The Graduate Read Free Page B

know you do,” she said. “But I don’t.”
    “Are you afraid to be alone in your own house?”
    “Yes.”
    “Can’t you just lock the doors?”
    Mrs. Robinson nodded at a chair behind him.
    “When’s he coming back,” Benjamin said.
    “I don’t know.”
    Benjamin sat down in the chair. “I’ll sit here till he gets back,” he said.
    “Then I’ll go. Good night.”

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    “Don’t you want some company?”
    “No.”
    “A drink?”
    “No.”
    Mrs. Robinson turned and walked up the three stairs leading from the porch. Benjamin folded his hands in his lap and looked at his reflection in one of the large panels of glass enclosing the room. Several moments later music began playing in another part of the house. He turned and frowned at the doorway.
    Then Mrs. Robinson walked back into the room carrying two drinks.
    “Look. I said I didn’t want any.”
    She handed it to him, then went to the side of the room and pulled a cord. Two large curtains slid closed across the windows. Benjamin shook his head and looked at the drink. Mrs. Robinson seated herself on a couch beside his chair. Then it was quiet.
    “Are you always this much afraid of being alone?”
    She nodded.
    “You are.”
    “Yes.”
    “Well why can’t you just lock the doors and go to bed.”
    “I’m very neurotic,” she said.
    Benjamin frowned at her a few moments, then tasted his drink and set it down on the floor.
    “May I ask you a question?” Mrs. Robinson said.
    He nodded.
    “What do you think of me.”
    “What?”
    “What do you think of me.”
    He shook his head.
    “You’ve known me nearly all your life,” she said. “Haven’t you formed any—”

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    “Look. This is kind of a strange conversation. Now I told my father I’d be right back.”
    “Don’t you have any opinions at all?”
    “No,” he said. He glanced at his watch. “Look, I’m sure Mr. Robinson will be here any minute. So please lock your doors and let me go.”
    “Benjamin?”
    “What.”
    “Did you know I was an alcoholic?”
    Benjamin shook his head. “Mrs. Robinson,” he said, “I don’t want to talk about this.”
    “Did you know that?”
    “No.”
    “You never suspected?”
    “Mrs. Robinson, this is none of my business,” Benjamin said, rising from the chair. “Now excuse me because I’ve got to go.”
    “You never suspected I was an alcoholic.”
    “Goodbye, Mrs. Robinson.”
    “Sit down,” she said.
    “I’m leaving now.”
    She stood and walked to where he was standing to put one of her hands on his shoulder. “Sit down,” she said.
    “I’m leavingg, Mrs. Robinson.”
    “Why.”
    “Because I want to be alone.”
    “My husband will probably be back quite late,” she said.
    Benjamin forwned at her.
    “Mr. Robinson probably won’t be here for several hours.”
    Benjamin took a step backwards. “Oh my God,” he said.
    “What?”
    “Oh no, Mrs. Robinson. Oh no.”

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    “What’s wrong.”
    Benjamin looked at her a few moments longer, then turned around and walked to one of the curtains. “Mrs. “Robinson,” he said, “You didn’t—I mean you didn’t expect ...”
    “What?”
    “I mean you—you didn’t really think I would do something like that.”
    “Like what?”
    “What do you think!” he said.
    “Well I don’t know.”
    “Come on, Mrs. Robinson.”
    “What?”
    “For God’s sake, Mrs. Robinson. Here we are. You’ve got me in your house. You put on music. You give me a drink. We’ve both been drinking already. Now you start opening up your personal life to me and tell me your husband won’t be home for hours.”
    “So?”
    “Mrs. Robinson,” he said, turning around, “you are trying to seduce me.”
    She frowned at him.
    “Aren’t you.”
    She seated herself again on the couch.
    “Aren’t you?”
    “Why no,” she said, smiling. “I hadn’t thought of it. I feel rather flattered that you...”
    Suddenly Benjamin put his hands up over