anhourlatershestretchedoutabarearmandtickledmyearandsaid:「wouldyouconsidermarryingme?」

「itwouldn’tlastsixmonths.」

「well,forgod’ssake,」shesaid,「supposeitdidn’t.wouldn’titbeworthit?whatdoyouexpectfromlife—fullcoverageagainstallpossiblerisks?」

「i’mforty-twoyearsold.i’mspoiledbyindependence.you’respoiledalittle—nottoomuch—bymoney.」

「i’mthirty-six.it’snodisgracetohavemoneyandnodisgracetomarryit.mostofthosewhohaveitdon’tdeserveitanddon’tknowhowtobehavewithit.butitwon’tbelong.we’llhaveanotherwarandattheendofthatnobodywillhaveanymoney—exceptthecrooksandthechiselers.we’llallbetaxedtonothing,therestofus.」

istrokedherhairandwoundsomeofitaroundmyfinger.「youmayberight.」

「wecouldflytoparisandhaveawonderfultime.」sheraisedherselfonanelbowandlookeddownatme.icouldseetheshineofhereyesbuticouldn’treadherexpression.「doyouhavesomethingagainstmarriage?」

「fortwopeopleinahundredit’swonderful.therestjustworkatit.aftertwentyyearsalltheguyhasleftisaworkbenchinthegarage.americangirlsareterrific.americanwivestakeintoodamnmuchterritory.besides—」

「iwantsomechampagne.」

「besides,」isaid,「itwouldbejustanincidenttoyou.thefirstporceistheonlytoughone.afterthatitsmerelyaproblemineconomics.noproblemtoyou.tenyearsfromnowyoumightpassmeonthestreetandwonderwherethehellyouhadseenmebefore.ifyounoticedmeatall.」

「youself-sufficient,self-satisfied,self-confident,untouchablebastard.iwantsomechampagne.」

「thiswayyouwillrememberme.」

「conceitedtoo.amassofconceit.slightlybruisedatthemoment.youthinki’llrememberyou?nomatterhowmanymenimarryorsleepwith,youthinki’llrememberyou?whyshouldi?」

「sorry.ioverstatedmycase.i’llgetyousomechampagne.」

「aren’twesweetandreasonable?」shesaidsarcastically.「i’marichwoman,darling,andishallbeinfinitelyricher.icouldbuyyoutheworldifitwereworthbuying.whathaveyounow?anemptyhousetocomehometo,withnotevenadogorcat,asmallstuffyofficetositinandwait.evenifiporcedyoui’dneverletyougobacktothat.」

「howwouldyoustopme?i’mnoterrylennox.」

「please.don’tlet’stalkabouthim.noraboutthatgoldenicicle,thewadewoman.noraboutherpoordrunkensunkenhusband.doyouwanttobetheonlymanwhoturnedmedown?whatkindofprideisthat?i’vepaidyouthegreatestcomplimentiknowhowtopay.i’veaskedyoutomarryme.」

「youpaidmeagreatercompliment.」

shebegantocry.「youfool,youutterfool!」hercheekswerewet.icouldfeelthetearsonthem.「supposeitlastedsixmonthsorayearortwoyears.whatwouldyouhavelostexceptthedustonyourofficedeskandthedirtonyourvenetianblindsandthelonelinessofaprettyemptykindoflife?」