JOHN FOWLES

The Collector - fragments
 

Well, I said I couldn't agree to that and she turned away again. Then she was crying. I could see her shoulders moving, I wanted to go up to her, I did near the bed but she turned so sharp I think she thought I was going to attack her. Full of tears her eyes were. Cheeks wet. It really upset me to see her like that.
Please be reasonable. You know what you are to me now; can't you see I haven't made all these arrangements just so you'd stay a week more?
"I hate you, I hate you."
I'll give you my word, I said. When the time's up you can go as soon as you like.
She wouldn't have it. It was funny, she sat there crying and staring at me, her face was all pink. I thought she was going to come at me again, she looked as if she wanted to. But then she began to dry her eyes. Then she lit a cigarette. And then she said, "Two weeks."
I said, you say two, I say five. I'll agree to a month. That'd be November the fourteenth.
There was a pause, and she said, "Four weeks is November the eleventh."
I was worried about her, I wanted to clinch it, so I said, I meant a calendar month, but make it twenty-eight days. I'll give you the odd three days, I said.
"Thank you very much." Sarcastic, of course.
I handed her a cup of coffee, which she took.
"I've some conditions too," she said before she drunk it. "I can't live all the time down here. I must have some fresh air and light. I must have a bath sometimes. I must have some drawing materials. I must have a radio or a record-player. I need things from the chemist. I must have fresh fruit and salads. I must have some sort of exercise."
 

Irina Constantinescu

John Fowles
 

Ei bine, i-am spus ca nu eram de acord si s-a intors iarasi cu spatele. Apoi a inceput sa planga. Ii vedeam umerii miscandu-se. Am vrut sa ma duc langa ea, si am ajuns aproape de pat, dar s-a intors atat de repede, crezand probabil ca vreau sa o lovesc. Ochii ii erau plini de lacrimi. Obrajii umezi. Chiar m-a deranjat sa o vad in asemenea hal.
– Te rog, intelege. Acum stii ce insemni pentru mine, nu-ti dai seama ca nu am facut toate pregatirile astea doar sa stai o saptamana in plus?
– Te urasc, te urasc!
– Iti promit, i-am spus. Dupa ce trece perioada asta, vei fi libera sa pleci cand doresti.
Nu vroia sa accepte asta. Totul era ironic, plangea si se holba la mine, cu fata toata rosiatica. Credeam ca vrea iar sa sara la mine, pentru ca asa mi se parea. Dar apoi a inceput sa-si stearga ochii; si-a aprins o tigara si a spus:
– Doua saptamani.
– Tu zici doua, eu zic cinci. Sunt de acord sa fie o luna. Asta inseamna paisprezece noiembrie.
A urmat o pauza, dupa care a spus:
– Patru saptamani, adica unsprezece noiembrie.
Imi facea probleme si vroiam sa ne hotaram odata, asa ca i-am spus:
– Ma refeream la o luna de calendar, dar hai sa fie douazeci si opt de zile. Treaca-mearga de la mine trei zile.
– Mersi frumos. Era sarcastica, bineinteles.
I-am intins o ceasca de cafea, pe care a luat-o.
– Dar am si niste conditii, a spus inainte sa bea. Nu pot sa stau tot timpul aici jos. Am nevoie de aer curat si de lumina. Trebuie sa fac baie din cand in cand. Am nevoie de materiale de desenat si de un radio sau un casetofon. Am nevoie de produse de la farmacie. Am nevoie de fructe proaspete si salate. Trebuie sa fac si miscare.