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shit。' But her tone said otherwise and Nicholas found himself wondering just what it was her father had done to her that she should despise him so。
'What about your sister？' he said。 'I'm curious because I was an only child。'
She turned away from the tank； the water's reflection in the overhead light dappling one side of her face as if she were submerged； some exotic sea creature attracted by the motion of his descent。 He imagined they were at the bottom of the sea； puckered kelp like stately bamboo waving in the deep current's breeze； he imagined they spoke sonically； bone to bone； vibrations batted back and forth like a tennis…ball。
'Gelda。' Her voice had captured an odd quality that he could not place； 'My older sister。' She sucked in some air。 'You're lucky to be alone； some things shouldn't be shared； some things are better left where they are。'
'Buried in the sand of the sea floor？' he wondered。 It seemed irrational to blame her for failing to take him into her confidence yet he found himself annoyed by her obdurate reticence。
Abruptly； he felt a tearing need to share her secrets： her humiliations； her childish maunderings； her hate and love and fear； her shame； the core that made this bolt of silk what it was； as different and fascinatingly imperfect as some strange glowing gem。 Her mystery pulled him onwards and； like a marathon swimmer who has reached his limit and； passing it； finds himself about to go under with the realization that he has attempted to discover and defeat something far too powerful for him； he knew that this same realization was the key to his reaching down to find the unplumbed reserves which would carry him onwards to reach the far shore。
But for Nicholas it was somewhat different； for part of him； at least； was well aware of those things which lay hidden there within that interminable beach； and he shuddered to face them again； to gaze upon their hideous countenances。 For once before he had e upon them and had almost been destroyed。
They went out of the house into the summer night。 The clouds had delivered themselves westward and the sky was at last clear。 The stars shone； winking； like ornaments on velvet； making them feel as if the world had wrapped them in a shawl manufactured especially for that occasion。
They strolled along the beach at the waterline； far out； for it was low tide。 Their feet picked up the damp sea grapes and their soles felt the brief pain of the fiddler crab shells。
The surf tumbled in low； faintly phosphorescent hillocks that seemed like another world viewed from the wrong end of a telescope。 Near to hand； they were alone on the beach； a point of orange； a smokily glowing coal； bespoke a late barbecue in the lee of a dune far down the night。
'Are you afraid of me？' His voice was as light as mist。
'No；' she said。 'I'm not。' She stuffed her hands in the front pockets of her jeans。 'I'm just afraid。 It's been with me for more than a year and a half； this fear like a diamond shadow…image I can't manage to shake。'
'We're all afraid … of something or other。'
'Jesus； Nick； don't patronize me。 You've never been afraid like this。'
'Because I'm a man？'
'Because you're you。' She stared fixedly away from him； his muscularity。 She rubbed her palms along her bare arms； he thought she shivered。 'Oh； Christ。'
He bent down； scooped up a sand…encrusted stone。 He wiped it off； feeling its ineffable smoothness against his skin。 Time had taken away all the edges； time had dictated its shape。 Yet the essence of the stone … its mooted colour； striations； imperfections of structure； density and hardness … remained。 Indomitable。
She took the stone from him and hurled it far out into the water。 It struck the surface of the sea without a splash and sank from sight as if it had never existed； but Nicholas could still feel the weight of it where it had rested in the palm of his hand。
'It would be so simple；' he said； 'if we could approach people we cared for without any past so we could see them without any coloration。'
She stood silently regarding him and only a slight tremor along her neck told him that she had heard。
'But we can't；' he continued。 'Human memory is long； it's after all what brings us together； what causes that peculiar tingling； sometimes； when we first meet； like a faint but unmistakable brush of recognition … of what？ A kindred spirit； perhaps。 An aura。 It has many names。 It exists； invisible but unallayed for all that。' He paused。 'Did you feel it when we met？'
'I felt … something。 Yes。' Her thumb stroked the back of his hand； tracing the lines of the bones there。 'A spark from a flame。' She looked down at her feet； at the damp black sand； at the rushing water。 'I'm afraid to trust you。' Her head came up abruptly as if she had made some decision and was now determined to adhere to it。 'My men have been such bastards and … I did the picking； after all。。。'
'How can I be any different； is that it？'
'But you are different； Nick。 I can feel it。' Yet she took her hand away from his。 'I can't go through it again。 I just can't。 This isn't a movie。 I don't know that everything is going to turn out right。'
'When do you ever know that？'
But she ignored him； continuing； 'We're brought up with a kind of romanticism that's so false it leads us astray。 Falling in love and marriage is forever。 The movies； then TV told us that； even … especially … the mercials。 We're all electronic babies now。 So then we pass out of 〃us〃 and into 〃I〃 … what do you do when the 〃us〃 doesn't work and the 〃I〃 is far too lonely？'
'You keep searching； I suppose。 That's all life is anyway。 It's one great search for whatever it is we want： love； money； fame； recognition； security … all of those things。 It's the degrees of importance which varies in each individual。〃
'Except for me。' Justine's voice was tinged with bitterness now。 'I don't know what I want any more。'
'What was it；' he said； 'that you wanted in San Francisco？' He saw only her outline； an ebon figure in the darkness； blotting out the starlight where she stood。
Her voice； when she answered； was like a wisp out of time； a cold tendril； slightly unearthly； so that he felt a brief shiver run through him。
'I wanted；' she said； 'to be dominated。'
… 'I still can't believe I said that to you。'
They lay； naked； beneath he sheets in his bed。 A beam of moonlight came in through the windows overlooking the sea like an ethereal bridge to another land。
'Why？' Nicholas asked her。
'Because I'm ashamed of it。 I'm ashamed I ever felt that way。 I don't ever want to be like that again。 I reject it。'
'Is it so terrible； then； to want to be dominated？'
'The way I wanted it 。。。 Yes； it was … unnatural。'
'How do you mean that？'
She turned around and he felt the soft press of her breasts against his skin。 'I don't want to talk about it any more。 Let's just forget I ever said it。'
He took her bare arms in his hands and looked her full in the face。 'Let's get one thing straight。 I am who I am。 I'm not …what was that guy's name in San Francisco？'
'Chris。'
Tm not Chris and I'm not anyone else who's been in your
life。' He paused； studying her eyes。 'Do you understa