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want you to do is to describe to me exactly what happened, in every last detail, to bring you to this, and
she waved a hand at the girl, and her dentist, and all the parts of her predicament.
Oh, said Caroline faintly. Suddenly she blushed. I I can t be sure just wh-which time it was, she
whispered.
That doesn t matter either, said Dimity flatly. Pick your own. For example the first time with this
latest one. All right? Now tell me what happened every last little detail, from second to second.
Caroline turned her face into the upholstery again. Oh... why?
You ll see. She waited for a time, and then said, Well? and again, Look, Caroline; we ll peel away
the sentiment, the bad judgment, the illusions and delusions and leave you free. As I am free. You will see
for yourself what it is to be that free.
Caroline closed her eyes, making two red welts where the lids met. I don t know where to begin...
At the beginning. You had been somewhere a dance, a club...?
A... a drive-in.
And then he took you...
Home. His house.
Go on.
We got there and had another drink, and and it happened, that s all.
What happened?
Oh, I can t, I can t talk about it! Not to you! Don t you see?
I don t see. This is an emergency, Caroline. You do as I tell you. Forget I m me. Just talk. She paused
and then said quietly, You got to his house.
The girl looked up at her with one searching, pleading look, and staring down at her hands, began
speaking rapidly. Dimity Carmichael bent close to listen, and let her go on for a minute, then stopped her.
You have to say exactly how it was. Now this was in the parlor.
L-Living room.
Living room. You have to see it all again drapes, pictures, everything. The sofa was in front of the
fireplace, is that right?
Caroline haltingly described the room, with Dimity repeating, expanding, insisting. Sofa here,
fireplace there, table with drinks, window, door, easy-chair. How warm, how large, what do you mean
red, what red were the drapes? Begin again so I can see it.
More swift and soft speech, more interruption. You wore what?
The black faille, with the velvet trim and that neckline, you know...
Which has the zipper
In the back.
Go on.
She went on. After a time Dimity stopped her with a hand on her back. Get up off the floor. I can t
hear you. Get up, girl. Caroline rose and sat on the couch. No, no; lie down. Lie down, Dimity
whispered.
Caroline lay down and put her forearms across her eyes. It took a while to get started again, but at last
she did. Dimity drew up an ottoman and sat on it, close, watching the girl s mouth.
Don t say it, she said at one point. There are names for these things. Use them.
Oh, I... just couldn t.
Use them.
Caroline used them. Dimity listened.
But what were you feeling all this time?
F-Feeling?
Exactly.
Caroline tried.
And did you say anything while this was going on?
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No, nothing. Except
Well?
Just at first, whispered the girl. She moved and was still again, and her concealing arms clamped
visibly tighter against her eyes. I think I went... and her teeth met, her lips curled back, her breath hissed
in sharply.
Dimity Carmichael s lips curled back and she clenched her teeth and sharply drew in her breath. Like
that?
Yes.
Go on. Did he say anything?
No. Yes. Yes, he said, Caroline. Caroline. Caroline, she crooned softly.
Go on.
She went on. Dimity listened, watching. She saw the girl smiling and the tears that pressed out
through the juncture of forearm and cheek. She watched the feint flickering of white-edged nostrils. She
watched the breast in its rapid motion, not quite like that which would result from running up stairs,
because of the shallow shiver each long inhalation carried, the second s catch and hold, the gasping release.
Ah-h-h-h! Caroline screamed suddenly, softly. Ahh... I thought he loved me, I did think he loved me!
She wept, and then said, That s all.
No, it isn t. You had to leave. Get ready. Hm? What did he say? What did you say?
Finally, when Caroline said, ... and that s all, there were no questions to ask. Dimity Carmichael rose
and picked up the ottoman and placed it carefully where it belonged by the easy-chair, and sat down. The
girl had not moved.
Now how do you feel?
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