The Collector

 "Sit down," she said, so I sat down on the sofa where she pointed. For a moment she watched me sitting there. Then she stood in front of me, very funny, looking down at me, moving from foot to foot. Then she came, twist, bang she sat on my knees. It took me right by surprise. Somehow she got her arms right round my head and the next thing was she was kissing me at the mouth. Then laying her head on my shoulder.

 "Don't be so stiff," she said.

 I was like stunned. It was the last thing.

 "Put your arm round me," she said. "There. Isn't that nice? Am I heavy?" And she leant her head again on my shoulder, while I had my hand on her waist. She was all warm and perfumed and I have to say that her housecoat was open very low and fell apart to above the knees, but she didn't seem to care, she just stretched her legs along the sofa.

 What's up? I said.

 "You're so unrelaxed. Just relax. There's nothing to worry about." Well, I tried, she lay still, but I knew there was something wrong in the situation.

 "Why don't you kiss me?"

 I knew something was really on then. I didn't know what to do, I kissed the top of her head.

 "Not like that."

 I don't want to, I said.

 She sat up still on my knees and looked at me.

 "You don't want to?"

 I looked away, it was difficult with her tied hands round my neck, I didn't know what to say to stop her.

 "Why not?"

 She was laughing at me.

 I might go too far, I said.

 "So might I."

 I knew she was laughing, making fun of me again.

 I know what I am, I said.

 "What are you?"

 Not the sort you like.

 "Don't you know there are times when every man is attractive? Eh?" She sort of gave my head a bit of a jerk, like I was being stupid.

 I didn't, I said.

 "Well, then."

 It's what it could lead to.

 "I don't care what it leads to. You _are_ slow." And then all of a sudden she was kissing me again, I even felt her tongue.

 "Isn't that nice?"

 Of course I had to say, yes it was. I didn't know what her real game was, it made me nervous, quite apart from me being very nervous anyhow about kissing and all the other business.

 "Come on, then. Try."

 Well, she pulled my head round. I had to do it and her mouth was very nice. Very soft.

 I know I was weak. I should have told her straight out not to be disgusting. I was very weak. It was like I was drawn on against my will.

 She laid her head again so I couldn't see her face.

 "Am I the first girl you've ever kissed?"

 Don't be daft.

 "Just relax. Don't be nervous, don't be ashamed."

 Then she turned and was kissing me again, her eyes shut. Of course she'd had three glasses of sherry. What happened then was most embarrassing, I began to feel very worked up and I always understood (from something I heard in the army) that a gentleman always controls himself to the right moment and so I just didn't know what to do. I thought she would be offended and so I tried to sit upright more when she took her mouth away.

 "What's wrong. Am I hurting you?"

 Yes, I said.

 She moved off my knees then, she unhooked her arms from my head, but she still sat very close.

 "Won't you undo my hands?"

 I got up, I was shamed, I had to go to the window and pretend to do something to the curtain, all the time she watched me over the back of the sofa, kneeling on it.

 "Ferdinand. What's wrong?"

 Nothing's wrong, I said.

 "There's nothing to be frightened of."

 I'm not frightened.

 "Come back then. Turn out the light. Let's just have the firelight."

 I did what she said, I turned out the lights, but I stayed by the window.

 "Come on." Very coaxing, she was.

 I said, it's not right. You're only pretending.

 "Am I?"

 You know you are.

 "Why don't you come and see?"

 I didn't move, all the time I knew it was a bad mistake. The next thing was she went and stood by the fire. I didn't feel excited any more, I felt all cold inside. It was the surprise.

 "Come and sit here."

 I'm all right here, I said.

 Well, suddenly she came to me, she took my hand in her two and pulled me to the fire, I let her. When we were there she held out her hands, she had such a look, so I untied them. At once she came close and kissed me again, for which she had to stand on tiptoe almost.

 Then she did something really shocking.

 I could hardly believe my eyes, she stood back a step and unfastened her housecoat and she had nothing on beneath. She was stark. I didn't give no more than a quick look, she just stood there, smiling and waiting, you could feel it, for me to make a move. She put up her arms and began to undo her hair. It was deliberate provoking, standing there naked in the shadows and firelight. I couldn't believe it, rather I had to believe it, but I couldn't believe it was what it seemed.

 It was terrible, it made me feel sick and trembling, I wished I was on the other side of the world. It was worse than with the prostitute; I didn't respect her, but with Miranda I knew I couldn't stand the shame.