JOHN FOWLES

The Collector - fragments
 

“It seemed to clear the air, so to speak. I respected her and she respected me more afterwards. The first thing she did was write out a list of things she wanted. I had to find an art-shop in Lewes and buy special paper and all sorts of pencils and things: sepia and Chinese ink and brushes, special hair and sizes and makes. Then there were things from the chemist: smell-removers and so on. It was a danger getting ladies' things I couldn't want for myself, but I took the risk. Then she wrote down food to buy, she had to have fresh coffee, and a lot of fruit and vegetables and greens -- she was very particular about that. Anyway after she used to write down almost every day what we had to buy, she used to tell me how to cook it too, it was just like having a wife, an invalid one you had to do shopping for. I was careful in Lewes, I never went to the same shop twice running so that they wouldn't think I was buying a lot for one person. Somehow I always thought people could tell I lived on my own.”
 

Andreea Stancu

John Fowles
 

Parea ca atmosfera se mai linistise, ca sa zic asa. O respectam, ba ea ma respecta chiar si mai mult. Primul lucru pe care l-a facut a fost sa scrie o lista cu lucrurile de care avea nevoie. Trebuia sa gasesc un magazine de articole de desen in Lewes si sa cumpar hartie speciala si tot felul de creioane si altele asemenea: sepia si cerneala chinezeasca, pensule cu un anumit gen de par, de diferite marimi sau marci. Apoi, trebuia sa iau anumite articole de la farmacie: odorizante si altele. Imi periclitam reputatia cumparand articole feminine pe care in mod evident nu le luam pentru mine, insa mi-am asumat si riscul asta. Apoi ea a trecut pe list ace trebuie sa cumpar de mancare si avea neaparat nevoie de cafea proaspata, multe fructe, legume si verdeturi – era foarte stricta in privinta asta. In orice caz, dupa ce facea aproape zilnic lista cu cele necesare, ea imi mai si spunea cum sa le gatesc. Era ca si cand as fi avut o sotie, una invalida pentru care trebuie sa faci cumparaturile. Eram atent in Lewes, si nu mergeam niciodata de doua ori in acelasi magazin alergand ca sa nu creada careva ca faceam toate acele cumparaturi pentru o singura persoana. Intr-un fel sau altul, intotdeauna am avut senzatia ca ceilalti stiau ca traiam pe cont propriu.