JOHN FOWLES

The Collector - fragments
 

There were so many people and the noise and I felt so nervous I didn’t see her at first.I sat on a stool at the counter where I could watch. I didn’t dare look very often and the light in the other room wasn’t very good. Then she was standing right next me. I was pretending to read a newspaper so I didn’t see her get up.I felt my face was red, I stared at the words but I couldn’t read, I daren’t look the smallest look- she was there almost touching me. She was in a check dress, dark blue and white it was, her arms brown and bare, her hair all loose down her back.
 

Raluca Preda

John Fowles
 

Erau atat de multi oameni, si zgomotul, si eram atat de agitat, incat nu am vazut-o la inceput. M-am asezat pe un scaun la tejghea de unde puteam urmari. Nu indrazneam sa privesc prea prea des si lumina din cealalta camera era cam slaba. Apoi s-a asezat chiar langa mine. M-am prefacut ca citesc un ziar, asa ca nu am vazut-o cand s-a ridicat. Mi-am simtit fata rosie, ma uitam fix la cuvinte, dar nu puteam citi, nu m-am incumetat sa arunc nici macar o privire - era acolo aproape atingandu-ma. Era imbracata intr-o rochie in carouri, cu albastru si alb, bratele ei cafenii si dezgolite, parul ei despletit si lasat pe spate.