fabrication of new weapons. Don't you think?"
"It's possible."
Duchamp grimaced.
"If they made use of his ability, they could make propaganda more effective than bombs. First, they would have to give him instruction in Japanese and German. But they'd do it. The Americans do that sort of thing."
"But-"
Pointing at the manuscript of "Another World" on the desk, Breton continued.
"I don't intend to change my position about this. Maybe another work-if we could meet with him again and see what he comes up with next, maybe. But until then, I'd like to keep all of this under wraps. I still can't figure out what this is."
Duchamp cast another glance at "Another World" on the desk.
`Another work, you say. To be honest, `Another World' and `Mirror' are enough for me. More than enough. It's already plenty. My impression hasn't changed either. I'm still wondering what in the world it means to make a mirror out of words."
A timid smile flitted across Duchamp's face, as if he were embarrassed by what he said.
And that was all.
That was all-for they had no more news of Who May after that.
Not a word from him, or even rumors of him, reached Breton.
The following year, in 1944, the final edition of the surrealist journal VVV was published in New York. There was a reason for this being the last one. Above all, Breton and Duchamp feared that if they continued to publish this journal, they'd eventually succumb to the temptation to publish Who May's work.
In the summer and fall, Breton traveled to Canada with Elisa, the woman of his dreams whom he had met in New York.
It was the happiest time of his life. He soon heard of the liberation of Paris. And in high spirits, he began writing Arcane z7.
The Great War dragged on. Yet it seemed that the world had suddenly turned toward the future and become brighter.
In 1945, Breton put his energies into traveling widely. He traveled throughout the American Southwest, to Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico, and wrote "Ode to Charles Fourier" during these travels.
That was also the year in which he officially divorced Jacqueline Lamba and made Elisa his new wife.
The day when he could return to France was approaching.
Late that year and early into the next, Breton traveled to Haiti and Martinique where he became a keen observer of voodoo rituals. Learning that these magical practices were adaptations of hypnotic techniques brought over from Europe, he felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off his chest.
For he had not forgotten. Both "Another World" and "Mirror" were tucked away in the bottom of his trunk.
Yet he had not once reread them. Maybe it was because he didn't have the time for it. Or maybe it was because he hadn't bothered to make time for it.
Either way, he could not possibly forget.
His deep attraction to magical practices in Central America was due to Who May's influence. The psychic wound that Who May had inflicted on Breton had, oddly enough, pushed him deeper into the world of malignant spells and incantations.
Yet through them, Breton learned to his surprise that these puzzling magical practices were very much rooted in the body. And this knowledge provided some measure of solace.
he would think. Maybe within the verbal operations of Who May's work, which appeared so magical, there lay hidden a very trivial trick to be exposed. (That's it ... surely.)
If you took the time to calm yourself and looked closely at it, you would certainly see right through it without any difficulty.
However-there was no time for that, not yet. He didn't have that kind of time.
In Haiti, Breton's speech served as the trigger for the outbreak of a large-scale general strike.
In Paris, the publication of Benjamin Peret's "Le Deshonneur des poetes" was met by great indignation on the part of the Resistance fighters who had continued to fight during the Occupation of France.
March 1946-
Breton returned to Paris.
The terrible reality of the postwar world immediately fell on him,
"It's possible."
Duchamp grimaced.
"If they made use of his ability, they could make propaganda more effective than bombs. First, they would have to give him instruction in Japanese and German. But they'd do it. The Americans do that sort of thing."
"But-"
Pointing at the manuscript of "Another World" on the desk, Breton continued.
"I don't intend to change my position about this. Maybe another work-if we could meet with him again and see what he comes up with next, maybe. But until then, I'd like to keep all of this under wraps. I still can't figure out what this is."
Duchamp cast another glance at "Another World" on the desk.
`Another work, you say. To be honest, `Another World' and `Mirror' are enough for me. More than enough. It's already plenty. My impression hasn't changed either. I'm still wondering what in the world it means to make a mirror out of words."
A timid smile flitted across Duchamp's face, as if he were embarrassed by what he said.
And that was all.
That was all-for they had no more news of Who May after that.
Not a word from him, or even rumors of him, reached Breton.
The following year, in 1944, the final edition of the surrealist journal VVV was published in New York. There was a reason for this being the last one. Above all, Breton and Duchamp feared that if they continued to publish this journal, they'd eventually succumb to the temptation to publish Who May's work.
In the summer and fall, Breton traveled to Canada with Elisa, the woman of his dreams whom he had met in New York.
It was the happiest time of his life. He soon heard of the liberation of Paris. And in high spirits, he began writing Arcane z7.
The Great War dragged on. Yet it seemed that the world had suddenly turned toward the future and become brighter.
In 1945, Breton put his energies into traveling widely. He traveled throughout the American Southwest, to Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico, and wrote "Ode to Charles Fourier" during these travels.
That was also the year in which he officially divorced Jacqueline Lamba and made Elisa his new wife.
The day when he could return to France was approaching.
Late that year and early into the next, Breton traveled to Haiti and Martinique where he became a keen observer of voodoo rituals. Learning that these magical practices were adaptations of hypnotic techniques brought over from Europe, he felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off his chest.
For he had not forgotten. Both "Another World" and "Mirror" were tucked away in the bottom of his trunk.
Yet he had not once reread them. Maybe it was because he didn't have the time for it. Or maybe it was because he hadn't bothered to make time for it.
Either way, he could not possibly forget.
His deep attraction to magical practices in Central America was due to Who May's influence. The psychic wound that Who May had inflicted on Breton had, oddly enough, pushed him deeper into the world of malignant spells and incantations.
Yet through them, Breton learned to his surprise that these puzzling magical practices were very much rooted in the body. And this knowledge provided some measure of solace.
he would think. Maybe within the verbal operations of Who May's work, which appeared so magical, there lay hidden a very trivial trick to be exposed. (That's it ... surely.)
If you took the time to calm yourself and looked closely at it, you would certainly see right through it without any difficulty.
However-there was no time for that, not yet. He didn't have that kind of time.
In Haiti, Breton's speech served as the trigger for the outbreak of a large-scale general strike.
In Paris, the publication of Benjamin Peret's "Le Deshonneur des poetes" was met by great indignation on the part of the Resistance fighters who had continued to fight during the Occupation of France.
March 1946-
Breton returned to Paris.
The terrible reality of the postwar world immediately fell on him,
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