Коллекционер

           Iknowit’ssilly,Isaid.OfcourseIwasactingitabit.Itwasaverydifficultsituation.

           Well,shelookedatme,andthenshesaid,"Let’shaveatalk.Comeandsitherebesideme."

           Iwentandsat.

           "WhatareyougoingtodowhenI’vegone?"

           Idon’tthinkaboutit,Isaid.

           "Willyouwanttogoonseeingme?"

           OfcourseIwill.

           "You’redefinitelygoingtocomeandliveinLondon?We’llmakeyouintosomeonereallymodern.Someonereallyinterestingtomeet."

           You’dbeashamedofmewithallyourfriends.

           Itwasallunreal.IknewshewaspretendingjustlikeIwas.Ihadaheadache.Itwasallgoingwrong.

           "I’vegotlotsoffriends.Doyouknowwhy?BecauseI’mneverashamedofthem.Allsortsofpeople.Youaren’tthestrangestbyalongway.There’sonewho’sveryimmoral.Buthe’sabeautifulpaintersoweforgivehim.Andhe’snotashamed.You’vegottobethesame.Notbeashamed.I’llhelpyou.It’seasyifyoutry."

           Itseemedthemoment.Anyway,Icouldn’tstanditanylonger.

           Pleasemarryme,Isaid.Ihadtheringinmypocketallready.

           Therewasasilence.

           EverythingI’vegotisyours,Isaid.

           "Marriagemeanslove,"shesaid.

           Idon’texpectanything,Isaid.Idon’texpectyoutodoanythingthatyoudon’twant.Youcandowhatyoulike,studyart,etcetera.Iwon’taskanything,anythingofyou,excepttobemywifeinnameandliveinthesamehousewithme.

           Shesatstaringatthecarpet.