She wanted to be herself again, to recover all that she had been obliged to give up in half a century of servitude that had doubtless made her happy but which, once her husband was dead, did not leave her even the vestiges of her identity.

Tell him yes. Even if you are dying of fear, even if you are sorry later, because whatever you do, you will be sorry all the rest of your life if you say no.

She felt the abyss of disenchantment.

and it was always without pretensions of loving or being loved although always in the hope of finding something that resembled love but without the problems of love.

Tricks you need to transform something which appears fantastic, unbelievable into something plausible, credible, those I learned from journalism. The key is to tell it straight. It is done by reporters and by country folk.

How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!

I’ve remained a virgin for you.