Коллекционер

           Ithought,Ican’tevergettoknowherintheordinaryway,butifshe’swithme,she’llseemygoodpoints,she’llunderstand.Therewasalwaystheideashewouldunderstand.

           AnotherthingIbegantodowasreadtheclassynewspapers,forthesamereasonIwenttotheNationalGalleryandtheTateGallery.Ididn’tenjoythemmuch,itwaslikethecabinetsofforeignspeciesintheEntomologyRoomattheNaturalHistoryMuseum,youcouldseetheywerebeautifulbutyoudidn’tknowthem,ImeanIdidn’tknowthemlikeIknewtheBritish.ButIwentsoasIcouldtalktoher,soIwouldn’tseemignorant.

           InoneoftheSundaypapersIsawanadvertincapitalsinapageofhousesforsale.Iwasn’tlookingforthem,thisjustseemedtocatchmyeyeasIwasturningthepage."FARFROMTHEMADDINGCROWD?"itsaid.Justlikethat.Thenitwenton:

           Oldcottage,charmingsecludedsituation,largegarden,1hr.bycarLondon,twomilesfromnearestvillage...

           —andsoon.ThenextmorningIwasdrivingdowntoseeit.IphonedtheestateagentinLewesandarrangedtomeetsomeoneatthecottage.IboughtamapofSussex.That’sthethingaboutmoney.Therearenoobstacles.

           Iexpectedsomethingbroken-down.Itlookedoldallright,blackbeamsandwhiteoutsideandoldstonetiles.Itstoodrightonitsown.TheestateagentcameoutwhenIdroveup.Ithoughthewouldbeolder,hewasmyage,butthepublicschoolboytype,fullofsillyremarksthataremeanttobefunny,asifitwasbelowhimtosellanythingandtherewassomedifferencebetweensellinghousesandsomethinginashop.