ชั้นหนังสือ : ชวนไปอ่าน | THE COLLECTOR: John Fowles |
| The next morning she made a first attempt to escape. She didn't catch me off guard, exactly, but it taught me a lesson. She has her breakfast and then she told me her bed was loose, it was the far back leg, right up in the corner. I thought it was going to collapse, she said, there's a nut loose. Like a mutt I went to help her hold it and suddenly she gave me a heavy push, just as I was off balance, and ran past me. She was at the steps and up them like lightening. I had allowed for it, there was a safety hook holding the door back open and a wedge she was trying to kick away when I came after her. Well she turned and ran, screaming help, help, help and up the steps to the outer door, which was of course locked. She pulled at it and banged it and went screaming on, but I got her then. I hated doing it,but action was necessary. I got her round the waist and one hand over her mouth and dragged her down back. She kicked and struggled, but of course she was too small and I may not be Mr. Atlas but I am not a weakling either. In the end she went limp and I let her go. She stood a moment, then she suddenly jumped and hit me across the face. It didn't really hurt but the shock of it was most nasty, coming when I least expected it and after I'd been so reasonable when others might have lost their head. Then she went into the room slamming the door behind her. I felt like going in and having it out with her, but I knew she was angry. There was real hatred in her looks. So I bolted the door and put up the false door. The next thing was she wouldn't talk. The next lunch she said not a word when I spoke to her and said I was ready to let bygones be bygones. She just gave me a big look of contempt. It was the same evening. When I came to clear, she handed me the tray and turned away. She made it very plain she didn't want me to stay. I thought she'd get over it, but the next day it was worse. Not only she didn't speak, she didn't eat. Please don't do this, I said. It's no good. *** คืนเรือน | ชั้นหนังสือ | The Collector |