''You are thinking of London,'' I say.

She lifts her head. ''London, miss?''

I nod. ''What do ladies do there, at this hour in the day?''

''Ladies, miss?''

''Ladies, like me.''

She looks about her. Then, after a second: ''Make visits, miss?''§思§兔§在§線§閱§讀§

''Visits?''

''To other ladies?''

Ah.''

She does not know. She is making it up. I am sure she is making

it up! Even so, I think over her words and my heart beats suddenly

hard. Ladies, I said, like me. There are no ladies like me, however;

and for a second I have a clear and frightening picture of myself in

London, alon