»Have patience!«
»I am patient, my dear. I have waited five years. Why shouldn't I be patient for another five minutes?«
She sat back comfortably on the chair, as though in anticipation of a rare pleasure, and crossed her naked arms and closed her eyes.
»You say it's shameful to be fine?«
»Yes, my pet, shameful.«
»But—what you say is....« He stopped short in terror.
» ... is so! Are you afraid? Never mind, never mind—it's only at first that it's frightening.«
»But afterwards?«
»You are going to stay with me and learn what comes afterwards.«
He did not understand.