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wrong.
    â€œIt’s a marvelous view. I’m glad I came, Gopi. And now I’m glad to be with you and that we’re having this talk. It’s good to have the chance to clear up any misunderstanding. I mean, regarding the way I feel about you.”
    â€œHow do you feel about me?”
    â€œI told you. I like you.”
    â€œLike! This is not what we have come upstairs for.”
    He was sitting up on the bed. They were very close together. She could see the tears that sparkled on his lashes. Although he already had a strong growth of beard, his complexion was as smooth as that of a child. His eyes were velvet and heavy. He looked very oriental. She wished they could be closer together in understanding, that she could explain herself better to him. But perhaps it was not possible by means of words.
    â€œOkay,” she said. She unbuttoned her blouse and took it off. She was wearing nothing underneath. He stared. He couldn’t believe it for a moment. Then he wasted no more time. He was a strong boy, brimful of appetite though not very skilled. She suffered rather than enjoyed while he lay on top of her. But she was glad to be doing this for him and, at the final moment, thought to herself that perhaps this was part of the merging she had so ardently desired while looking out of the window.
    By the Swimming Pool
    When Lee took her to meet Raymond and Gopi, Asha was delighted. She always liked meeting young people. She also adored Raymond’s flat and marveled at the way a man could make himself so comfortable and have all these nice ideas.
    She took a special fancy to Raymond. She sat close beside him and asked him many questions and while he was answering them she touched his knee in an affectionate way. She heard about how he had come here to spend a year or two on his aunt’slegacy, and she advised him about all the places he ought to see. She also invited him to come and stay in Rao Sahib’s state of Maupur: “If you really want to see India,” she said, sounding a little doubtful. Raymond said he did, very much, and he would love to come, thanks most awfully.
    â€œIt’s very dull,” she warned him. “Right in the desert—nothing to see, nothing to do,” but then she looked round at the other two and added, “Of course if we all go, we could have fun. All four of us together.” She became enthusiastic about this idea and seemed to wish that they could set off there and then. And failing that, why didn’t she take them out for a nice drive, she said, she had Rao Sahib’s car and chauffeur outside and they could go wherever they liked.
    They drove to one of the big hotels which had a floodlit swimming pool. Although it was so late at night, the place was quite crowded. There was a band playing in white tuxedos and waiters hurried about with trays to serve the guests lying in deck chairs. Lee and Gopi hired costumes but Asha said she was too ashamed of her figure and would just sit and watch them. Raymond also didn’t want to go in. Gopi asked him “Really? You don’t want to? Really?” very solicitously; he had been solicitous and affectionate toward Raymond throughout these last few days, ever since he had gone off with Lee and left Raymond deliberately behind. Now it was as if he wanted to make up for that and also any other harshness he may have shown him.
    Asha talked to Raymond. She still touched him as she talked, on his arm, his knee, but purely out of habit. While she had sat in the car beside him, she had squeezed herself against him but had felt no answering thrill. She understood; it did not make her like Raymond any less. Now she was telling him about the English governess she had had as a girl, a Miss Hart. Miss Hart had taught her to esteem everything English very highly. She had tried to curb Asha’s appetite for Indian food in favor of a healthy diet of roast mutton and caramel custard. It was eating all that