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〃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 afterthought。 A little too long after。
〃Why； you great big coward。〃
The hand that would have held the pin was a trifle unsteady； she noticed； when he first put it back to the wheel。 Then it quieted。
They drove the rest of the way。 The rest of the way lay mostly through open country。 There were stars overhead。
〃I've never seen so many！〃 she marvelled。
〃Maybe you haven't been looking up enough；〃 he said gently。
Toward the end； just before they got there； a peculiar sort of tenderness seemed to overe him for a minute。 He even slowed the car a little； as he turned to her。
〃I want you to be happy tonight； Patrice；〃 he said earnestly。 〃I want you to be very happy。〃
There was a moment's silence between them； then they picked up speed again。
32
And for the next one； right after that； the tune they played was 〃Three Little Words。〃 She remembered that afterward。 That least of all things about it； the tune they had been playing at the time。 She was dancing it with Bill。 For that matter she'd been dancing them all with him； steadily； ever since they'd arrived。 She wasn't watching； she wasn't looking around her； she wasn't thinking of anything but the two of them。
Smiling dreamily； she danced。 Her thoughts were like a little brook running swiftly but smoothly over harmless pebbles； keeping time with the tinkling music。
I like dancing with him。 He dances well； you don't have to keep thinking about your feet。 He's turned his face toward me and is looking down at me； I can feel it。 Well； I'll look up at him； and then he'll smile at me； but I won't smile back at him。 Watch。 There； I knew that was ing。 I will not smile back。 Oh； well； what if I did？ It slipped out before I could stop it Why shouldn't I smile at him； anyway？ That's the way I feel about him； smilingly fond。
A hand touched Bill's shoulder from behind。 She could see the fingers slanted downward for a second； on her side of it； without seeing the hand or arm or person it belonged to。
A voice said： 〃May I cut in on this one？〃
And suddenly they'd stopped。 Bill had stopped； so she had to； too。
His arms left her。 A shuffling motion took place； Bill stepped aside； and there was someone else there in his place。 It was like a double exposure； where one person dissolves into another。
Their eyes met； hers and the new pair。 His had been waiting for hers； and hers had foolishly run into his。 They couldn't move again。
The rest was horror； sheer and unadulterated。 Horror such as she'd never known she could experience。 Horror under the electric lights。 Death on the dance floor。 Her body stayed upright； but otherwise she had every feeling of death coursing through it。
〃Georgesson's the name；〃 he murmured unobtrusively to Bill。 His lips hardly seemed to stir at all。 His eyes didn't leave hers。
Bill pleted the ghastly parody of an introduction。 〃Mrs。 Hazzard； Mr。 Georgesson。〃
〃How do you do？〃 he said to her。
Somehow there was even worse horror in the trite phrase than there had been in the original confrontation。 She was screaming in silent inward panic； her lips locked tight； unable even to speak Bill's name and prevent the transfer。
〃May I？〃 Georgesson said； and Bill nodded； and the transfer had been pleted； it was too late。
Then for a moment； blessed reprieve。 She felt his arms close about her； and her face sank into the sheltering shadow of his shoulder； and she was dancing again。 She no longer had to stand upright； unsupported。 There； that was better。 A minute to think in。 A minute to get your breath in。
The music went on； their dancing went on。 Bill's face faded away in the background。
〃We've met before； haven't we？〃
Keep me from fainting； she prayed； keep me from falling。
He was waiting for his answer。
Don't speak； don't answer him。
〃Who'd he say you were？〃
Her feet faltered； missed。
〃Don't make me keep on doing this； I can't。 Help me…outside someplace…or I'm…〃
〃Too warm for you？〃 he said politely。
She didn't answer。 The music was dying。 She was dying。
He said； 〃You went out of step； just then。 My fault； I'm afraid。〃
〃Don't…〃 she whimpered。 〃Don't…〃
The music stopped。 They stopped。
His arm left her back； but his hand stayed tight about her wrist； holding her there beside him for a moment。
He said； 〃There's a veranda outside。 Over there； out that way。 I'll go out there and wait for you； and we can…go ahead talking。〃
She hardly knew what she was saying。 〃I can't…You don't understand…〃 Her neck wouldn't hold firm； her head kept trying to lob over limply。
〃I think I do。 I think I understand perfectly。 I understand you； and you understand me。〃 Then he added with a grisly sort of emphasis that froze her to the marrow： 〃I bet we two understand one another better than any other two people in this whole ballroom at the moment。〃
Bill was ing back toward them from the sidelines。
〃I'll be out there where I said。 Don't keep me waiting too long； or…I'll simply have to e in and look you up again。〃 His face didn't change。 His voice didn't change。 〃Thanks for the dance；〃 he said； as Bill arrived。
He didn't let go her wrist； he transferred it to Bill's keeping； as though she were something inanimate； a doll； and bowed； and turned； and left them。
〃Seen him around a few times。 Came here stag； I guess。〃 Bill shrugged in dismissal。 〃e on。〃
〃Not this one。 The one after。〃
〃Are you all right？ You look pale。〃
〃It's the lights。 I'm going in and powder。 You go and dance with someone else。〃
He grinned at her。 〃I don't want to dance with someone else。〃
〃Then you go and…and e back for me。 The one after。〃
〃The one after。〃
She watched him from just outside the doorway。 He went out front toward the bar。 She watched him go in there。 She watched him sit down on one of the tall stools。 Then she turned and went the other way。
She walked slowly over to the doors leading outside onto the veranda； and stood in one of them； looking out into the fountainpen…ink blueness of the night。 There were wicker chairs； in groups of twos and threes； spaced every few yards； encircling small tables。
The red sequin of a cigarette…coal had risen perpendicularly above one； all the way down at the end； imperiously summoning her。 Then it shot over the balustrade laterally； cast away in impatient expectancy。
She walked slowly down that way； with the strange feeling of making a journey from which there was to be no return； ever。 Her feet seemed to want to take root； hold her back of their own volition。
She came to a halt before him。 He slung his hip onto the balustrade； and sat there askew； in insolent informality。 He repeated what he'd said inside。 〃Who'd he say you were？〃
The stars were moving。 They were making peculiar eddying swirls like blurred pinwheels all over the sky。
〃You abandoned me；〃 she said with leashed fury。 〃You abandoned me； with five dollars。 Now what do you want？〃
〃Oh； then we have met before。 I thought we had。 Glad you agree with me。〃
〃Stop it。 What do you want？〃
〃W