Зима тревоги нашей

           "Youmeanyou’llgotobedandleavehimsittingthere?"

           "Heneedshisrevengeonusforhavingbornehim."

           "Idon’tknowwhatyou’retalkingabout.Whatrevenge?"

           "Iwanttomakeatreatywithyoubecauseyou’regrowingangry."

           "SoIam.You’rebeingstupid."

           "Ifwithinhalfanhourafterwegotobedhedoesnotcreeptohisnest,Iwillpayyouforty-sevenmillion,eighthundredandtwenty-sixdollarsandeightycents."

           Well,Ilost,andImustpayher.Itwasthirty-fiveminutesafterwesaidgoodnightthatthestaircreakedunderourcelebrity.

           "Ihateyouwhenyou’reright,"myMarysaid.Shehadpreparedherselftospendthenightlistening.

           "Iwasn’tright,dear.Ilostbyfiveminutes.It’sjustthatIremember."

           Shewenttosleepthen.Shedidn’thearEllencreepdownthestairs,butIdid.Iwaswatchingmyreddotsmovinginthedark.AndIdidnotfollow,forIheardthefaintclickofthebrasskeyinthelockofthecabinetandIknewmydaughterwaschargingherbattery.

           Myredspotswereactive.TheydashedaboutandranawaywhenIcenteredonthem.OldCap’nwasavoidingme.Hehadn’tcomeclearsince—well,sinceEaster.It’snotlikeAuntHarriet—"upinhebenshebe"—butIdoknowthatwhenIamnotfriendswithmyselfoldCap’ndoesn’tcomeclear.That’sakindoftestofmypersonalrelationswithmyself.

           ThisnightIforcedhim.Ilaystraightandrigid,faroveronmysideofthebed.