I spit on your graves by 1920-1959 Boris Vian Page A

bottle of rum in her hand.
    "Please don't start in again."
    "I'm not starting 'm continuing."
    "Well then don't continue. You go much too fast. It's no fun that way."
    "Things like that shouldn't last too long."
    "Yes they should. Pleasant things should last forever."
    "Do you know what really pleasant things are?"
    "Yes. Talking to you, for example."
    "But that's your pleasure. You're being selfish."
    -97-

    Boris Vian
    "You're very nasty. Do you mean my conversation bores you?"
    "I can't look at you without thinking that you are made for something very different than talking, and I can't talk to you without looking at you. But I'd just as well continue talking to you. That way I don't have to play bridge."
    "You don't like bridge?"
    She filled a glass and offered it to me. I took it and drank about half of it.
    "Pretty good." I said appreciatively, looking at the glass. "And I like too the fact that you fixed it up for me."
    She blushed.
    "It's so nice, when you're like that."
    "I assure you I can be nice in lots of other ways."
    "But you have the wrong idea. You've got a good build physically and you think that that's all that any woman wants."
    "Wants what?"
    "Physical things."
    "Those who don't want it," I asserted, "have never tried it."
    "That isn't true."
    "Have you ever tried?"
    She didn't answer, but just wrung her fingers, and then she made up her mind.
    -98-

    I Spit on Your Graves
    "What you did to me, last time..."
    "Yes..."
    "It wasn't very pleasant. It was... it was terrible."
    "But,... it wasn't unpleasant, was it?"
    "No..." she said in barely a whisper.
    I didn't press my point, but just finished my drink. I'd recovered the ground I'd lost. God, what a tough time I'd have with this girl. Some fish really do put up a battle.
    Jean had gotten up and came over to get the drinks.
    "Do you find Lou too boring?"
    "How nice you are!" said her sister.
    "Lou is very charming," I said. "I like her very much. May I have the honor of asking you for her hand."
    "Not while I'm alive," said Jean. "I come first."
    "And what does that make me," said Lou, "an orphan?"
    "You're too young," said Jean. "You've still got plenty of time. As for me..."
    I laughed, since Jean hardly looked more than a couple of years older than her sister.
    "Don't laugh like a big dope," Lou said. "Don't you think she looks old and withered?"
    -99-

    Boris Vian
    I definitely liked both of them. And they seemed to understand each other too.
    "If you don't look any worse than her when you get older," I said to Lou, "I'd be glad to marry both of you."
    "You're just terrible," Jean said. "I'm going back and play bridge. You'll dance with me soon, won't you?"
    "No, you won't," Lou said. "This time I'm first. Go play your nasty old cards."
    We danced again for a while, but the program changed and I suggested to Lou that we take a stroll outside.
    "I don't think I really want to be left alone with you," she said.
    "There's nothing for you to worry about. After all, all you'd have to do is holler."
    "Oh, yeah!" she objected, "and make everybody think I'm a big baby."
    "Alright," I said. "In that case how about going for a drink, if you don't mind."
    I went over to the bar and mixed myself a little stimulant. Lou remained where I left her.
    "Like some?"
    She shook her head no, closing her yellow eyes. I decided to leave her alone and I crossed the room to watch Jean's game.
    -100-

    I Spit on Your Graves
    "Bring you luck," I said.
    "About time, too!"
    She turned easily towards me with a radiant smile.
    "I'm losing about a hundred and thirty dollars. Not so nice, is it?"
    "That depends on how many millions you've got left," I said.
    "Shall we stop now?" she suggested. The other three players didn't seem to be especially enthusiastic about continuing, and the game broke up. As for Dexter, he'd long since taken the other girl into the garden.
    "Is that all you can get?" Jean asked, pointing to the radio with a grimace of displeasure. "I'm going to try to find