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           Aphysicalandspiritualwastingawaywastakingplacebeneathhisveryeyes;shewasslippingawayfromthem,andhecouldn’tbeartoseeherbecomeanotherFee.Thesmallpointedfacewasalleyesstaringatsomedreadfulprospect,themilkyopaqueskinwhichnevertannedorfreckledwasgrowingmoretranslucent.Iftheprocesswenton,hethought,shewouldonedaydisappearintoherowneyeslikeasnakeswallowingitstail,untilshedriftedthroughtheuniverseasanalmostinvisibleshaftofglassygreylight,seenonlyfromthecornerofthevisionwhereshadowslurkandblackthingscrawldownawhitewall.

           Well,hewouldfindoutifhehadtowringitfromherforcibly.MaryCarsonwasathermostdemandingthesedays,jealousofeverymomenthespentdownattheheadstockman’shouse;onlytheinfinitepatienceofasubtle,deviousmankepthisrebellionagainstherpossessivenesshiddenfromher.Evenhisalienpre-occupationwithMeggiecouldn’talwaysovercomehispoliticwisdom,thepurringcontenthederivedfromwatchinghischarmworkonsuchacantankerous,refractorysubjectasMaryCarson.Whilethatlong-dormantcareforthewelfareofasingleotherpersonchampedandstampedupanddownhismind,heacknowledgedtheexistenceofanotherentitydwellingsidebysidewithit:thecat-coldcrueltyofgettingthebetterof,makingafoolofaconceited,masterfulwoman.Oh,he’dalwayslikedtodothat!Theoldspiderwouldnevergetthebetterofhim.