Opening lines

One day, I was already old, in the entrance of a public place, a man came up to me. He introduced himself and said." I've known you for years. Everyone said you were beautiful when you were young, but I want to tell you I think you're more beautiful now than you were then. Rather than your face as a young woman, I prefer your face as it is now. Ravaged."

(from The Lover, by Marguerite Duras)