Коллекционер

           IsuddenlyknewIhadeithertobehavelikeashockedgirlwhohadstillbeenatschoolthattimetheyearbefore;orlikeanadult.

           You’reaweirdkid,hesaidatlast.

           Old-fashioned,Isaid.

           You’dbeabloodyboreifyouweren’tsopretty.

           Thankyou.

           Ididn’treallyexpectyoutogotobedwithme,hesaid.

           Iknow,Isaid.

           Hegavemealonglook.Thenhechanged,hegotoutthechess-boardandweplayedchessandheletmebeathim.Hewouldn’tadmitit,butIamsurehedid.Wehardlysaidanything,weseemedtocommunicatethroughthechessmen,therewassomethingverysymbolicaboutmywinning.Thathewishedmetofeel.Idon’tknowwhatitwas.Idon’tknowwhetheritwasthathewantedmetoseemy"virtue"triumphedoverhis"vice,"orsomethingsubtler,thatsometimeslosingiswinning.

           ThenexttimeIwenthegavemeadrawinghehaddone.Itwasofthevrikiandthetwocupsonthebench.Beautifullydrawn,absolutelysimple,absolutelywithoutfussornervousness,absolutelyfreeofthatcleverart-studentlookthedrawingsofsimpleobjectsIdohave.

           Justthetwocupsandthelittlecoppervrikiandhishand.Orahand.Lyingbyoneofthecups,likeaplastercast.Onthebackhewrote,Après,andthedate.Andthen,pour"une"princesselointaine.The"une"wasveryheavilyunderlined.

           IwantedtogoonaboutToinette.ButI’mtootired.IwanttosmokewhenIwrite,anditmakestheairsostuffy.

           October29th

           (Morning.)He’sgoneinto?Lewes.

           Toinette.