； they attended a memorial meeting organized by a Czech group in Geneva。
The room was nearly empty。 The speaker had artificially waved gray hair。 He read out a long speech that bored even the few enthusiasts who had come to hear it。 His French was grammatically correct but heavily accented。 From time to time； to stress a point； he would raise his index finger； as if threatening the audience。
The girl with the glasses could barely suppress her yawns； while Franz smiled blissfully at her side。 The longer he looked at the pleasing gray…haired man with the admirable index finger； the more he saw him as a secret messenger； an angelic intermediary between him and his goddess。 He closed his eyes and dreamed。 He closed his eyes as he had closed them on Sabina's body in fifteen European hotels and one in America。
PART FOUR
Soul and Body
1
When Tereza came home； it was almost half past one in the morning。 She went into the bathroom； put on her pajamas； and lay down next to Tomas。 He was asleep。 She leaned over his face and； kissing it； detected a curious aroma coming from his hair。 She took another whiff and yet another。 She sniffed him up and down like a dog before realizing what it was： the aroma of a woman's sex organs。
At six the alarm went off。 Karenin's great moment had arrived。 He always woke up much earlier than they did； but did not dare to disturb them。 He would wait impatiently for the alarm； because it gave him the right to jump up on their bed； trample their bodies； and butt them with his muzzle。 For a time they had tried to curb him and pushed him off the bed； but he was more headstrong than they were and ended by defending his rights。 Lately； Tereza realized； she positively enjoyed being welcomed into the day by Karenin。 Waking up was sheer delight for him： he always showed a naive and simple amazement at the discovery that he was back on earth； he was sincerely pleased。 She； on the other hand； awoke with great reluctance with a desire to stave off the day by keeping her eyes closed。
Now he was standing in the entrance hall； gazing up at the hat stand； where his leash and collar hung ready。 She slipped his head through the collar； and off they went together to do the shopping。 She needed to pick up some milk； butter； and bread and； as usual； his morning roll。 Later； he trotted back alongside her； roll in mouth； looking proudly from side to side； gratified by the attention he attracted from the passersby。
Once home； he would stretch out with his roll on the threshold of the bedroom and wait for Tomas to take notice of him； creep up to him； snarl at him； and make believe he was trying to snatch his roll away from him。 That was how it went every day。 Not until they had chased each other through the flat for at least five minutes would Karenin scramble under a table and gobble up the roll。
This time； however； he waited in vain for his morning ritual。 Tomas had a small transistor radio on the table in front of him and was listening to it intently。
2
It was a program about the Czech emigration； a montage of private conversations recorded with the latest bugging devices by a Czech spy who had infiltrated the emigre community and then returned in great glory to Prague。 It was insignificant prattle dotted with some harsh words about the occupation regime； but here and there one emigre would call another an imbecile or a fraud。 These trivial remarks were the point of the broadcast。 They were meant to prove not merely that emigres had bad things to say about the Soviet Union （which neither surprised nor upset anyone in the country）； but that they call one another names and make free use of dirty words。 People use filthy language all day long； but when they turn on the radio and hear a well…known personality； someone they respect； saying fuck in every sentence； they feel somehow let down。
It all started with Prochazka； said Tomas。
Jan Prochazka； a forty…year…old Czech novelist with the strength and vitality of an ox； began criticizing public affairs vociferously even before 1968。 He then became one of the best…loved figures of the Prague Spring； that dizzying liberalization of Communism which ended with the Russian invasion。 Shortly after the invasion the press initiated a smear campaign against him； but the more they smeared； the more people liked him。 Then （in 1970； to be exact） the Czech radio broadcast a series of private talks between Prochazka and a professor friend of his which had taken place two years before （that is； in the spring of 1968）。 For a long time； neither of them had any idea that the professor's flat was bugged and their every step dogged。 Prochazka loved to regale his friends with hyperbole and excess。 Now his excesses had become a weekly radio series。 The secret police； who produced and directed the show； took pains to emphasize the sequences in which Prochazka made fun of his friends—Dubcek； for instance。 People slander their friends at the drop of a hat； but they were more shocked by the much…loved Prochazka than by the much…hated secret police。
Tomas turned off the radio and said； Every country has its secret police。 But a secret police that broadcasts its tapes over the radio—there's something that could happen only in Prague； something absolutely without precedent！
I know a precedent； said Tereza。 When I was fourteen I kept a secret diary。 I was terrified that someone might read it so I kept it hidden in the attic。 Mother sniffed it out。 One day at dinner； while we were all hunched over our soup； she took it out of her pocket and said； 'Listen carefully now； everybody！' And after every sentence； she burst out laughing。 They all laughed so hard they couldn't eat。
3
He always tried to get her to stay in bed and let him have breakfast alone。 She never gave in。 Tomas was at work from seven to four； Tereza from four to midnight。 If she were to miss breakfast with him； the only time they could actually talk together was on Sundays。 That was why she got up when he did and then went back to bed。
This morning； however； she was afraid of going back to sleep； because at ten she was due at the sauna on Zofin Island。 The sauna； though coveted by the many； could accommodate only the few； and the only way to get in was by pull。 Luckily； the cashier was the wife of a professor removed from the university after 1968 and the professor a friend of a former patient of Tomas's。 Tomas told the patient； the patient told the professor； the professor told his wife； and Tereza had a ticket waiting for her once a week。
She walked there。 She detested the trams constantly packed with people pushing into one another's hate…filled embraces； stepping on one another's feet； tearing off one another's coat buttons； and shouting insults。
It was drizzling。 As people rushed along； they began opening umbrellas over their heads； and all at once the streets were crowded； too。 Arched umbrella roofs collided with one another。 The men were courteous； and when passing Tereza they held their umbrellas high over their heads and gave her room to go by。 But the women would not yield； each looked straight ahead； waiting for the other woman to acknowledge her inferiority and step aside。 The meeting of the umbrellas was a test of strength。 At first Tereza gave way； but when she realized her courtesy was not being reciprocated； she started clutching her umbrella like the other women and ramming it forcefully against the oncoming umbrellas。 No one ever said Sorry。 For the most part no one said anything； though once or twice she did hear a Fat cow！ or Fuck you！
The women thus armed with umbrellas were both young and old； but the younger among them proved the more steeled warriors。 Tereza recalled the days of the invasion and the girls in miniskirts carrying flags on long staffs。 Theirs was a sexual vengeance： the Russian soldiers had been kept in enforced celibacy for several long years and must have felt they had landed on a planet invented by a science fiction writer； a planet of stunning women who paraded their scorn on beautiful long legs the likes of which had not been seen in Russia for the past five or six centuries。
She had taken many pictures of those young women against a backdrop of tanks。 How she had admired them！ And now th