"Are you positive that you don't want to keep it?"
"All I want is you," she replied. She didn't even broach the topic of money, fearing she could easily humiliate him. But he, on the other hand, while tenderly stroking her hair, was thinking that, were she so inclined, he could easily and passionately love having a child with her. But her nature was always to retreat-- in fact, that was why he loved her-- so he could hardly resent her for this central aspect of her nature. Still, he made one last attempt. "You know, we could try the marriage thing... We could move into a new place."
"But where would we go?" she asked. "You know I think having a kid is incredibly demanding. You'd come happily home from work only to find me totally frazzled and in a lousy mood, and it would be..."
"So how to other people manage, then, in your opinion"
"They aren't like us," she replied, and pulled away from him. What this meant was: "They're not fiercely commited to being happy." He had nothing to say in reply. That evening, they went our and drank themselves silly. The next day, he planned to ask a friend of his for an address.
Francoise Sagan, La Chamade
