"What happens is that your wretched memory remembers the words and forgets what's behind them"

In this quote, Augusto Roa Bastos is highlighting the constraints of human memory. He recommends that our memory is flawed and unreliable, as it tends to bear in mind only the surface level of things - in this case, the words - and forgets the much deeper significance or context behind them. This can lead to misunderstandings and misconceptions, as we might focus on the literal words instead of the desired message. Bastos likewise uses the word "wretched" to highlight the negative impact of this phenomenon. In general, this quote functions as a pointer to be conscious of our own memory and to strive for a deeper understanding of the things we keep in mind.