Коллекционер

           Youwouldn’tbelievemeifItoldyouIwasveryhappy,wouldyou,Isaid.Ofcourseshecouldn’tanswer.

           BecauseyouthinkIdon’tfeelanythingproperly,youdon’tknowIhavedeepfeelingsbutIcan’texpressthemlikeyoucan,Isaid.

           Justbecauseyoucan’texpressyourfeelingsitdoesn’tmeanthey’renotdeep.Allthetimewewerewalkingonunderthedarkbranches.

           AllI’masking,Isaid,isthatyouunderstandhowmuchIloveyou,howmuchIneedyou,howdeepitis.

           It’saneffort,Isaid,sometimes.Ididn’tliketoboast,butImeanthertothinkforamomentofwhatothermenmighthavedone,ifthey’dhadherintheirpower.

           We’dcometothelawnontheothersideagain,andthentothehouse.Acarsoundedandgrewcloseandwentondownthelanebeyondthehouse.Ihadatightholdonher.

           Wecametothecellardoor.Isaid,doyouwanttogoroundagain?

           Tomysurprise,sheshookherhead.

           NaturallyItookherbackdown.WhenIgotthegagandcordsoffshesaid,"I’dlikesometea.Pleasegoandmakesome.Lockthedoor.I’llstayhere."

           Imadethetea.AssoonasItookitinandpouredit,shespoke.

           "Iwanttosaysomething,"shesaid."It’sgottobesaid."

           Iwaslistening.

           "Youwantedtokissmeoutthere,didn’tyou?"

           I’msorry,Isaid.AsusualIstartedtoblush.

           "FirstofallIshouldliketothankyoufornotdoingso,becauseIdon’twantyoutokissme.