MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-2

[2720] imply that of the relation, so far as I know. [2721] And not only this, but I
should have invested mh ^{[place = overwritten] y} man, from the outset, with the air of a fabulous
being, which something told me could not fail to help me later on. [2722] So I
took off my coat and my shoes, I opened my trousers and I slipped in
between the sheets, with an easy conscience, knowing only too well what I
was doing.

[2723] Molloy, or Mollose, was no stranger to me. [2724] If I had had colleagues,
I might have suspected I had spoken of him to them, as of one destined to
occupy us, sooner or later. [2725] But I had no colleagues and knew nothing of
the circumstances in which I had learnt of his existence. [2726] Perhaps I had
invented him, I mean found him ready made in my head. [2727] There is no doubt
one sometimes meets with strangers who are not entire strangers, through
their having played a part in certain cerebral reels.

[2728] This had never
happened to me, K ^{[place = overwritten] I} considered myself immune from such experiences, and
even the simple deja vu seemed infint ^{[place = overwritten] i}tely out ^{[place = overwritten] bey}ond my reach. [2729] But it was
happening to me then, O ^{[place = overwritten] o}r I was greatly mistaken. [2730] For who could have spoken
to me of Molloy if not myself and to whom if not to myself could I have
spoken of him?

[2731] I racked my mind in vain. [2732] For in my rare conversations
with men I avoided such subjects. [2733] If anyone else had spoken to me of
Molloy I would have requested him to stop and I myself would not have
confided his existence to a living soul for anything in the world. [2734] If I
had had colleagues things would naturally have been different. [2735] Among
colleagues one says things which in any other company one keeps to oneself.

[2736] But I had no colleagues. [2737] And perhaps this accounts for the immense un-
-easiness I had been feeling ever since the beginning of this affair. [2738] For
it is no small matter, for a grown man thinking he is done ^{[place = supralinear] done} with surprises,
to see himself the theatre of such ignominy. [2739] I had really good cause to
be alarmed.