When he had finished reading the note, the members of the Fraternity all went to their rooms and wards, telling themselves that Mari had finally gone insane.
Eduard and Veronika chose the most expensive restaurant in Ljubljana, ordered the finest dishes, and got drunk on three bottles of 1988 wine, one of the best vintages of the century. During supper they did not once mention Villete or the past or the future.
I LIKE THAT story about the snake," he said, filling her glass for the nth time. "But your grandmother was too old to be able to interpret the story correctly."
"Have a little respect for my grandmother, please!" roared Veronika drunkenly, making everyone in the r
estaurant turn around.
"A toast to this young woman's grandmother!" said Eduard, jumping to his feet. "A toast to the grandmother of this madwoman sitting here before me, who is doubtless some escapee from Villete!"
People turned their attention back to their food, pretending that nothing was happening.
"A toast to my grandmother!" insisted Veronika.
The owner of the restaurant came to their table.
"Will you please behave!"
They became quiet for a few moments but soon resumed their loud talking, their nonsensical remarks, and inappropriate behavior. The owner of the restaurant went back to their table, told them they didn't need to pay the bill, but they had to leave that instant.
"Think of the money we'll save on that exorbitantly expensive wine," said Eduard. "Let's leave before this gentleman changes his mind."
But the man wasn't about to change his mind. He was already pulling at Veronika's chair, an apparently courteous gesture intended to get her out of the restaurant as quickly as possible.
They walked to the middle of the small square in the center of the city. Veronika looked up at her convent room and her drunkenness vanished. She remembered that soon she would die.
"Let's buy some more wine!" said Eduard.
There was a bar nearby. Eduard bought two bottles, and the two of them sat down and continued drinking.
"What's wrong with my grandmother's interpretation of the painting?" said Veronika.
Eduard was so drunk that he had to make an immense effort to remember what he had said in the restaurant, but he managed it.
"Your grandmother said that the woman was standing on the snake because love must master good and evil. It's a nice, romantic interpretation, but it's nothing to do with that. I've seen that image before, it's one of the visions of paradise I imagined painting. I used to wonder why they always depicted the Virgin like that."
"And why do they?"
"Because the Virgin equals female energy and is the mistress of the snake, which signifies wisdom. If you look at the ring Dr. Igor wears, you'll see that it bears the physician's symbol: two serpents coiled around a stick. Love is above wisdom, just as the Virgin is above the snake. For her everything is inspiration. She doesn't bother judging what is good and what evil."
"Do you know something else?" said Veronika. "The Virgin never took any notice of what others might think of her. Imagine having to explain to everyone that business about the Holy Ghost. She didn't explain anything, she just said: 'That's what happened.' And do you know what the others must have said?"
"Of course. That she was insane."
They both laughed. Veronika raised her glass.
"Congratulations. You should paint those visions of paradise rather than just talking about them."
"I'll begin with you," said Eduard.
Beside the small square there is a small hill. On top of the small hill there is a small castle. Veronika and Eduard trudged up the steep path, cursing and laughing, slipping on the ice, and complaining of exhaustion.
Beside the castle there is a gigantic yellow crane. To anyone coming to Ljubljana for the first time, the crane gives the impression that the castle is being restored and that work will soon be completed. The inhabitants of Ljubljana, however, know that the crane has been there for many years, although no one knows why. Veronika told Eduard that when children in kindergarten are asked to draw the castle of Ljubljana, they always include the crane in the drawing.
"Besides, the crane is much better preserved than the castle."
Eduard laughed.