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Three
AndJessicanodded,andcontinuedtosmilesympathetically,andthenshesaid,"You’regoingtothinkI’mabsolutelyawful,butIhaveareallydreadfulmemoryforfaces.Givemeasecond,andIknowI’llgetit."
Andatthatpoint,Richardknewthatitwasreal,andaheavydreadsettledinthepitofhisstomach.Whatevermadnesswashappeningthatdaywasreallyhappening.Itwasnojoke,notrickorprank."It’sokay,"hesaid,dully."Forgetit."
Andhewalkedaway,outthedooranddownthecorridor.Hewasalmostattheliftwhenshecalledhisname.
"Richard!"
Heturned.Ithadbeenajoke.Somekindofpettyrevenge.Somethinghecouldexplain."Richard...Maybury?"Sheseemedproudofherselfforrememberingthatmuch.
"Mayhew,"saidRichard,andhegotintotheelevator,andthedoorssangasadflutingdownwardtrillastheyclosedbehindhim.
Richardwalkedbacktohisflat,upsetandconfusedandangry.Sometimeshewouldwaveattaxis,butneverwithanyrealhopethattheywouldstop,andnoneofthemdid.Hisfeethurt,andhiseyesstung,andheknewthatsoonenoughhewouldwakeupfromtodayandaproperMonday,asensibleMonday,adecent,honestMondaywouldbegin.
Whenhereachedtheapartment,hefilledthebathtubwithhotwater,abandonedhisclothesonthebed,and,naked,walkedthroughthehallandclimbedintotherelaxingwaters.
