Search
Cy Maitland was saying: ‘Did you love him?’
The word love had not been used before between them; he had not used it in connection with his wife.
She said: ‘Very much.’
‘You don’t want to get married?’
She said demurely: ‘Every woman wants to get married.’
He gave a snort of laughter; and then turned to look at her, shrewd. ‘I don’t get you, Ella, you know that? I don’t understand you at all. But I understand you are a pretty independent sort of woman.’
‘Well, yes, I suppose I am.’
Now he put his arms around her and said: ‘Ella, you’ve taught me things.’
‘I’m glad. I hope they were pleasant.’
‘Well, yes, they were too.’
‘Good.’
‘You kidding me?’
‘Just a little.’
‘That’s all right, I don’t mind. You know, Ella, I mentioned your name to someone today and they said you had written a book?’
‘Everyone has written a book.’
‘If I told my wife I’d met a real writer, she’d never get over it, she’s mad about culture and that kind of thing.’
‘But perhaps you’d better not tell her.’
‘What if I read your book?’
‘But you don’t read books.’
‘I can read,’ he said, good-humoured. ‘What’s it about?’
‘Well … let me see. It’s full of insight and integrity and one thing and another.’
‘You don’t take it seriously?’
‘Of course I take it seriously.’
‘OK then. OK. You’re not going?’
‘I have to — my son’ll wake up in about four hours from now, and unlike you, I need to sleep.’
‘OK. I won’t forget you, Ella. I wonder what it would be like, married to you.’
‘I’ve got a feeling you wouldn’t like it very much.’
She was dressing; he lay at ease in bed, watching her, shrewd and thoughtful.
‘Then I wouldn’t like it,’ he said and laughed, stretching his arms. ‘I probably wouldn’t at that.’
‘No.’
They parted, with affection.
She went home in a taxi, and crept up the stairs so as not to disturb Julia. But there was a light under Julia’s door, and she called out: ‘Ella?’
Search
Bookmarks
You last read
Page
You last bookmarked
Page
Bookmark currentBookmarked!
Page 262
About
The Golden Notebook is a collaboration between if:book London and Apt.
Principal funding by Arts Council England.
HarperCollins, the publisher of The Golden Notebook, digitized the book for us and generously gave permission to reproduce it here in its entirety at no cost.
Additional support from The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and New York University
Recent comments:
Lenelle Moïse on Page 373 (July 11, 2010)
"Today - years after TGN Project launched - I am rereading Adrienne..."
Naomi Alderman on Resting Here: (February 17, 2009)
"Oh Lenelle, you’ve said a lot of things I wanted to..."
Philippa Levine on Final thoughts (February 10, 2009)
"Trying to wrap up what the experience of sharing The..."
Nona Willis Aronowitz on Final thoughts (February 9, 2009)
"“But I feel I can see in this book, and in..."
Harriet Rubin on and… (February 9, 2009)
"Laura, you’ve said more clearly what I meant: that..."
Laura Kipnis on and… (February 6, 2009)
"That’s interesting as I actually found that the Brutalman..."- Harriet Rubin on and… (February 5, 2009)
"I enjoyed this experience of reading in public for a great..." - Lenelle Moïse on Feminist manifesto in 2008…? (January 6, 2009)
"I’m with you, Nona. As someone..." - Nona Willis Aronowitz on Page 503 (January 2, 2009)
"Maybe it’s just me, but this ending seemed almost..." - Philippa Levine on Page 503 (December 31, 2008)
"I suspect you’re right about this, Laura. It’s an..." - Philippa Levine on Page 410 (December 31, 2008)
"I don’t know how much difference it would make if we..." - Philippa Levine on Page 486 (December 31, 2008)
"I do think of it as a realist novel, yes. We’re not..." - Laura Kipnis on Page 503 (December 31, 2008)
"I was stunned to read in the after-matter section (in the UK..." - Laura Kipnis on Page 486 (December 31, 2008)
"Do you really think of this as a realist novel, Philippa? The..." - Laura Kipnis on Page 485 (December 31, 2008)
"This is romantic–or at least collaborative: it’s Saul..." - Naomi Alderman on Page 410 (December 30, 2008)
"Yes, I agree about the publishing industry. It’s mostly..." - Naomi Alderman on Page 410 (December 30, 2008)
"“She was Sumo sized, dressed like the farmer in the dell,..." - Naomi Alderman on Page 410 (December 30, 2008)
"“The male world demands male ideas, voices, and..." - Naomi Alderman on Page 410 (December 30, 2008)
"OK, many of the things being said in this thread are quite..." - Harriet Rubin on Page 410 (December 30, 2008)
"I wish I could make my point better, because I think it is..."
Comments
Previous page
with comments
<<
See all
comments
Go
Next page
with comments
>>