“I’ll give you two hundred marks if you’ll kiss me.” “Oh, boo! What a condition! And I don’t want to kiss you—I don’t like kissing. Please go!” “Yes—you do!—yes, you do.” He caught hold of her arms above the elbows. She struggled, and was quite amazed to realise how angry she felt. “Let me go—immediately!” she cried—and he slipped one arm round her body, and drew her towards him—like a bar of iron across her back—that arm. “Leave me alone! I tell you. Don’t be mean! I didn’t want this to happen when you came into my room. How dare you?” “Well, kiss me and I’ll go!” It was too idiotic—dodging that stupid, smiling face. “I won’t kiss you!—you brute!—I won’t!” Somehow she slipped out of his arms and ran to the wall—stood back against it—breathing quickly. “Get out!” she stammered. “Go on now, clear out!” At that moment, when he was not touching her, she quite enjoyed herself. She thrilled at her own angry voice. “To think I should talk to a man like that!” An angry flush spread over his face—his lips curled back, showing his teeth—just like a dog, thought Viola. He made a rush at her, and held her against the wall—pressed upon her with all the weight of his body. This time she could not get free. “I won’t kiss you. I won’t. Stop doing that! Ugh! you’re like a dog—you ought to find lovers round lamp-posts—you beast—you fiend!” He did not answer. With an expression of the most absurd determination he pressed ever more heavily upon her. He did not even look at her—but rapped out in a sharp voice: “Keep quiet—keep quiet.” “Gar-r! Why are men so strong?” She began to cry. “Go away—I don’t want you, you dirty creature. I want to murder you. Oh, my God! if I had a knife.” “Don’t be silly—come and be good!” He dragged her towards the bed. “Do you suppose I’m a light woman?” she snarled, and swooping over she fastened her teeth in his glove. “Ach! don’t do that—you are hurting me!” She did not let go, but her heart said, “Thank the Lord I thought of this.” “Stop this minute—you vixen—you bitch.” He threw her away from him. She saw with joy that his eyes were full of tears. “You’ve really hurt me,” he said in a choking voice. “Of course I have. I meant to. That’s nothing to what I’ll do if you touch me again.” The strange man picked up his hat. “No thanks,” he said grimly. “But I’ll not forget this—I’ll go to your landlady.” “Pooh!” She shrugged her shoulders and laughed. “I’ll tell her you forced your way in here and tried to assault me. Who will she believe?—with your bitten hand. You go and find your Schäfers.” A sensation of glorious, intoxicating happiness flooded Viola. She rolled her eyes at him. “If you don’t go away this moment I’ll bite you again,” she said, and the absurd words started her laughing. Even when the door was closed, hearing him descending the stairs, she laughed, and danced about the room.