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?”