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d sense of justice。
Thus in practically no time he managed to rid himself of wife； son； mother； and father。 The only thing they bequeathed to him was a fear of women。 Tomas desired but feared them。 Needing to create a compromise between fear and desire； he devised what he called erotic friendship。 He would tell his mistresses： the only relationship that can make both partners happy is one in which sentimentality has no place and neither partner makes any claim on the life and freedom of the other。
To ensure that erotic friendship never grew into the aggression of love； he would meet each of his long…term mistresses only at intervals。 He considered this method flawless and propagated it among his friends： The important thing is to abide by the rule of threes。 Either you see a woman three times in quick succession and then never again； or you maintain relations over the years but make sure that the rendezvous are at least three weeks apart。
The rule of threes enabled Tomas to keep intact his liaisons with some women while continuing to engage in short…term affairs with many others。 He was not always understood。 The woman who understood him best was Sabina。 She was a painter。 The reason I like you； she would say to him； is you're the complete opposite of kitsch。 In the kingdom of kitsch you would be a monster。
It was Sabina he turned to when he needed to find a job for Tereza in Prague。 Following the unwritten rules of erotic friendship； Sabina promised to do everything in her power； and before long she had in fact located a place for Tereza in the darkroom of an illustrated weekly。 Although her new job did not require any particular qualifications； it raised her status from waitress to member of the press。 When Sabina herself introduced Tereza to everyone on the weekly； Tomas knew he had never had a better friend as a mistress than Sabina。
6
The unwritten contract of erotic friendship stipulated that Tomas should exclude all love from his life。 The moment he violated that clause of the contract； his other mistresses would assume inferior status and become ripe for insurrection。
Accordingly； he rented a room for Tereza and her heavy suitcase。 He wanted to be able to watch over her； protect her； enjoy her presence； but felt no need to change his way of life。 He did not want word to get out that Tereza was sleeping at his place： spending the night together was the corpus delicti of love。
He never spent the night with the others。 It was easy enough if he was at their place： he could leave whenever he pleased。 It was worse when they were at his and he had to explain that come midnight he would have to drive them home because he was an insomniac and found it impossible to fall asleep in close proximity to another person。 Though it was not far from the truth； he never dared tell them the whole truth：
after making love he had an uncontrollable craving to be by himself； waking in the middle of the night at the side of an alien body was distasteful to him； rising in the morning with an intruder repellent； he had no desire to be overheard brushing his teeth in the bathroom； nor was he enticed by the thought of an intimate breakfast。
That is why he was so surprised to wake up and find Tereza squeezing his hand tightly。 Lying there looking at her； he could not quite understand what had happened。 But as he ran through the previous few hours in his mind； he began to sense an aura of hitherto unknown happiness emanating from them。
From that time on they both looked forward to sleeping together。 I might even say that the goal of their lovemaking was not so much pleasure as the sleep that followed it。 She especially was affected。 Whenever she stayed overnight in her rented room （which quickly became only an alibi for Tomas）； she was unable to fall asleep； in his arms she would fall asleep no matter how wrought up she might have been。 He would whisper impromptu fairy tales about her； or gibberish； words he repeated monotonously； words soothing or comical； which turned into vague visions lulling her through the first dreams of the night。 He had complete control over her sleep： she dozed off at the second he chose。
While they slept； she held him as on the first night； keeping a firm grip on wrist； finger； or ankle。 If he wanted to move without waking her； he had to resort to artifice。 After freeing his finger （wrist； ankle） from her clutches； a process which； since she guarded him carefully even in her sleep； never failed to rouse her partially； he would calm her by slipping an object into her hand （a rolled…up pajama top； a slipper； a book）； which she then gripped as tightly as if it were a part of his body。
Once； when he had just lulled her to sleep but she had gone no farther than dream's antechamber and was therefore still responsive to him； he said to her； Good…bye； I'm going now。 Where？ she asked in her sleep。 Away； he answered sternly。 Then I'm going with you； she said； sitting up in bed。 No； you can't。 I'm going away for good； he said； going out into the hall。 She stood up and followed him out； squinting。 She was naked beneath her short nightdress。 Her face was blank； expressionless； but she moved energetically。 He walked through the hall of the flat into the hall of the building （the hall shared by all the occupants）； closing the door in her face。 She flung it open and continued to follow him； convinced in her sleep that he meant to leave her for good and she had to stop him。 He walked down the stairs to the first landing and waited for her there。 She went down after him； took him by the hand； and led him back to bed。
Tomas came to this conclusion： Making love with a woman and sleeping with a woman are two separate passions； not merely different but opposite。 Love does not make itself felt in the desire for copulation （a desire that extends to an infinite number of women） but in the desire for shared sleep （a desire limited to one woman）。
7
In the middle of the night she started moaning in her sleep。 Tomas woke her up； but when she saw his face she said； with hatred in her voice； Get away from me！ Get away from me！ Then she told him her dream： The two of them and Sabina had been in a big room together。 There was a bed in the middle of the room。 It was like a platform in the theater。 Tomas ordered her to stand in the corner while he made love to Sabina。 The sight of it caused Tereza intolerable suffering。 Hoping to alleviate the pain in her heart by pains of the flesh； she jabbed needles under her fingernails。 It hurt so much； she said； squeezing her hands into fists as if they actually were wounded。
He pressed her to him； and she gradually （trembling violently for a long time） fell asleep in his arms。
Thinking about the dream the next day； he remembered something。 He opened a desk drawer and took out a packet of letters Sabina had written to him。 He was not long in finding the following passage： I want to make love to you in my studio。 It will be like a stage surrounded by people。 The audience won't be allowed up close； but they won't be able to take their eyes off us。。。。
The worst of it was that the letter was dated。 It was quite recent； written long after Tereza had moved in with Tomas。
So you've been rummaging in my le