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AClean,Well-lightedPlaceErnestHemingwayItwaslateandeveryonehadleftthecafeexceptanoldmanwhosatintheshadowtheleavesofthetreemadeagainsttheelectriclight.Inthedaytimethestreetwasdusty,butatnightthedewsettledthedustandtheoldmanlikedtositlatebecausehewasdeafandnowatnightitwasquietandhefeltthedifference.Thetwowaitersinsidethecafeknewthattheoldmanwasalittledrunk,andwhilehewasagoodclienttheyknewthatifhebecametoodrunkhewouldleavewithoutpaying,sotheykeptwatchonhim.Lastweekhetriedtocommitsuicide,onewaitersaid.Why?Hewasindespair.Whatabout?Nothing.Howdoyouknowitwasnothing?Hehasplentyofmoney.Theysattogetheratatablethatwascloseagainstthewallnearthedoorofthecafeandlookedattheterracewherethetableswereallemptyexceptwheretheoldmansatintheshadowoftheleavesofthetreethatmovedslightlyinthewind.Theoldmansittingintheshadowrappedonhissaucerwithhisglass.Theyoungerwaiterwentovertohim.Whatdoyouwant?Theoldmanlookedathim.Anotherbrandy,hesaid.You'llbedrunk,thewaitersaid.Theoldmanlookedathim.Thewaiterwentaway.He'llstayallnight,hesaidtohiscolleague.I'msleepynow.Inevergetintobedbeforethreeo'clock.Heshouldhavekilledhimselflastweek.Thewaitertookthebrandybottleandanothersaucerfromthecounterinsidethecafeandmarchedouttotheoldman'stable.Heputdownthesaucerandpouredtheglassfullofbrandy.Thewaitertookthebottlebackinsidethecafe.Hesatdownatthetablewithhiscolleagueagain.Iwishhewouldgohome.Inevergettobedbeforethreeo'clock.Whatkindofhouristhattogotobed?Hestaysupbecausehelikesit.He'slonely.I'mnotlonely.Ihaveawifewaitinginbedforme.Hehadawifeoncetoo.Awifewouldbenogoodtohimnow.Youcan'ttell.Hemightbebetterwithawife.Iwouldn'twanttobethatold.Anoldmanisanastything.Notalways.Thisoldmanisclean.Hedrinkswithoutspilling.Evennow,drunk.Lookathim.Idon'twanttolookathim.Iwishhewouldgohome.Hehasnoregardforthosewhomustwork.Theoldmanlookedfromhisglassacrossthesquare,thenoveratthewaiters.Anotherbrandy,hesaid,pointingtohisglass.Thewaiterwhowasinahurrycameover.Finished,hesaid,speakingwiththatomissionofsyntaxstupidpeopleemploywhentalkingtodrunkenpeopleorforeigners.Nomoretonight.Closenow.Another,saidtheoldman.No.Finished.Thewaiterwipedtheedgeofthetablewithatowelandshookhishead.Theoldmanstoodup,slowlycountedthesaucers,tookaleathercoinpursefromhispocketandpaidforthedrinks,leavinghalfapesetatip.Thewaiterwatchedhimgodownthestreet,averyoldmanwalkingunsteadilybutwithdignity.Whydidn'tyoulethimstayanddrink?theunhurriedwaiterasked.Theywereputtinguptheshutter.Itisnothalfpasttwo.Iwanttogohometobed.Weareoftwodifferentkinds,theoldwaitersaid.Hewasnowdressedtogohome.Itisnotonlyaquestionofyouthandconfidencealthoughthosethingsareverybeautiful.EachnightIamreluctanttocloseupbecausetheremaybesomeonewhoneedsthecafe.Hombre,therearebodegasopenallnightlong.Youdonotunderstand.Thisisacleanandpleasantcafe.Itiswelllighted.Thelightisverygoodandalso,now,thereareshadowsoftheleaves.Goodnight,saidtheyoungerwaiter.Goodnight,theothersaid.Turningofftheelectriclighthecontinuedtheconversationwithhimself.Itisthelightofcourse,butitisnecessarythattheplacebecleanandpleasant.Youdonotwantmusic.Certainlyyoudonotwantmusic.Norcanyoustandbeforeabarwithdignityalthoughthatisallthatisprovidedforthesehours.Whatdidhefear?Itwasnotfearordread.Itwasanothingthatheknewtoowell.Itwasallanothingandamanwasnothingtoo.Itwasonlythatthelightwasallitneededandacertaincleannessandorder.Somelivedinitandneverfeltitbutheknewitallwasnadaypuesnadaynadaypuesnada.Hesmiledandstoodbeforeabarwithashiningsteampressurecoffeemachine.Whatyours?askedthebarman.Nada.Otrolocomas,saidthebarmanandturnedaway.Alittlecup,saidthewaiter.Thebarmanpoureditforhim.Thelightisverybrightandpleasantbutthebarisunpolished,thewaitersaid.Thebarmanlookedathimbutdidnotanswer.Itwastoolateatnightforconversation.Youwantanothercopita?thebarmanasked.No,thankyou,saidthewaiterandwentout.Hedislikedbarsandbodegas.Aclean,well-lightedcafewasaverydifferentthing.Now,withoutthinkingfurther,hewouldgohometohisroom.Hewouldlieinthebedandfinally,withdaylight,hewouldgotosleep.Afterall,hesaidtohimself,itwasprobablyonlyinsomnia.Manymusthaveit.