An illusion, perhaps - the whole thing.

Only the sight of Basini, of his naked, gleaming skin, was like a sprig of lilac scenting the twilit sensations that preceded sleep. Even all moral revulsion faded away. Finally Törless fell asleep.

 

No dream disturbed his rest. Only an infinitely agreeable warmth spread soft carpets beneath his body. Finally he woke up. And he almost screamed. Basini was sitting on the edge of his bed. And the next moment, with furious speed, Basini had stripped the nightshirt from his body and slipped under the covers, and was pressing his naked, quivering body against Törless.

As soon as Törless had recovered from the shock he pushed Basini away.

‘What on earth are you thinking of... !’

But Basini pleaded. ‘Oh, don’t be like that again! There isn’t anyone like you. They don’t despise me like you do; they only pretend to, so that they can be different again afterwards. And you? You of all people ... ? ... You’re even younger than I am, although you’re stronger. We’re both younger than the others ... You’re not as coarse and boastful as they are ... you’re gentle ... I love you ... !’

‘What - what are you saying? What do you want from me? Go — go away!’ And Törless, tormented, pressed his arm against Basini’s shoulder. But the hot proximity of the soft, strange skin pursued and surrounded him, suffocating him. And all of a sudden Basini whispered ...: ‘Oh ... do ... please ... oh, it would be a pleasure to serve you.’

 

Törless could think of no reply. While Basini was speaking, during the seconds of doubt and reflection, once more something like a deep, green sea had fallen over his senses. Only Basini’s vivid words shone out in it, like the flashing of tiny, silver fish.

He still held his arms pressed against Basini’s body. Something lay upon them like a moist, heavy warmth; their muscles slackened; he forgot them ... Only when some new, twitching word reached him did he wake up because he suddenly felt — like something terribly intangible - that just now, as in a dream, his hands had drawn Basini closer.

Then he wanted to shake himself awake, to shout at himself Basini’s tricking you; he only wants to pull you down to his level so that you can’t despise him any more. But the cry stuck in his throat; no sound echoed through the spacious building; throughout all the corridors the dark tides of silence seemed motionless in sleep.

He wanted to find his way back to himself but the tides lay outside all the doors like black wardens.

Then Törless stopped searching for words. The sensuality which had been gradually seeping into him from his isolated moments of despair had now reached its full extent.