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its attendant circumstances in
mind, one might expect like
groupings in similar locales,
for example, in the outermost
regions of Italy and Greece.
Given how wild and desolate
these mountainous areas are,
the fact that no such groups
have been found does not
mean that they do not exist,
simply that there are plenty of
places for such theoretical ears
to stay hidden. Unfortunately,
this is also the case with
mountainous Switzerland,
whose neutrality in World
War No. 1 would lead one to
suspect an ear presence, but
where only small flocks have
yet been glimpsed. However,
if one knows where in nature
to look, for instance, around
watermills and in labyrinthine
quarries, new discoveries are
always possible.
If we discount those borders
which wars occasionally
shake or rupture entirely,
and concentrate instead
on natural ones, primarily
rivers, from Switzerland
and on up north, primarily
the Rhine, these troubled
waters emphatically take us
into Dutch precincts which,
pursuant to that country’s
obstinate neutrality and the
landscape’s lack of massifs,
afford a sumptuous and easily
accessible hunting ground,
the sight of which, however,
probably caused the fleeing
ears to regard their hard-
won peace and freedom as a
capitulation. Nonetheless: The
sound of water calmly slipping
through the canals; the
solemnly overbearing barges’
broad-bottomed sedateness
beneath the light, scallop-
shaped clouds undoubtedly
gave the ears the feeling that
all this was not completely
undeserved considering all
they had experienced of