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She looked down at her drink。 She didn't speak。
〃Your friend is not the answer；〃 he said。
She looked up at him。 〃Peggy has nothing to do with it。 She's a good friend； no more。〃
He smiled knowingly。 〃You are in France； remember？ There is nothing wrong； we understand such things。 But I do not understand you。 You are not the usual kind who lives like that。〃
She could feel her face flaming now。 〃I don't think that's very nice of you。〃
He laughed。 〃It is not；〃 he admitted frankly。 〃But I do not like to see you waste yourself。〃
〃You'd like it better if I went to sleep with some clumsy fool who knows nothing and cares less about the way I feel？〃 she said angrily。
He shook his head。 〃No。 I would not like that at all。 I would like you to e to bed with me。〃
〃What makes you think it would be any different with you？〃
He looked into her eyes。 〃Because I am a man； not a boy。 Because I would want to please you。 Boys are like bulls； they think only of themselves。 In this you are right。 But because of this； do not think that it is only women who know how to make love。 There are men also who are aware of the sensitivities。〃
〃Like yourself？〃 she asked sarcastically。
〃Like myself。 Do you think I see you again and again only because I have a purely intellectual interest in you？〃
She laughed suddenly。 〃At least you are honest。〃
〃I am a great believer in the truth。〃
A few months later； on a rainy afternoon； she went to his apartment and it was just as he said。 He was kind and gentle and she did not hurt at all。 And all the while； she felt the power in her； the power to bring him to a point of ecstasy from which he would never return； a power that could never turn into terror for her because she could always control it or him。
She watched him buttoning his shirt in front of the mirror。 〃Jacques。〃
He turned。 〃What is it； my sweet？〃
She held out her arms to him。 〃e here； Jacques。〃
He came over to the bed。 He bent swiftly and kissed her naked breast。 〃When you make love； my darling；〃 he said； 〃your nipples are full like bursting purple plums。 Now they are like little pink poppies。〃
〃It was like you said it would be； Jacques。〃
〃I am glad。〃
She took his strong brown hands in her own and looked down at them。 His gold wedding ring shone up at her。 She looked up into his face。 〃I think I would like to be your mistress；〃 she said softly。
〃Bon；〃 he said。 〃I had hoped you would say that。 That is why I took this little apartment。 You can move in tonight。〃
She was surprised。 〃Move in here？〃
He nodded。 〃If you do not like this place； I will get another。〃
〃But I can't do that！ What about Peggy？〃
〃What about her？〃 He shrugged。 〃It is fini。〃
〃Can't we just go on like this？ I'll meet you here whenever you like。〃
〃You mean you will not move in？〃
She shook her head。 〃I can't。 What would Peggy do？ She needs my help to keep the apartment。 Besides； if my father ever found out； he'd kill me。〃
〃But he does not worry about your living with that … that lesbienne？〃 he said bitterly。
〃You don't know my father。 Back in Boston； they don't ever think about things like that。〃
〃What does he think she is？〃
〃What she has always been；〃 she answered。 〃My teacher； my panion。〃
He laughed shortly。 〃She has been your teacher； yes。〃
〃Oh； Jacques；〃 she said in a hurt voice。 〃Don't spoil everything now。 Why can't we go on like this？〃
He looked at her。 〃Then you won't move in here？〃
〃I can't；〃 she said。 〃Don't you understand； I can't。〃
He got to his feet； and walked back to the dresser。 He finished buttoning his shirt and picked up his tie。
〃I don't see what difference it would make。 After all； you're married。 How much time do you think you could spend here； anyway？〃
He studied her。 〃That is different；〃 he said coldly。
〃Different？〃 she shouted in anger。 〃Why is it different for you and not for me？〃
He stared at her。 〃A man may be unfaithful to his wife； as she may to him if she is so minded。 But a man is never unfaithful to his mistress； nor is a woman unfaithful to her lover。〃
〃But Peggy is not a man！〃
〃No； she is not；〃 he said grimly。 〃She is something worse than a man。〃
Rina looked at him for a moment。 She drew her head up proudly。 〃Those are your terms？〃 she asked quietly。
She sat there proudly； her back straight； her naked breasts magnificent over her deep chest。 He could see the outlines of her ribs against her flesh as they rose and fell with her breath。 Never in my life have I known so much beauty； he thought。 Aloud he said； 〃If that's the way you put it； those are my terms。〃
She didn't answer。
〃I just don't understand；〃 she said。 She looked up at him。 〃You had better hand me my dress。〃
That had been many months ago and oddly enough； they still remained friends。 She raised the Pernod to her lips and emptied her glass。 〃And now I really must go；〃 she said。 〃I promised Pavan I would be at his studio by three o'clock。〃
He raised an eyebrow。 〃Pavan？ You have taken up sculpting？〃
She shook her head。 〃No； I'm modeling for him。〃
Jacques knew how Pavan worked。 He used many models for just one statue。 He was always trying to create the ideal。 He would never succeed。
She felt his quizzical gaze sweep down to her breasts。 She laughed。 〃No； it's not what you think。〃
〃No？〃 he asked。 〃Why not？〃
〃He says they're too large。〃
〃He is mad；〃 Jacques said quickly。 〃But then； all artists are mad。 What is it； then？〃
She got to her feet。 〃My pubis；〃 she said。
For the first time since she had known him； he was speechless。
She laughed。
He found his voice。 〃But why？〃
〃Because it's the highest mountain any man will ever climb； he says； and more men will die trying to climb it than ever fell from Mount Everest。〃 She smiled and bent over him。 〃But we won't tell him that you survived the ascent； will we； Jacques？〃
She kissed his cheek quickly and turned and walked out onto the sidewalk。 He watched her until she was lost in the crowded street； then turned back to the waiter。 〃Psst！〃 he said。 〃I think I will have another drink！〃
11
SHE HURRIED PAST THE POLITE GREETING OF the concierge； up the three narrow flights of the staircase。 She'd stayed at the studio later than she thought。 There would be just enough time to prepare dinner before Peggy got home。
Rina went through the tiny living room into the kitchen。 Swiftly she lit the gas under the hot…water heater for the tub and with the same match； the oven； leaving the flame low。 She took the small； browned chicken she'd just purchased； already cooked； at the corner rotisserie and put it into a pan and into the oven to keep warm。 Rapidly she sliced bread from a long loaf； arranged it next to a large piece of cheese and began to set the table。 In a few minutes； she was finished。
She looked down at her watch。 There would even be time enough for a bath if the water was hot enough。 She walked over and felt the tank。 It was lukewarm。 There would be enough if she didn't fill the tub more than half full。
She walked back into the living room on her way to the bathroom； her fingers already busy with the buttons of her blouse。 The door opened and she turned toward it。 〃You're early；〃 she said。
Peggy looked at her coldly and without answering； she closed the door behind her。 Rina shrugged her shoulders。 Peggy had these moods。 One moment； she'd be bright； warm and gay； the next cold； even sullen。 It would pass。 〃There's some wine and cheese on the table if you'd like something before dinner；〃 she said； starting for the bathroom again。
Peggy's hand spun her around。 〃I thought I told you not to see Deschamps again！〃
Rina stared at her。 So that was it。 Someone must have seen them at the restaurant and told Peggy。 Strange that of all the men they knew； Peggy was jealous of none except Jacques。 The younger men never upset her； but Jacques； with his curious； confident smile and the bright…gray hair at his temples； always managed to upset her。
〃I just ran into him and he invited me to lunch；〃 she said。 It wasn't that she was afraid of Peggy's jealous rages but she didn't feel like having a quarrel。 〃I just couldn't be rude。〃
〃Then where were you all afternoon？〃 Peggy demanded。 〃You weren't at art school； you weren't home。 I kept calling both places until I became frantic with worry。〃
〃I didn't feel like going to school；〃 she said。
Peggy's eyes squinted at her。 〃You didn't walk over to his apartment； by any chance？〃
Rina stared back at her。 〃No； I didn't。〃
〃He was seen entering his apartment with a blonde about four o'clock。〃
Rina raised an eyebrow。 Jacques hadn't wasted any time。 〃I'm not the only blonde in Paris；〃 she said。
〃He didn't answer his phone；〃 Peggy said accusingly。
Rina smiled。 〃I can't say that I blame him； do you？〃
Peggy's hand slashed across Rina's face。 〃You're lying！〃
Rina's hand flew to her cheek。 She stared at Peggy。
The other side of her face flamed as Peggy slapped her again。 She grabbed Rina's shoulders and began to shake her。 〃Now I want the truth！〃
〃I told you the truth！〃 Rina screamed。 She struck out at Peggy wildly。
Peggy fell back in surprise at the sudden onslaught。 A hurt expression came over her face。 〃Why do you do