JOHN FOWLES

The Collector - fragments
 

The first time I went to look for Miranda it was a few days after I went down to Southampton to see off Aunt Annie; May loth, to be exact. I was back in London. I hadn't got any real plan, and I told Aunt Annie and Mabel I might go abroad, but I didn't truly know. Aunt Annie was scared, really, the night before they went she had a solemn talk with me about how I wasn't to marry, she hoped -- that is, without her meeting the bride. She said a lot about it being my money and my life and how generous I was and all that, but I could see she was really scared I might marry some girl and they'd lose all the money they were so ashamed of, anyway. I don't blame her, it was natural, especially with a daughter who's a cripple. I think people like Mabel should be put out painlessly, but that's beside the point.

Irina Stama

John Fowles
 

M-am dus sa o caut pe Miranda pentru prima data, la cateva zile de la vizita mea in Southampton la matusa Annie; adica in luna mai, ca sa fiu mai exact. M-am intors in Londra. Nu aveam niciun plan, dar le-am spus matusii Annie si lui Mabel ca s-ar putea sa plec in strainatate, dar ca nu sunt sigur de asta. Matusa Annie era speriata, intr-adevar, si cu o noapte inainte de a pleca, a purtat o discutie solemna cu mine, spunandu-mi ca spera sa nu ma casatoresc pana ce nu va cunoaste si ea mireasa. Mi-a vorbit mult despre banii mei si despre viata mea si despre cat de generos eram eu, si asa mai departe, dar vedeam bine ca era tare speriata ca daca m-as casatori cu vreo fata, ele ar pierde toti banii de care oricum se rusinau atat. Nu o invinovatesc, era normal, mai ales cu o fiica infirma. Cred ca cei ca Mabel ar trebui
eutanasiati fara sa simta durerea, dar asta n-are a face.