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The Oyster


 

The OysterIMG_8565

The oyster: the shape of any average old rock, rugged, of patchy color, brilliantly pallid. A world obstinately closed. But, alas, you can open it; but to do so you must cup it in a dishcloth, use a chipped, somewhat blunt knife, and it usually takes several attempts. Inquisitive fingers cut themselves, nails break: it’s rough work. The jabs that you deliver mark its casing with white circles, like halos.

On the inside you’ll find contained a whole world, for drinking and eating; under a firmament (strictly speaking) of mother-of-pearl, the upper skies melt into the lower ones, forming nothing more than a pool – a slimy greenish sac, which sloshes to and fro, fringed with a blackish lace around the edges.

And sometimes, as payment for your endurance, in the belly of the patient wisdom of the oyster, you’ll discover the pearl you were destined to have all along.

L’huître

 L’huître, de la grosseur d’un galet moyen, est d’une apparence plus rugueuse, d’une couleur moins unie, brillamment blanchâtre. C’est un monde opiniâtrement clos. Pourtant on peut l’ouvrir : il faut alors la tenir au creux d’un torchon, se servir d’un couteau ébréché et peu franc, s’y reprendre à plusieurs fois. Les doigts curieux s’y coupent, s’y cassent les ongles : c’est un travail grossier. Les coups qu’on lui porte marquent son enveloppe de ronds blancs, d’une sorte de halos.


A l’intérieur l’on trouve tout un monde, à boire et à manger : sous un firmament (à proprement parler) de nacre, les cieux d’en dessus s’affaissent sur les cieux d’en dessous, pour ne plus former qu’une mare, un sachet visqueux et verdâtre, qui flue et reflue à l’odeur et à la vue, frangé d’une dentelle noirâtre sur les bords.


 Parfois très rare une formule perle à leur gosier de nacre, d’où l’on trouve aussitôt à s’orner.

 

 

 

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