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he boys were born…〃
〃I never knew。 You never told me… But is it getting worse？〃
〃Things like that don't improve as you get on in years；〃 he said gently。
She let her head slant to rest against his shoulder； in punction。
He patted her hand consolingly。 〃She'll be all right We'll see that she is； you and I； between us； won't。we？〃
She shivered a little； involuntarily； at that。
〃It's just that we've got to cushion her against all shocks and upsets；〃 he said。 〃You and the young fellow； you're about the best medicine for her there is。 Just having you around…〃
And if in the morning she had asked for Patrice； asked for her grandchild； and he'd had to tell her…She fell strangely silent； looking down at the steps under their feet； but no longer seeing them。 And if she'd e out of her room five minutes later； just missing the doctor as he left； she might have brought death into this house； in repayment for all the love that had been lavished on her。 Killed the only mother she'd ever known。
He misunderstood her abstraction； pressed her chin with the cleft of his hand。 〃Now don't take it like that； she wouldn't want you to； you know。 And Pat； don't let her know you've found out about it。 Let her keep on thinking it's her secret and mine。 I know she'll be happier that way。〃
She sighed deeply。 It was a sigh of decision； of capitulation to the inevitable。 She turned and kissed him briefly on the side of the head and stroked his hair a couple of times。 Then she stood up。
〃I'm going up；〃 she said quietly。 〃Go down and put out the halllight after us； a minute。〃
He retraced his steps momentarily。 She picked up the valise； the coat； the hat； and quietly reopened the door of her own room。
〃Goodnight； Patrice。〃
〃Goodnight； Father； I'll see you in the morning。〃
She carried them in with her； and closed the door； and in the darkness on the other side she stood still a minute。 A silent； choking prayer welled up in her。
〃Give me strength； for there's no running away； I see that now。 The battle must be fought out here where I stand； and I dare not even cry out〃
30
Then they stopped suddenly。 There were no more。 No more came。 The days became a week； the week became a month。 The month lengthened toward two。 And no more came。
It was as though the battle had been won without striking a blow。 No； she knew that wasn't so； it was as though the battle had been broken off； held in abeyance； at the whim of the crafty； shadowy adversary。
She clutched at straws…straws of attempted prehension…and they all failed her。
Mother Hazzard said： 〃Edna Harding got back today； she's been visiting their folks in Philadelphia the past several weeks。〃
But no more came。
Bill remarked： 〃I ran into Tom Bryant today； he tells me his older sister Marilyn's been laid up with pleurisy； she only got out of bed for the first time today。〃
〃I thought I hadn't seen her。〃
But no more came。
Caulfield： Population； 203；000； she thought。 That was what the atlas in the library said。 And a pair of hands to each living soul of them。 One to hold down the flap of a letter…box； on some secret shadowy corner； the other to quickly； furtively slip an envelope through the slot。
No more came。 Yet the enigma remained。 What was it？ Who was it？ Or rather； what had it been？ Who had it been？
Yet deep in her innermost heart she knew somehow the present tense still fitted it； none other would do。 Things like that didn't just happen and then stop。 They either never began at all； or else they ran on to their shattering； destructive conclusion。
But in spite of that； security crept back a little； frightened off once and not so bold now as before； but crept tentatively back toward her a little。
In the mornings the world was bitter…sweet to look at； seeming to hold its breath； waiting to see…
31
Mother Hazzard knocked on her door just as she'd finished tucking Hughie in。 There wasn't anything exceptional about this； it was a nightly event； the filching of a last grandmotherly kiss just before the light went out。 Tonight； however； she seemed to want to talk to Patrice herself。 And not to know how to go about it。
She lingered on after she'd kissed him； and the side of the crib had been lifted into place。 She stood there somewhat uncertainly； her continued presence preventing Patrice from switching out the light
There was a moment's awkwardness。
〃Patrice。〃
〃Yes； Mother？〃
Suddenly she'd blurted it out。 〃Bill wants to take you to the Country Club dance with him tonight He's waiting down there now。〃
Patrice was so pletely taken back she didn't answer for a moment； just stood there looking at her。
〃He told me to e up and ask you if you'd go with him。〃 Then she rushed on； as if trying to talk her into it by sheer profusion of wordage； 〃They have one about once each month； you know； and he's going himself； he usually does； and…why don't you get dressed and go with him？〃 she ended up on a coaxing note。
〃But I…I〃 Patrice stammered。
〃Patrice； you've got to begin sooner or later。 It isn't good for you not to。 You haven't been looking as well as you might lately。 We're a little worried about you。 If there's something troubling you… You do what Mother says； dear。〃
It was apparently an order。 Or as close to an order as Mother Hazzard could ever have brought herself to e。 She had opened Patrice's closet…door； meanwhile； and was peering helpfully inside。 〃How about this？〃 She took something down； held it up against herself to show her。
〃I haven't very much…〃
〃It'll do nicely。〃 It landed on the bed。 〃They're not very formal there。 I'll have Bill buy you an orchid or gardenia on the way； that'll dress it up enough。 You just go and get the feel of it tonight。 It'll begin ing back to you little by little。〃 She smiled reassuringly at her。 〃You'll be in good hands。〃 She patted her on the shoulder as she turned to go outside。 〃Now that's a good girl。 I'll tell Bill you're getting ready。〃
Patrice overheard her call down to him from above…stairs； a moment later； without any attempt at modulating her voice： 〃The answer is yes。 I talked her into it。 And you be very nice to her； young man； or you'll hear from me。〃
He was standing waiting for her just inside the door when she came downstairs。
〃Am I all right？〃 she asked uncertainly。
He was suddenly overe with some sort of awkwardness。 〃Gee； I…I didn't know how you could look in the evening；〃 he said haltingly。
For the first few moments of the drive； there was a sort of shyness between them； almost as though they'd only just met tonight for the first time。 It was very impalpable； but it rode with them。 He turned on the radio in the car。 Dance music rippled back into their faces。 〃To get you into the mood；〃 he said。
He stopped； and got out； and came back with an orchid。 〃The biggest one north of Venezuela；〃 he said。 〃Or wherever they e from。〃
〃Here； pin it on for me。〃 She selected a place。 〃Right about here。〃
Abruptly； he balked at that； for some strange reason。 All but shied away bodily。 〃Oh no； that you do yourself；〃 he said； more forcefully than she could see any reason for。
〃I might stick myself；〃 he added lamely as an afterthou