Коллекционер

           Leftittochance.

           Morephotostoday.Notmany.Isaidithurtmyeyestoomuch.AndIdon’tlikehimalwaysorderingmeabout.He’sterriblyobsequious,wouldIdothis,wouldIobligeby...nohedoesn’tsay"oblige."Butit’sawonderhedoesn’t.

           Yououghttogoinforbeautycomps,hesaidwhenhewaswindinguphisfilm.

           Thankyou,Isaid.(Thewaywetalkismad,Idon’tseeittillIwriteitdown.HetalksasifI’mfreetogoatanyminute,andI’mthesame.)

           Ibetyou’dlooksmashinginawotchermercallit,hesaid.

           Ilookedpuzzled.OneofthoseFrenchswimmingthings,hesaid.

           Abikini?Iasked.

           Ican’tallowtalklikethat,soIstaredcoldlyathim.Isthatwhatyoumean?

           Tophotographlike,hesaid,goingred.

           Andtheweirdthingis,Iknowhemeansexactlythat.Hedidn’tmeantobenasty,hewasn’thintingatanything,hewasjustbeingclumsy.Asusual.Hemeantliterallywhathesaid.Iwouldbeinterestingtophotographinabikini.

           Iusedtothink,itmustbethere.It’sverydeeplysuppressed,butitmustbethere.

           ButIdon’tanymore.Idon’tthinkhe’ssuppressinganything.There’snothingtosuppress.

           Alovelynight-walk.Thereweregreatreachesofclearsky,nomoon,sprinklesofwarmwhitestarseverywhere,like’milkydiamonds,andabeautifulwind.Fromthewest.Imadehimtakemeroundandround,tenortwelvetimes.Thebranchesrustling,anowlhootinginthewoods.Andtheskyallwild,allfree,allwindandairandspaceandstars.