Коллекционер

           Hesaid,youdon’tlikeit?Pierssaid,haveIgottolikeit?

           Isaid,Piers,thatwasn’tfunny.

           Pierssaid,Iwasn’tmakinganoise,wasI?Havewegottolikeit?

           G.P.said,getout.

           Antoinettesaid,I’mafraidIalwaysthinkofBeecham.Youknow.Twoskeletonscopulatingonatinroof?

           G.P.said(frightening,hisface,hecanlookdevilish),first,I’mdelightedthatyoushouldadmireBeecham.Apompouslittleduckarsedbandmasterwhostoodagainsteverythingcreativeintheartofhistime.Second,ifyoucan’ttellthatfromaharpsichord,Christhelpyou.Third(toPiers)Ithinkyou’rethesmuggestyounglayaboutI’vemetforyearsandyou(me)—aretheseyourfriends?

           Istoodthere,Icouldn’tsayanything,hemademefurious,theymademefuriousandanyhowIwastentimesmoreem-barrassedthanfurious.

           Piersshrugged,Antoinettelookedbewildered,butvaguelyamused,thebitch,andIwasred.Itmakesmeredagaintothinkofit(andofwhathappenedlater—howcouldhe?).

           Takeiteasy,saidPiers.It’sonlyarecord.Isupposehewasangry,hemusthaveknownitwasastupidthingtosay.

           Youthinkthat’sonlyarecord,G.P.said.Isthatit?It’sjustarecord?Areyoulikethisstupidlittlebitch’saunt—doyouthinkRembrandtgottheteeniestbitboredwhenhepainted?DoyouthinkBachmadefunnyfacesandgiggledwhenhewrotethat?Doyou?

           Pierslookeddeflated,almostfrightened.Well,DOYOU?shoutedG.P.

           Hewasterrible.Bothways.