Коллекционер

           Therewassomethingsoniceaboutheryouhadtobenicetoo,youcouldseeshesortofexpectedit.Imeanhavingherrealmadeotherthingsseemnasty.Shewasnotlikesomewomanyoudon’trespectsoyoudon’tcarewhatyoudo,yourespectedherandyouhadtobeverycareful.

           Ididn’tsleepmuchthatnight,becauseIwasshockedthewaythingshadgone,mytellinghersomuchtheveryfirstdayandhowshemademeseemafool.ThereweremomentswhenIthoughtI’dhavetogodownanddriveherbacktoLondonlikeshewanted.Icouldgoabroad.ButthenIthoughtofherfaceandthewayherpigtailhungdownabitsidewaysandtwistedandhowshestoodandwalkedandherlovelycleareyes.IknewIcouldn’tdoit.

           Afterbreakfast—thatmorningsheateabitofcerealandhadsomecoffee,whenwedidn’tspeakatall—shewasupanddressed,butthebedhadbeenmadedifferentlyfromatfirstsoshemusthavesleptinit.AnyhowshestoppedmewhenIwasgoingout.

           "I’dliketotalkwithyou."Istopped.

           "Sitdown,"shesaid.Isatdownonthechairbythestepsdown.

           "Look,thisismad.Ifyoulovemeinanyrealsenseofthewordloveyoucan’twanttokeepmehere.YoucanseeI’mmiserable.Theair,Ican’tbreatheatnights,I’vewokenupwithaheadache.Ishoulddieifyoukeptmeherelong."Shelookedreallyconcerned.

           Itwon’tbeverylong.Ipromise.

           Shegotupandstoodbythechestofdrawers,andstaredatme.

           "What’syourname?"shesaid.