to push the seduction a little and sheâs making him so goddamn hot, and he puts an arm around her and she says, âWhat gives now? Watch out, my funny man, and more for the jewels. They are precious, even the box is precious, and some can break,â and pushes him off the bunk to the floor. âHavenât you heard? Good things come to those who wait, and even then they may not arrive,â and he says, âIâve heard that, except the ending, but okay, I wonât pushânot your way, at least,â and she says, âNow you talk in riddles. And come, get off the floor, you look like a dog,â and he sits beside her and says, âI meant pushing with the hands. Nor the other way, urging myself on you romantically, though itâs certainly what Iâd want, the romanceâyou wouldnât?â and she says, âThat kind of talk should only be between lovers, and we arenât that yet and may never be. Time will tell, time will tell,â and he says, âYouâre right. If youâre interested youâll tell me, agreed?â and she says, âNow at this point I can see where Europe has sharpened and civilized you, as you told me yesterday, but only in spurts. You need to travel there more. And now that youâre in a soft mood, it means I can go past mere love and sex and friendsâ playfulness and tell your fortune. Would you like me for that?â and he says, âI donât know if I could believe in it,â and she says sulkily, âThen I wonât; without your faith, Iâd only rummage over your palm,â and he says, âNo, please, do, Iâm very interested, and youâre probably an expert at it.â She closes the boxââI am, but youâre a liar, though I like itââtakes his hand, and traces it with her finger, tells him heâll marry early, have a good wife, fine children, then a second good wife, young and beautiful and wealthy like the first. âThe first wonât die but she will disappear and everyone will wonder why and even accuse you but no one will find out, and the mystery will never be solved. The law will permit you to remarry after two years to let the new wife help you with your babies.â Heâll do well in his profession. He has a romantic and artistic turn to his nature but also one that will make barrels of money, so much so he wonât need his wivesâ. Heâll be well educated, travel around the world twice, marry a third timeââDid I mention that before?ââand he says, âNo, just two,â and she says, âPerhaps because the first two are real marriages, the second wife running off with someone like your brotherâdo you have one?â and he says, âYes, in a way, older,â and she says, âThen you have to watch out for him, but it could also be a best friend. And then, soon after, while youâre broken down in sorrowâand this is why I must have said you only marry twiceâyou settle down with a young woman so young she is not even legal for you and you must live elsewhere and out of wedlock. I think it says here,â jabbing the center of his palm, âshe is first someone you teach like your student and then pretend to take in as an adopted daughter, and have two more children.â âHow many altogether with the three women?â and she counts on his hand: âFour ⦠five ⦠six, which is a lot for today,â and he says, âAnd their sex? How are they divided up male and female?â and she says, âItâs difficult to distinguish those markings here. But soon after your final child, and while all never leave home from you, it saysââ and suddenly she looks alarmed, drops his hand, and says, âNo more, I donât want to go on,â and he asks why and she says, âPlease donât ask,â and he says, âWhat, my lifeline?â and she says,