,BOOK #h1 ,*APT] #a 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,DUR+ ! 5TR'ACTE A :IFF ( COLD AIR CAME 9TO ,HEL5E'S BOX1 ! DOOR 
 OP5$1 & ,ANATOLE 5T]$1 /OOP+ & TRY+ NOT TO BRU% AGA9/ 
 ANYONE4 

0,LET ME 9TRODUCE MY BRO!R TO Y\10 SAID ,HEL5E1 H] EYES %IFT+ 
 UNEASILY FROM ,NATA%A TO ,ANATOLE4 

,NATA%A TURN$ H] PRETTY LITTLE HEAD T[>D ! ELEGANT Y\NG (FIC] & 
 SMIL$ AT HIM OV] H] B>E %\LD]4 ,ANATOLE1 :O WAS AS H&SOME AT 
 CLOSE QU>T]S AS AT A DI/ANCE1 SAT D[N BESIDE H] & TOLD H] HE HAD 
 LONG WI%$ TO HAVE ?IS HAPP9ESS--EV] S9CE ! ,N>Y%K9S' BALL 
 9 FACT1 AT :I* HE HAD HAD ! WELL-REMEMB]$ PLEASURE ( SEE+ H]4 
 ,KURAG9 WAS MU* MORE S5SIBLE & SIMPLE ) WOM5 ?AN AMONG M54 ,HE 
 TALK$ BOLDLY & NATURALLY1 & ,NATA%A WAS /RANGELY & AGREEABLY 
 /RUCK BY ! FACT ?AT !RE WAS NO?+ =MIDABLE 9 ?IS MAN AB\T 
 :OM !RE WAS SO MU* TALK1 BUT ?AT ON ! CONTR>Y HIS SMILE WAS MO/ 
 NAIVE1 *E]FUL1 & GOOD-NATUR$4 

,KURAG9 ASK$ H] OP9ION ( ! P]=MANCE & TOLD H] H[ AT A 
 PREVI\S P]=MANCE ,SEM5OVA HAD FALL5 D[N ON ! /AGE4 

0,& DO Y\ KN[1 ,C\NTESS10 HE SAID1 SUDD5LY ADDRESS+ H] AS AN OLD1 
 FAMILI> ACQUA9TANCE1 0WE >E GETT+ UP A CO/UME T\RNAM5T2 Y\ \<T 
 TO TAKE P>T 9 IT6 ,IT WILL BE GREAT FUN4 ,WE %ALL ALL MEET AT ! 
 ,K>AG9S'6 ,PLEASE COME6 ,NO6 ,REALLY1 EH80 SAID HE4 

,:ILE SAY+ ?IS HE NEV] REMOV$ HIS SMIL+ EYES FROM H] FACE1 H] 
 NECK1 & H] B>E >MS4 ,NATA%A KNEW = C]TA9 ?AT HE WAS 5RAPTUR$ 
 BY H]4 ,?IS PLEAS$ H]1 YET HIS PRES5CE MADE H] FEEL CON/RA9$ & 
 OPPRESS$4 ,:5 %E WAS NOT LOOK+ AT HIM %E FELT ?AT HE WAS LOOK+ AT 
 H] %\LD]S1 & %E 9VOLUNT>ILY CAU<T HIS EYE SO ?AT HE %\LD LOOK 
 9TO H]S RA!R ?AN ?IS4 ,BUT LOOK+ 9TO HIS EYES %E WAS FRI<T5$1 
 REALIZ+ ?AT !RE WAS NOT ?AT B>RI] ( MODE/Y %E HAD ALWAYS FELT 
 BETWE5 H]SELF & O!R M54 ,%E DID NOT KN[ H[ IT WAS ?AT )9 
 FIVE M9UTES %E HAD COME TO FEEL H]SELF T]RIBLY NE> TO ?IS MAN4 ,:5 
 %E TURN$ AWAY %E FE>$ HE MI<T SEIZE H] FROM BEH9D BY H] B>E >M 
 & KISS H] ON ! NECK4 ,!Y SPOKE ( MO/ ORD9>Y ?+S1 YET %E FELT 
 ?AT !Y W]E CLOS] TO ONE ANO!R ?AN %E HAD EV] BE5 TO ANY MAN4 
 ,NATA%A KEPT TURN+ TO ,HEL5E & TO H] FA!R1 AS IF ASK+ :AT IT ALL 
 MEANT1 BUT ,HEL5E WAS 5GAG$ 9 CONV]SATION ) A G5]AL & DID NOT 
 ANSW] H] LOOK1 & H] FA!R'S EYES SAID NO?+ BUT :AT !Y ALWAYS 
 SAID3 0,HAV+ A GOOD TIME8 ,WELL1 ,I'M GLAD ( IT60 

,DUR+ ONE ( !SE MOM5TS ( AWKW>D SIL5CE :5 ,ANATOLE'S PROM95T 
 EYES W]E GAZ+ CALMLY & FIX$LY AT H]1 ,NATA%A1 TO BREAK ! SIL5CE1 
 ASK$ HIM H[ HE LIK$ ,MOSC[4 ,%E ASK$ ! QUE/ION & BLU%$4 ,%E 
 FELT ALL ! TIME ?AT BY TALK+ TO HIM %E WAS DO+ SOME?+ IMPROP]4 
 ,ANATOLE SMIL$ AS ?\< TO 5C\RAGE H]4 

0,AT FIR/ ,I DID NOT LIKE IT MU*1 BECAUSE :AT MAKES A T[N PLEASANT CE 
 SONT LES JOLIES FEMMES1 "9 ISN'T ?AT SO8 ,BUT N[ ,I LIKE IT V]Y MU* 
 9DE$10 HE SAID1 LOOK+ AT H] SIGNIFICANTLY4 0,Y\'LL COME TO ! 
 CO/UME T\RNAM5T1 ,C\NTESS8 ,DO COME60 & PUTT+ \T HIS H& TO H] 
 B\QUET & DROPP+ HIS VOICE1 HE ADD$1 0,Y\ WILL BE ! PRETTIE/ 
 !RE4 ,DO COME1 DE> C\NTESS1 & GIVE ME ?IS FL[] AS A PL$GE60 

 "9 ,>E ! PRETTY WOM54 

  

,NATA%A DID NOT UND]/& :AT HE WAS SAY+ ANY MORE ?AN HE DID 
 HIMSELF1 BUT %E FELT ?AT HIS 9COMPREH5SIBLE WORDS HAD AN IMPROP] 
 9T5TION4 ,%E DID NOT KN[ :AT TO SAY & TURN$ AWAY AS IF %E HAD NOT 
 HE>D HIS REM>K4 ,BUT AS SOON AS %E HAD TURN$ AWAY %E FELT ?AT HE WAS 
 !RE1 BEH9D1 SO CLOSE BEH9D H]4 

0,H[ IS HE N[8 ,CONFUS$8 ,ANGRY8 ,\<T ,I TO PUT IT RI<T80 %E ASK$ 
 H]SELF1 & %E C\LD NOT REFRA9 FROM TURN+ R\ND4 ,%E LOOK$ /RAI<T 
 9TO HIS EYES1 & HIS NE>NESS1 SELF-ASSURANCE1 & ! GOOD-NATUR$ 
 T5D]NESS ( HIS SMILE VANQUI%$ H]4 ,%E SMIL$ JU/ AS HE WAS DO+1 
 GAZ+ /RAI<T 9TO HIS EYES4 ,& AGA9 %E FELT ) HORROR ?AT NO 
 B>RI] LAY BETWE5 HIM & H]4 

,! CURTA9 ROSE AGA94 ,ANATOLE LEFT ! BOX1 S]5E & GAY4 ,NATA%A W5T 
 BACK TO H] FA!R 9 ! O!R BOX1 N[ QUITE SUBMISSIVE TO ! WORLD %E 
 F\ND H]SELF 94 ,ALL ?AT WAS GO+ ON BE=E H] N[ SEEM$ QUITE 
 NATURAL1 BUT ON ! O!R H& ALL H] PREVI\S ?\<TS ( H] BETRO!D1 
 ( ,PR9CESS ,M>Y1 OR ( LIFE 9 ! C\NTRY DID NOT ONCE RECUR TO H] M9D 
 & W]E AS IF BELONG+ TO A REMOTE PA/4 

,9 ! F\R? ACT !RE WAS SOME SORT ( DEVIL :O SANG WAV+ HIS >M 
 AB\T1 TILL ! BO>DS W]E )DRAWN FROM UND] HIM & HE DISAPPE>$ 
 D[N BEL[4 ,?AT WAS ! ONLY P>T ( ! F\R? ACT ?AT ,NATA%A SAW4 ,%E 
 FELT AGITAT$ & TORM5T$1 & ! CAUSE ( ?IS WAS ,KURAG9 :OM %E 
 C\LD NOT HELP WAT*+4 ,AS !Y W]E LEAV+ ! !AT] ,ANATOLE CAME UP 
 TO !M1 CALL$ !IR C>RIAGE1 & HELP$ !M 94 ,AS HE WAS PUTT+ 
 ,NATA%A 9 HE PRESS$ H] >M ABOVE ! ELB[4 ,AGITAT$ & FLU%$ %E 
 TURN$ R\ND4 ,HE WAS LOOK+ AT H] ) GLITT]+ EYES1 SMIL+ 
 T5D]LY4 

,ONLY AFT] %E HAD REA*$ HOME WAS ,NATA%A ABLE CLE>LY TO ?9K OV] 
 :AT HAD HAPP5$ TO H]1 & SUDD5LY REMEMB]+ ,PR9CE ,&REW %E WAS 
 HORRIFI$1 & AT TEA TO :I* ALL HAD SAT D[N AFT] ! OP]A1 %E GAVE 
 A L\D EXCLAMATION1 FLU%$1 & RAN \T ( ! ROOM4 

0,O ,GOD6 ,I AM LO/60 %E SAID TO H]SELF4 0,H[ C\LD ,I LET HIM80 ,%E SAT 
 = A LONG TIME HID+ H] FLU%$ FACE 9 H] H&S TRY+ TO REALIZE 
 :AT HAD HAPP5$ TO H]1 BUT WAS UNABLE EI!R TO UND]/& :AT HAD 
 HAPP5$ OR :AT %E FELT4 ,EV]Y?+ SEEM$ D>K1 OBSCURE1 & T]RIBLE4 
 ,!RE 9 ?AT 5ORM\S1 ILLUM9AT$ !AT] :]E ! B>E-LEGG$ ,DUPORT1 
 9 A T9SEL-DECORAT$ JACKET1 JUMP$ AB\T TO ! MUSIC ON WET BO>DS1 & 
 Y\NG GIRLS & OLD M51 & ! NE>LY NAK$ ,HEL5E ) H] PR\D1 CALM 
 SMILE1 RAPTUR\SLY CRI$ 0BRAVO60--!RE 9 ! PRES5CE ( ?AT 
 ,HEL5E IT HAD ALL SEEM$ CLE> & SIMPLE2 BUT N[1 ALONE BY H]SELF1 IT 
 WAS 9COMPREH5SIBLE4 0,:AT IS IT8 ,:AT WAS ?AT T]ROR ,I FELT ( HIM8 
 ,:AT IS ?IS GNAW+ ( CONSCI5CE ,I AM FEEL+ N[80 %E ?\<T4 

,ONLY TO ! OLD C\NTESS AT NI<T 9 B$ C\LD ,NATA%A HAVE TOLD ALL %E 
 WAS FEEL+4 ,%E KNEW ?AT ,SONYA ) H] SEV]E & SIMPLE VIEWS W\LD 
 EI!R NOT UND]/& IT AT ALL OR W\LD BE HORRIFI$ AT SU* A 
 CONFESSION4 ,SO ,NATA%A TRI$ TO SOLVE :AT WAS TORTUR+ H] BY H]SELF4 

0,AM ,I SPOIL$ = ,&REW'S LOVE OR NOT80 %E ASK$ H]SELF1 & ) 
 SOO?+ IRONY REPLI$3 0,:AT A FOOL ,I AM TO ASK ?AT6 ,:AT DID HAPP5 TO 
 ME8 ,NO?+6 ,I HAVE DONE NO?+1 ,I DIDN'T LEAD HIM ON AT ALL4 ,NOBODY WILL 
 KN[ & ,I %ALL NEV] SEE HIM AGA910 %E TOLD H]SELF4 0,SO IT IS PLA9 
 ?AT NO?+ HAS HAPP5$ & !RE IS NO?+ TO REP5T (1 & ,&REW 
 CAN LOVE ME /ILL4 ,BUT :Y '/ILL8' ,O ,GOD1 :Y ISN'T HE H]E80 ,NATA%A 
 QUIET$ H]SELF = A MOM5T1 BUT AGA9 SOME 9/9CT TOLD H] ?AT ?\< 
 ALL ?IS WAS TRUE1 & ?\< NO?+ HAD HAPP5$1 YET ! =M] PURITY 
 ( H] LOVE = ,PR9CE ,&REW HAD P]I%$4 ,& AGA9 9 IMAG9ATION %E 
 W5T OV] H] :OLE CONV]SATION ) ,KURAG91 & AGA9 SAW ! FACE1 
 GE/URES1 & T5D] SMILE ( ?AT BOLD H&SOME MAN :5 HE PRESS$ H] 
 >M4 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #ahfh 3 ,BOOK #h1 ,*APT] #a -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,FEBRU>Y #a#a1 #bag 3 ,BOOK #h1 ,*APT] #a -- ,ADD$4 

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