Endless Night / Бесконечная ночь. Книга для чтения на английском языке

What should have happened?’

�You’re excited,’ she said.

�I’m going to rob a bank,’ I said.

She was not in the mood to be amused. She merely said:

�No, I’m not afraid of your doing that.’

�Why not? Seems a very easy way of getting rich quickly nowadays.’

�It would need too much work,’ she said. �And a lot of planning. More brainwork than you’d like to have to do. Not safe enough, either.’

�You think you know all about me,’ I said.

�No, I don’t. I don’t really know anything about you, because you and I are as different as chalk and cheese.

But I know when you’re up to something. You’re up to something now. What is it, Micky? Is it a girl?’

�Why should you think it’s a girl?’

�I’ve always known it would happen some day.’

�What do you mean by “some day”? I’ve had lots of girls.’

�Not the way I mean. It’s only been the way of a young man with nothing to do. You’ve kept your hand in with girls but you’ve never been really serious till now.

’

�But you think I’m serious now?’

�Is it a girl, Micky?’

I didn’t meet her eyes. I looked away and said, �In a way.’

�What kind of a girl is she?’

�The right kind for me,’ I said.

�Are you going to bring her to see me?’

�No,’ I said.

�It’s like that, is it?’

�No, it isn’t. I don’t want to hurt your feelings but —’

�You’re not hurting my feelings. You don’t want me to see her in case I should say to you “Don’t”.

Is that it?’

�I wouldn’t pay any attention if you did.’

�Maybe not, but it would shake you. It would shake you somewhere inside because you take notice of what I say and think. There are things I’ve guessed about you – and maybe I’ve guessed right and you know it. I’m the only person in the world who can shake your confidence in yourself. Is this girl a bad lot who’s got hold of you?’

�Bad lot?’ I said and laughed.

�If you only saw her! You make me laugh.’

�What do you want from me? You want something. You always do.’

�I want some money,’ I said.

�You won’t get it from me. What do you want it for – to spend on this girl?’

�No,’ I said, �I want to buy a first-class suit to get married in.’

�You’re going to marry her?’

�If she’ll have me.’

That shook her.

�If you’d only tell me something!’ she said.