Коллекционер

           Butitwouldhavetobeatleasttwentyfeetlong.Alltheearth.Beingtrappedinsideit.Icouldneverdoit.I’dratherdie.Soitmustbeatunnelroundthedoor.ButtodothatImusthavetime.Imustbesureheisawayforatleastsixhours.Threeforthetunnel,twotobreakthroughtheouterdoor.Ifeelitismybestchance,Imustn’twasteit,spoilitthroughlackofpreparation.

           Ican’tsleep.

           Imustdosomething.

           I’mgoingtowriteaboutthefirsttimeImetG.P.

           Carolinesaid,oh,thisisMiranda.Myniece.Andwentontellinghimodiouslyaboutme(oneSaturdaymorningshoppingintheVillage)andIdidn’tknowwheretolook,al-thoughI’dbeenwantingtomeethim.She’dtalkedabouthimbefore.

           AtonceIlikedthewayhetreatedher,coolly,nottryingtohidehewasbored.Notgivingwaybeforeher,likeeveryoneelse.Shetalkedabouthimallthewayhome.Iknewshewasshockedbyhim,althoughshewouldn’tadmitit.Thetwobrokenmarriagesandthentheobviousfactthathedidn’tthinkmuchofher.SothatIwantedtodefendhimfromthebeginning.

           ThenmeetinghimwalkingontheHeath.Havingwantedtomeethimagain,andbeingashamedagain.

           Thewayhewalked.Veryself-contained,notloosely.Suchaniceoldpilot-coat.Hesaidhardlyanything,Iknewhereallydidn’twanttobewithus(withCaroline)buthe’dcaughtusup;hecan’thavespottedfrombehindwhowewere,hewasobviouslygoingthesameway.