From its hiding place under the bed, the black tomcat saw without being seen how the father abused his little daughter. The girl grew into a withdrawn youth. She was friendless, except for the black tomcat, which to everyone's wonder, followed her everywhere she went – the two were inseparable.

Tom’s father was ill. Every Monday, Tom visited his father in the city, and each time the old man opened the creaking door, and smiling, welcomed him in. Today Tom brought his father a large gift. He knocked at the door, but his father did not answer. Tom's heart sank.

One balmy summer night, Anna dreamed she was Vincent, her doppelgänger. He was just like her: he wrote, he read, he wore a hat. Anna woke up startled. She no longer knew whether she was Anna who had dreamed she was Vincent, or Vincent who was dreaming he was Anna.