This short story was written by Marguerite Yourcenar, who her drew inspiration from folktales. The tale remains ambiguous - art might ruin or rescue - and Yourcenar's imagery expresses this uncertainty with subtle grace:
'that evening Wang spoke as though silence was a wall, and words colours deigned to conceal it.'
('Wang ce soir-là parlait comme si le silence était un mur, et les mots des coleurs destinées à la courvrir')
