Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           "Well,"hegrumbled,"thatreallyturnsmeoff"

           Thebreakcamesuddenly.

           BillysurprisedMarlenewhenhecamebythestoreoneafternoon,askinghertodrivedowntoAthensandspendthenighttherewithhim.They’dpickupKathyfromschoolthenextmorninganddrivebacktoLancaster.

           Marlenesaidshedidn’tfeellikegoing.

           "I’llcallyoulater,"hesaid,"toseeifyou’vechangedyourmind."

           Buthedidn’tcall.Andafewdayslater,shelearnedthatBevThomashadmadethetripwithhim.

           Furious,Marlenecalledhimandtoldhimshewasn’tgoingtogoonlikethis."Wemightaswellforgetit,"shesaid."There’snothingthere."

           Heagreedwithher."SomethingmighthappenandI’mafraidyoumightbehurt.Idon’twanttoseeyouhurtagain."Sheknewthatnowshehadtotakehimathisword,andshefeltthepainofbreakingwithsomeoneshe’dwaitedfor,morethantwoyears.

           "Allright,"shesaid."Let’sendit."

           WhatbotheredDelMooremostaboutBillywasthelying.Theboywoulddostupidorcrazythingsandthenlietoavoidtherepercussions.Dr.SteinberghadtoldhimnottoletBillygetawaywiththeliesanymore.

           DeltoldDorothy,"Hey,he’snotthatdull-witted.He’stoobrighttopullthingsthatdumb."

           AllhewouldgetfromDorothywasthesameanswer:"Well,that’snotmyBill.