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〃Do we understand one another？〃 He opened it for her。 〃I'll give you another ring after awhile。〃
He paused a moment。 The threat was so impalpable there was not even a change of inflection in the lazy drawl。
〃Don't neglect it； Patrice。〃
She got out The crack of the door was the unfelt slap…in…the…face of loathing she gave him。
〃Goodnight； Patrice；〃 he drawled after her amiably。
34
〃…perfectly plain；〃 she was saying animatedly。 〃It had a belt of the same material； and then a row of buttons down to about here。〃
She was purposely addressing herself to Mother Hazzard； to the exclusion of the two men members of the family。 Well； the topic in itself was excuse enough for that。
〃Heaven sakes； why didn't you take it？〃 Mother Hazzard wanted to know。
〃I couldn't do that；〃 she said reluctantly。 She stopped a moment； then she added： 〃Not right…then and there。〃 And played a lot with her fork。 And felt low。
They must have thought the expression on her face was wistful disappointment。 It wasn't。 It was self…disgust。
You don't have to ask openly。 There are ways； it's easy enough。 A woman knows how to go about those things。
This was one of them now。
How defenseless those who love you are against you； she thought bitterly。 How vicious and how criminal it is to trade on that selfimposed defenselessness。 As I am doing now。 Tricks and traps and wiles； those are for strangers。 Those should be used against such only。 Not against those who love you； with their guard down； with their eyes trustfully closed。 It made her skin crawl in revulsion。 She felt indecent； unclean； obscene。
Father Hazzard cut into the conversation。 〃Why didn't you just charge it up and have it sent？ You could have used Mother's account。 She deals there a lot〃
She let her eyes drop。 〃I wouldn't have wanted to do that；〃 she said reticently。
〃Nonsense…〃 He stopped suddenly。 Almost as though someone had trodden briefly on his foot under the table。
She caught Bill glancing at her。 He seemed to be holding the glance a moment longer than was necessary。 But before she could verify this； it had stopped； and he resumed bringing the suspended forkful of pie…fill up to his mouth。
〃I think I hear Hughie crying；〃 she said； and flung her napkin down and ran out to the stairs to listen。
But in the act of listening upward； she couldn't avoid overhearing Mother Hazzard's guarded voice in the dining…room behind her； spacing each word with strictural severity。
〃Donald Hazzard； you ought to be ashamed of yourself。 Do you men…folk have to be told everything？ Haven't you got a grain of tact in your heads？〃
35
In the morning Father Hazzard had lingered on at the table； she noticed when she came down； instead of leaving early with Bill。 He sat quietly reading his newspaper while she finished her coffee。 And there was just a touch of secretive self…satisfaction in his attitude； she thought。
He rose in pany with her when she got up。 〃Get your hat and coat； Pat； I want you to e with me in the car。 This young lady and I have business downtown；〃 he announced to Mother Hazzard。 The latter tried； not altogether successfully； to look blankly bewildered。
〃But what about Hughie's feeding？〃
〃I'll give him his feeding；〃 Mother Hazzard said serenely。
〃You'll be back in time for that I'm just borrowing you。〃
She got in next to him a moment later and they started off。
〃Did poor Bill have to walk to the office this morning？〃 she asked。
〃Poor Bill indeed！〃 he scoffed。 〃Do him good； the big lug。 If I had those long legs of his； I'd walk it myself； every morning。〃
〃Where are you taking me？〃
〃Now just never you mind。 No questions。 Just wait'll we get there； and you'll see。〃
They stopped in front of the bank。 He motioned her out and led her inside with him。 He said something to one of the guards in an aside； and he and she sat down to wait for a moment on a bench。
For the briefest moment only。 Then the guard had e back with a noticeable deference。 He led them toward a door marked 〃Manager； Private。〃 Before they could reach it it had already opened and a pleasant…faced； slightly stout man wearing horn…rimmed spectacles was waiting to greet them。
〃e in and meet my old friend Harve Wheelock；〃 Father Hazzard said to her。
They seated themselves in fortable leather chairs in the private office； and the two men shared cigars。
〃Harve； I've got a new customer for you。 This is my boy Hugh's wife。 Not that I think your mangy old bank is any good； but…well； you know how it is。 Just habit； I reckon。〃
The manager shook appreciatively all over； as if this were some joke between them that had been going on for years。 He winked for Patrice's benefit。 〃I agree with you there。 Sell it to you real cheap。〃
〃How cheap？〃
〃Quarter of a million。〃 Meanwhile he was penning required entries on a filing…form； as though he had all the information called for at his fingers' tips； didn't need to ask anything about it。
Father Hazzard shook his head。 〃Too cheap。 Can't be any good。〃 He offhandedly palmed an oblong of light blue paper onto the desk； left it there face down。
〃You think it over and let me know；〃 the manager said drily。 And to her； reversing his pen； 〃Sign here； honey。〃
Forger； she thought scathingly。 She handed it back； her eyes downcast。 The strip of light blue was clipped to it and it was sent out。 A midget black book came back in its stead。
〃Here you are； honey。〃 The manager tendered it to her across his desk。
She opened it and looked at it； unnoticed； while the two resumed their friendly bickering hammer and tongs。 It was so spotless； so unused yet。 At the top it said 〃Mrs。 Hugh Hazzard。〃 And there was just one entry； under today's date。 A deposit。
〃5000。00〃
36
She stood there holding the small round canister； staring frozenly at it as though she couldn't make out what was in it She'd been holding it like that for long moments； without actually seeing it。 She tilted it at last and dumped its contents into the washbowl。 It had been better than half…full。
She went out； and closed the door； and went across the hall and knocked softly。
〃I'm stepping out for just a moment； Mother。 Hughie upset his whole can of talc in the bath just now； and I want to get another before I forget。〃
〃All right； dear。 The walk'll do you good。 Oh…bring me back a bottle of that shampoo while you're in there； dear。 I'm on the last of it now。〃
She got that slightly sickened feeling she was beginning to know so well。 It was so easy to fool those who loved you。 But who were you really fooling…them or yourself？
His arm was draped negligently atop the car…door； elbow out。 The door fell open。 He made way for her by shifting leisurely over on the seat； without offering to rise。 His indolent taking of her for granted was more scathingly insulting than any overt rudeness would have been。
〃I'm sorry I had to call。 I thought you'd forgotten about our talk。 It's been more than a week now。〃
〃Forgotten？〃 she said drily。 〃I wish it were that easy。〃
〃I see you've bee a depositor of the Standard Trust since our last meeting。〃
She shot him an involuntary look of shock； without answerin