In your extended absence， you permit me

    use of earth， anticipating

    some return on investment. I must report

    failure in my assignment， principally

    regarding the tomato plants.

    I think I should not be encouraged to grow

    tomatoes. Or， if I am， you should withhold

    the heavy rains， the cold nights that come

    so often here， while other regions get

    twelve weeks of summer. All this

    belongs to you： on the other hand，

    I planted the seeds， I watched the first shoots

    like wings tearing the soil， and it was my heart

    broken by the blight， the black spot so quickly

    multiplying in the rows. I doubt

    you have a heart， in our understanding of

    that term. You who do not discriminate

    between the dead and the living， who are， in consequence，

    immune to foreshadowing， you may not know

    how much terror we bear， the spotted leaf，

    the red leaves of the maple falling

    even in August， in early darkness： I am responsible

    for these vines.