'Yes, but really ...' she leaned close to him. 'You cantell me,' she said, 'I promise I won't breathe a word to asoul.'
He returned her a slow smile in place of a reply.
'Oh, I know...'she said,'you're going to tell me thatyou've signed some kind of oath.'
That's right,' Swann said.
'- And you're forbidden to give away any tradesecrets.'
'The intention is to give you pleasure,' he told her.'Have I failed in that?'
'Oh no,' she replied, without a moment's hesitation.'Everybody's talking about the show. You're the toastof New York.'
'No,' he protested.
'Truly,' she said, 'I know people who would give theireye-teeth to get into this theatre. And to have a guidedtour backstage ... well, I'll be the envy of everybody.'
'I'm pleased,' he said, and touched her face. She hadclearly been anticipating such a move on his part. Itwould be something else for her to boast of: herseduction by the man critics had dubbed the Magusof Manhattan.
'I'd like to make love to you,' he whispered to her.
'Here?' she said.
'No,' he told her. 'Not within ear-shot of thetigers.'
She laughed. She preferred her lovers twenty yearsSwann's junior - he looked, someone had observed,like a man in mourning for his profile, but his touchpromised wit no boy could offer. She liked the tang ofdissolution she sensed beneath his gentlemanly fagade.Swann was a dangerous man. If she turned him downshe might never find another.
'We could go to a hotel,' she suggested.
'A hotel,' he said, 'is a good idea.'
A look of doubt had crossed her face.
'What about your wife ...?' she said. 'We might beseen.'
He took her hand. 'Shall we be invisible, then?'
Tm serious.'
'So am I,' he insisted. 'Take it from me; seeing is