She looked apologetic. <cl'm sorry, Madam," she said. ''Don't let it happen again," I said.

I did not say anything. I held him cl ose. I wanted him to go on talking like this, that his bitterness might loosen and come away.

'Yes,'' I said, ''m y sweet, my love.'' What did it matter whether I understood or not? My heart was light as a feather. He had never loved Rebecca

The jigsaw puzzle came together piece by piece, and the real Rebecca took shape before me, stepping from h er shadow world like a living figure from a picture frame

''YOU thought I loved Rebecca? You thought I lulled her, loving her? I hated her, I tell you, our marriage was a farce. She was vicious, damnable, rotten through and through. We n ever, never l1ad one momer1t of happiness togetl1er. Rebecca was incapable of love, of tenderness, of decency. Sh e was not even normal.''

'That will teach him, won't it, Danny?' she said, cool as you please. And that's how she went at life, when she grew up.

It seemed to me, as I sat there in b.ed, that there was nothing quite so shaming as a marriage that had failed. Failed after three months, as mine had done. For I had no illusions left now. Last night had. shown me too well. My marriage was a failure. I was too young for Maxim, too inexperienced. I was not of his world. The fact that I loved him in a sick, desperate way, like a child or a dog, did not matter. It was not the sort of love he needed. He wanted something that I could not give him, something he l1ad had before. He was not in love-with me, he had never loved me. It was just that he was a man, and he had been lonely. He did not belong to me at all, h e belonged to Rebecca. She was in the house still, as Mrs. Danvers had said; her footsteps sounded in the cor-ridors; her favorit~ flowers filled the rooms. Rebecca was still mistress of Manderley. Rebecca was still Mrs. de Winter. I had no business here

Then h e caught sight of me and drew back abruptly and a figure behind him put up an arm and closed the shutters.

Poor wretch_, he did not know what he was talking about, of course.

And I realize, every day, that things I lack, confidence, grace, beauty, intelligence, wit-oh, all the qualities that mean most in a woman -she possessed

He went out, and I r emember tl1inking this '\vas not how I had .iffiagined my first morning; I had seen us walking t ogether , arms iinked, to the sea.

This drive tY\risted and turned as a serpent

The fact is that empty house got on his a~rves to such an extent he nearly went off his head.

Then it crumpled too; the flame destroyed it. I felt better, much better.

'You forget,'' lie s·aid, c :r had t.l1at sort of wetlding before." ''Of course," I answered. And I smilec.l at hinJ. I made a checrft1l face. c'W 011't it be fun?'~. I said

"Please don't take my sunshine ... away ..." Dan's voice faltered into silence.

Nothing at all did any good except to live as they must live. Must always, always live, if Anthony would let them

when Anthony had crept from her womb and old Doc Bates--God rest him--had screamed and dropped him and tried to kill him

He liked all the attention he got when they did.

He liked to help them. He liked to feel their simple gratification.

his father had once said, smiling, that he might do that with the things he killed

lollop-lollop-lollop

There mayhave been other passengers in the compartment, but I can’t rememberthem anymore.

The ogres of my mind are suddenly two lonely old cheeks coated with happy tears .... " people, wounded and abandoned,

She looks at me fixedly, without varying her expression, almost defying me to continue. We stay silent for a moment, she playing ,with the rosary

It is getting to be a great effort for me to think straight. Justthis nervous weakness, I suppose.

Of course if you were in any danger Icould and would, but you really are better, dear, whether youcanseeitornot.Iamadoctor,dear,andIknow.Youaregainingflesh and color, your appetite is better. I feel really much easierabout you.”

But I am here, and no person touches this paper but me—not alive!

It used to disturb me at first. I thought seriously of burningthe house— to reach the smell.

mesbars!Theoutsidepattern,Imean,andthewoman behinditisasplainas

it’s rather annoying, which after a while could depress your morale; and you know just how important the serenity of the spirit is to one’s recovery.

he was stunned by a strange shiver at the sight of the first-floor windows, the majority of which were always shut and whose proximity was much too close.

Everything was peaceful, hospitable, and reassuring

But, he was tormented by the thought that two barriers had now arisen between him and the world of normal people.

And that was the last we saw of Homer Barron.

“Just as if a man—any man—could keep a kitchen properly,”the ladies said; so they were not surprised when the smell developed.

The Misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest.

“I don’t want to hold hands with him,”June Star said. “He reminds me of a pig.”

“I’ll be back in a minute, Mamma, wait on me!”

The grandmother shrieked. She scrambled to her feet and stood staring. “You’re The Misfit!”she said. “I recognized you at once!”

“But nobody’s killed,”June Star said with disappointment

The grandmother decided that she would not mention that the house was in Tennessee.

“We’ve had an ACCIDENT!”

“A dirt road,”Bailey groaned.

“There was a secret panel in this house,”she said craftily, not telling the truth but wishing that she were,

The children ran outside into the white sunlight and looked at the monkey in the lacy chinaberry tree.