The Graduate Read Free Page A

the inside of the wastebasket, then sat back up and folded her hands in her lap. It was quiet for several moments.
    “The bathroom’s at the end of the hall,” Benjamin said.

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    “I know.”
    She didn’t move from the bed but sat watching him until finally Benjamin turned around and walked to the door. “Excuse me,” he said. “I think I’ll go on a walk.”
    “Benjamin?”
    “What.”
    “Come here a minute.”
    “Look I’m sorry to be rude, Mrs. Robinson. But I’m ...”
    She held out her hands. “Just for a minute,” she said.
    Benjamin shook his head and walked back to the bed. She took both his hands in hers and looked up into his face for several moments.
    “What do you want,” he said.
    “Will you take me home?”
    “What?”
    “My husband took the car. Will you drive me home?”
    Benjamin reached into one of his pockets for the keys.
    “Here,” he said. “You take the car.”
    “What?”
    “Borrow the car. I’ll come and get it tomorrow.”
    “Don’t you want to take me home?” she said, raising her eyebrows.
    “I want to be alone, Mrs. Robinson. Now do you know how to work a foreign shift?”
    She shook her head.
    “You don’t?”
    “No.”
    Benjamin waited a few momnets, then returned the keys to his pocket.
    “Let’s go,” he said.
    Mr. Braddock was standing in the front doorway saying goodbye to the Terhunes. “Mrs. Robinson needs a ride home,” Benjamin said. “I’ll be right back.”

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    “Wonderful party,” Mrs. Robinson said. She took her coat from a closet beside the front door, put it on and followed Benjamin back through the house and out to the garage. He got into the car and started the engine and she got in beside him.
    “What kind of car is this,” she said.
    “I don’t know.”
    He backed out the driveway and they drove without speaking the several miles between the Braddocks’ home and the Robinsons’.
    Benjamin stopped by the curb in front of her house. Mrs. Robinson reached up to push some hair away from her forehead and turned in her seat to smile at him.
    “Thank you,” she said.
    “Right.”
    She didn’t move from her seat. Finally Benjamin turned off the engine, got out and walked around to open the door for her.
    “Thank you,” she said, getting out.
    “You’re welcome.”
    “Will you come in, please?”
    “What?”
    “I want you to come in till I get the lights on.”
    “What for.”
    “Because I don’t feel safe until I get the lights on.”
    Benjamin frowned at her, then followed her up a flagstone walk to the front porch. She found a key in her purse. When the door was opened she reached up to the wall just inside and turned on a hall light.
    “Would you mind walking ahead of me to the sun porch?” she said.
    “Can’t you see now?”
    “I feel funny about coming into a dark house,” she said.
    “But it’s light in there now.”
    “Please?”
    Benjamin waited a moment but then walked ahead of her down the hall and toward the rear of the house.

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    “To your left,” she said.
    Benjamin walked to his left and down three steps leading to the sun porch. Mrs. Robinson came in behind him and turned on a lamp beside a long couch against one of the walls.
    “Thank you,” she said.
    “You’re welcome.”
    “What do you drink,” she said, “bourbon?”
    Benjamin shook his head. “Look,” he said. “I drove you home. Iwas glad to do it. But for God’s sake I have some things on my mind. Can you understand that?”
    She nodded.
    “All right then.”
    “What do you drink,” she said.
    “What?”
    “Benjamin, I’m sorry to be this way,” she said. “But I don’t want to be alone in this house.”
    “Why not.”
    “Please wait till my husband gets home.”
    “Lock the doors,” Benjamin said. “I’ll wait till you have all the doors locked.”
    “I want you to sit down till Mr. Robinson comes back.”
    “But I want to be alone!” Benjamin said.
    “Well I