandfather.”

“Well, you don’t look it!”

She said this with real sincerity and spontaneity, as Paulino was quick to notice. Lídia stood up. She went over to her lover and tried to lead the conversation back to the real reason for Maria Cláudia’s visit.

“Don’t forget that Claudinha is more interested in your decision than in your age. It’s getting late, and she probably needs to go to bed. Besides…” She paused and looked at Paulino with an expressive smile, then said in a soft voice, heavy with implied meanings: “Besides, I need to talk to you alone.”

Maria Cláudia gave in at this point. She could not do battle on that terrain. She saw that she was an intruder, that they were both — or at least Lídia was — eager to see the back of her. She felt like crying.

“Of course, yes, you’re quite right!” Paulino seemed to remember for the first time that he had a position to maintain, his respectability to safeguard, and that the frivolous nature of the conversation could compromise both. “So you want a job, do you?”

“Oh, I have a job already, Senhor Morais, but my parents don’t think I earn enough, and Dona Lídia was kind enough to take an interest and…”

“What can you do?”

“I can type.”

“Is that all? You don’t know shorthand?”

“No, Senhor Morais.”

“In the current climate, knowing how to type really isn’t enough. How much do you earn?”

“Five hundred escudos.”

“Hm, so you don’t know shorthand?”

“No, sir…”

Maria Cláudia’s voice tailed off. Lídia was beaming. Paulino looked thoughtful. An awkward silence ensued.

“But I could always learn,” said Claudinha.

“Hm.”

Paulino was drawing on his cigarillo and looking at the girl. Lídia chipped in:

“Listen, darling, I’d really like it if you could find Claudinha a job, but if it’s just not possible… Claudinha’s a bright girl. She’ll understand.”

Maria Cláudia no longer had strength enough to fight back. All she wanted was to be out of there as quickly as possible. She made as if to get up.

“No, wait,” said Paulino. “I’m going to give you a chance. My current shorthand-typist is getting married in three months’ time and then she’s going to leave. You can come and work at my company and, during those three months, I’ll pay you the same as you’re being paid now, but meanwhile I want you to learn shorthand. Then we’ll see. If you do well, I can promise you that your salary will go up by leaps and bounds! Agreed?”

“Oh, yes, Senhor Morais. Thank you so much!” Maria Cláudia’s face was like a spring dawn.

“Don’t you think you should speak to your parents first?”

“No, there’s no need, Senhor Morais. They’re sure to say yes.”

She said this with such certainty that Paulino eyed her with some curiosity. At the same moment, Lídia remarked:

“And if at the end of those three months you’re not satisfied with her or she isn’t good enough at shorthand, you’ll have to dismiss her, won’t you?”

Maria Cláudia fixed Paulino with anxious eyes.

“Well, I don’t know if it will come to that…”

“Then you’ll be the loser…”

“I’ll learn, Senhor Morais,” Maria Cláudia said, breaking in. “And I do very much hope you will be satisfied with me…”

“So do I,” said Paulino, smiling.

“When should I start?”

“Well, the sooner the better. When can you leave your present job?”

“Now if you want.”

Paulino thought for a moment, then said:

“It’s the twenty-sixth now. How about the first of the month? Would that be possible?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. But wait, I won’t be in Lisbon that day. It doesn’t matter, though. I’ll write you a note to give to the office manager, just in case I forget to warn him beforehand. Not that I will, of course, but…”

He took a business card out of his wallet. He looked for his glasses, but failed to find them.

“Where did I leave my glasses?”

“They’re in the bedroom,” answered Lídia.

“Go and fetch them for me, will you?”

Lídia left the room. Paulino, still holding his wallet, was gazing distractedly at Maria Cláudia. She had been sitting with eyes lowered, but then she raised her head and looked straight at him. There was something in his gaze that she understood at once. Neither of them looked away. Maria Cláudia took a deep breath, making her chest swell. Paulino felt the muscles in his back slowly stretch. From the corridor came the sound of Lídia’s returning footsteps.

When she entered the room, Paulino was studiously rummaging around in his wallet, and Maria Cláudia was staring down at the carpet.