The wounded

A narrator, normally unseen except through special polarization spectacles, moves through high-society gatherings where many guests bear visible or hidden emotional injuries; he provokes and studies their wounds, alternating between detachment and guilt. When a young woman who can see him confronts him with love and a cache of the glasses, she forces a choice between exposure and intimacy, escalating the moral stakes. His attempt to evade leads to a reversal in which he experiences the pain he inflicts. The story examines visibility, consent, the allure of causing and curing suffering, and the tangled responsibilities of those who touch others' wounds.