I said I was very sorry for all the trouble I had caused
her. She said it was no trouble at all. I offered her a drink.
She said a drink would be nice. We sat down on the sofa. I
asked her her name again. She said, “Matilda, just like in
the song.” I said, “I’ve never known a Matilda. That’s a great
name.” “My mother always wanted to go to Australia, but naming
me Matilda was as close as she got,” she said. “Why did you
save me back there?” I said. “You looked like a good man,” she
said. “Thank you. I just got my hair cut,” I said. She laughed.
“I think I’d like you even without a haircut,” she said. “That’s
very generous of you,” I said. “I just speak the truth,” she
said. “Always?” I said. “No, just when I feel like it,” she
said. “Oh, then I’ll be careful,” I said. “You don’t have to,”
she said. “Why?” I said. “I told you, I like you,” she said.
“Can I kiss you?” I said. “If you like,” she said. So I kissed
her. And I kissed her some more. I kissed her until we were both
dizzy. “That was great,” I said. “Don’t stop,” she said. Then
I took her to bed. We made love most of that night, and it was
joyous. When we woke in the morning there was a thunderstorm.
She said, “I have to go.” I said, “Why? Wait until the storm is
over.” She said, “I can’t. I’m married.” “Oh,” I said, “that
makes a difference.” “I’m sorry,” she said, “I should have told
you.” “I guess it wouldn’t have happened then,” I said. “Probably
not,” she said. She reached in her purse and pulled out a revolver.
“And now I have to kill you. I’m sorry,” she said. “I won’t tell
anyone what happened. I promise,” I said. “It’s not that. It’s
that if you’re here I’ll want to sleep with you again. I really
like you and I can’t risk that,” she said. “Why don’t you leave
your husband?” I said. “I can’t. We married for life, and,
besides, he’s immortal,” she said. “He’s what?” I said. “He’s
immortal. I know, I’ve tried to poison him three times and I shot
him through the heart twice. It doesn’t bother him,” she said.
“Also, he’s terribly jealous and has a bad temper.” “That’s
a shame, it really is, but you don’t have to kill me. We can
tell him we’re just friends,” I said. “But he knows when I lie
to him,” she said. “Okay, shoot me,” I said. She aimed the
pistol at my head, and then said, “I can’t do it.” “Why not?”
I said. “Because I don’t have any bullets,” she said.