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st； or why would you be here？ You want me to repeat it for you； is that it？〃
〃What we want is to hear it from you yourself； Mr。 Hazzard。〃
〃Very well； then。 He is a private detective。 As you already know。 I selected and hired him。 As you already know。 And he was being paid a fee； he was being retained； to watch； to keep his eye on； this man Georgesson whom you're concerned with。 As you already know。〃
〃Very well； we do already know； Mr。 Hazzard。 But what we don't already know； what he couldn't tell us； because he didn't know himself； was what was the nature of your interest in Georgesson； why you were having him watched。〃
And the other one took up where the first had left off： 〃Would you care to tell us that； Mr。 Hazzard？ Why were you having him watched？ What was your reason for doing that？〃
Out on the stairs； her heart seemed to turn over and lie down flat on its face。 〃My God；〃 went echoing sickly through her mind。 〃Now I e into it！〃
〃That's an extremely private matter；〃 he said sturdily。
〃I see； you don't care to tell us。〃
〃I didn't say that〃
〃But still； you'd rather not tell us。〃
〃You're putting words into my mouth。〃
〃Because you don't seem to supply us with any of your own。〃
〃It's essential for you to know this？〃
〃We wouldn't be here if it weren't； I can assure you。 This man of yours； Carter； was the one who reported Georgesson's death to us。〃
〃I see。〃 She heard him take a deep breath。 And she took one with him。 Two breaths； one and the same fear。
〃Georgesson was a gambler；〃 he said。
〃We know that。〃
〃A crook； a confidence man； an all…around shady operator。〃
〃We know that。〃
〃Then here's the part you don't。 Back about…it must be four years ago…three； anyway…my older brother Hugh was a senior at Dartmouth College。 He started down here to spend the Christmas holidays at home； with us。 He got as far as New York； and then he never got any further。 He never showed up。 He wasn't on the train that was to have brought him in the next day。 We got a long…distance phone…call from him； and he was in trouble。 He was practically being held there against his will。 He'd gotten into a card…game； it seems； the night before with this Georgesson and a few of his friends…setup； of course…and they'd taken him for I don't know how many thousands； which he didn't have； and they wanted a settlement before they'd let him go。 They had him good； it had the makings of a first…class mess in it Hugh was just a high…spirited kid； used to associating with decent people； gentlemen； not that kind of vermin； and he hadn't known how to handle himself。 They'd built him up for it all evening long； liquored him up； thrown a couple of mangy chorusgirls at him in the various spots they'd dragged him around to first…well； anyway； because of my mother's health and the family's good name； there could be no question of calling the police into it； it would have been altogether too smelly。 So my father went up there in person…I went along with him； incidentally…and squared the thing off for him。 At about fifty cents to the dollar； or something like that。 Got back the I。O。U。's they'd extorted from the kid。 And brought him home with us。
〃That's about all there was to it。 Not a very new story； it's happened over and over。 But naturally； I wasn't likely to forget this Georgesson in a hurry。 Well； when I learned he was down here in Caulfield a few weeks ago； showing his face around； I didn't know if it was a coincidence or not； but I wasn't taking any chances。 I got in touch with a detective agency in New York and had them send Carter down here； just to try to find out what he was up to。
〃And there you have it。 Now does that answer your question？ Is that satisfactory？〃
They didn't say it was； she noticed。 She waited； but she didn't hear them say it was。
〃He didn't approach you or your family in any way？ He didn't molest you？〃
〃He didn't e near us。〃
（Which was technically correct； she agreed wryly； she'd had to go to him each time。）
〃You would have heard about it before now； if he had；〃 he assured them。 〃I wouldn't have waited for you to look me up； I would have looked you up。〃
With catastrophic casualness a non…sequitur followed。 She suddenly heard one of them ask him； 〃Do you want to bring along a hat； Mr。 Hazzard？〃
〃It's right outside in the hall；〃 he answered drily。 〃I'll pick it up as we go by。〃
They were ing out of the room。 With an infantile whimper； that was almost like that of a little girl running away from goblins in the dark； she turned and fled up the stairs again； back to her room。
〃No…！ No…！ No…！〃 she kept moaning with feverish reiteration。
They were arresting him； they were accusing him； they were taking him with them。
47
Distracted； she flung herself down on the bench before her dressing…table。 Her head rolled soddenly about on her shoulders； as though she were drunk。 Her hair was displaced； burying one eye。
〃No…！ No…！〃 she kept insisting。 〃They can't… It isn't fair…〃
They wouldn't let him go… They'd never let him go again… He wouldn't e back… He'd never e back to her…
〃Oh； for the love of God； help me！ I can't take any more of this！〃
And then； as in the fairy tales； as in the story…books of old； where everything always es out all right； where good is good and bad is bad； and the magic spell is always broken just in time for the happy ending； there it was…right under her eyes…
Lying there； waiting。 Only asking to be picked up。 A white oblong； a sealed envelope。 A letter from the dead。
A voice trapped in it seemed to whisper through the seams to her； faint； far away： 〃When you're in the most need； and I'm not here； open this。 When your need is the greatest； and you're all alone。 Goodbye； my daughter； my daughter； goodbye 。 。 。〃
〃I； Grace Parmentier Hazzard； wife of Donald Sedgwick Hazzard； being on my death…bed； and in the presence of my attorney and lifelong counsellor Tyrus Winthrop； who will duly notarize my signature to this and bear witness to it if called upon to do so by the legally constituted authorities； hereby make the following statement； of my own free will and volition； and declare it to be the truth：
That at approximately 10。30 P。M。 on the evening of 24th September； being alone in the house with just my devoted friend and housekeeper； Josephine Walker； and my grandchild； I received a long…distance telephone…call from Hastings； in the neighboring State。 That the caller was a certain Harry Carter； known to me as a private investigator and employed by my family and myself as such。 That he informed me that just a few moments earlier my beloved daughter…in…law； Patrice； the widow of my late son； Hugh； had been driven against her will to Hastings by a man using the name of Stephen Georgesson； and had there been pelled to enter into a marriage…ceremony with him under duress。 And that at that time； while he spoke to me； they were on their way back here； to this city； together。
Upon receipt of this information； and having obtained from this Mr。 Carter the address of the aforementioned Stephen Georgesson； I dressed myself； called Josephine Walker to me； and told her I was going out； and would be away for only a short time。 She tried to dissuade me； and to prevail upon me to reveal my purpose and where I was going； but I would not I instructed her to wait for me close beside the front door； in order to admit me at once upon my return； and under no circumstances； then or at any later time； to reveal to anyone that I had left the house at that time or under those circumstances。 I caused her to take an oath upon the Bible； and knowing the nature of her religious beliefs and early upbringing knew she would not break it afterward no matter what befell。
I removed and carried with me a gun which habitually was kept in a desk in the library of my home； having first inserted into it the cartridges。 In order to lessen recognition as much as possible； I put on the heavy veil of mourning which I had worn at the time of the death of my elder son。
I walked a short distance from my own door； entirely alone and unacpanied； and at the first opportunity engaged a public taxicab。 In it I went to the quarters of Stephen Georgesson； to seek him out。 I found he had not yet returned when I first arrived； and I therefore waited； sitting in the taxi a short distance from his door； until I saw him return and enter。 As soon as he had； I immediately entered in turn； right after him； and was admitted by him。 I raised my veil in order to let him see my face； and I could see that he guessed who I was； although he'd never seen me before。
I asked him if it was true that he had just now forced my dead son's wife to enter a marriage…pact with him； as had been reported to me。
He readily admitted it； naming the place and time。
Those were the only words that passed between us。 Nothing further was said。 Nothing further needed to be。
I immediately took out the gun； held it close toward him； and fired it at him as he stood there before me。
I fired it only once。 I would have fired it more than once； if necessary； in order to kill him； it was my full intention to kill him。 But having waited to see if he would move again； and seeing that he did not；