Коллекционер

           Ilikebed,Ilikethefemalebody,Ilikethewayeventheshallowestofwomenbecomebeautifulwhentheirclothesareoffandtheythinkthey’retakingaprofoundandwickedstep.Theyalwaysdo,thefirsttime.Doyouknowwhatisalmostextinctinyoursex?

           Helookedsidewaysatme,soIshookmyhead.

           Innocence.Theonetimeyouseeitiswhenawomantakesherclothesoffandcannotlookyouintheeyes(asIcouldn’tthen).JustthatfirstBotticellimomentofthefirsttimeofhertakingherclothesoff.Soonshrivels.TheoldEvetakesover.Thestrumpet.ExitAnadyomene.

           Who’sshe?Iasked.

           Heexplained.Iwasthinking,Ishouldn’tlethimtalklikethis,he’sdrawinganetroundme.Ididn’tthinkit,Ifeltit.

           Hesaid,I’vemetdozensofwomenandgirlslikeyou.SomeI’veknownwell,someI’veseducedagainsttheirbetternatureandmybetternature,twoI’veevenmarried.SomeI’vehardlyknownatall,juststoodbesidethematanexhibition,intheTube,wherever.

           Afterawhilehesaid,you’vereadJung?

           No,Isaid.

           He’sgivenyourspeciesofthesexaname.Notthatithelps.Thediseaseisjustasbad.

           Tellmethename,Isaid.

           Hesaid,youdon’ttelldiseasestheirnames.

           Thentherewasastrangesilence,asifwe’dcometoafullstop,asifhe’dexpectedmetoreactinsomeotherway.Bemoreangryorshocked,perhaps.Iwasshockedandangryafterwards(inapeculiarway).ButI’mgladIdidn’trunaway.Itwasoneofthoseeveningswhenonegrowsup.