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           "Idon’tunderstandhim,"Marysaid."He’salwayshatedfortune-telling,madejokesaboutit.Ijustdon’tunderstand."

           Mynerveendswererustlinglikedry,windblownwintergrassandmylacedfingershadwhitenedfrompressure.

           "I’lltrytoexplainittoMrs.Young—toMargie,"Isaid."MarycomesfromanoblebutpoorIrishfamily."

           "Weweren’tallthatpoor."

           "Can’tyouhearitinherspeech?"

           "Well,nowthatyoumentionit—"

           "Well,Mary’ssainted,orshouldbe,grandmotherwasagoodChristian,wasn’tshe,Mary?"

           Itseemedtomealittlehostilitywasgrowinginmydear.Iwenton."Butshehadnotroublebelievinginfairypeople,althoughinstrict,unbendingChristiantheologythetwodon’tmix."

           "Butthat’sdifferent."

           "Ofcourseitis,darling.Nearlyeverything’sdifferent.Canyoudisbelieveinsomethingyoudon’tknowabout?"

           "Lookoutforhim,"Marysaid."He’llcatchyouinawordtrap."

           "Iwillnot.Idon’tknowaboutfortunesorfortune-telling.HowcanInotbelieveinit?Ibelieveitexistsbecauseithappens."

           "Butyoudon’tbelieveit’strue."

           "What’strueisthatpeoplegetitdone,millionsofthem,andpayforit.That’senoughtoknowtobeinterested,isn’tit?"

           "Butyoudon’t—"

           "Wait!Itisn’tthatIdon’tbelievebutthatIdon’tknow.They’renotthesamething.Idon’tknowwhichcomesfirst—thefortuneorthefortune-telling."

           "IthinkIknowwhathemeans."

           "Youdo?"Marywasnotpleased.