"No,Ivegotmeat,thanks。Igotanicelegoflambfromthefreezer。
"
"Oh。
"
"Idontknowmuchlikecookingitfrozen,Sam,butImtakingachanceonitthistime。Youthinkitllbeallright?
"
"Personally,
"thegrocersaid,
"Idontbelieveitmakesanydifference。YouwanttheseIdahootatoes?
"
"Ohyes,thatllbefine。Twoofthose。
"
"Anythingelse?
"Thegrocercockedhisheadononeside,lookingatherleasantly。
"Howaboutafterwards?Whatyougoingtogivehimforafterwards?
"
"Well-whatwouldyousuggest,Sam?
"
Themanglancedaroundhissho。
"Howaboutanicebigsliceofcheesecake?Iknowhelikesthat。
"
"Perfect,
"shesaid。
"Helovesit。
"
Andwhenitwasallwraedandshehadaid,sheutonherbrightestsmileandsaid,
"Thankyou,Sam。Goodnight。
"
"Goodnight,Mrs。Maloney。Andthankyou。
"
Andnow,shetoldherselfasshehurriedback,allshewasdoingnow,shewasreturninghometoherhusbandandhewaswaitingforhissuer;andshemustcookitgood,andmakeitastastyasossiblebecausetheoormanwastired;andif,whensheenteredthehouse,shehaenedtofindanythingunusual,ortragic,orterrible,thennaturallyitwouldbeashockandshedbecomefranticwithgriefandhorror。Mindyou,shewasntexectingtofindanything。Shewasjustgoinghomewiththevegetables,Mrs。PatrickMaloneygoinghomewiththevegetablesonThursdayeveningtocooksuerforherhusband。
Thatstheway,shetoldherself。Doeverythingrightandnatural。Keethingsabsolutelynaturalandtherellbenoneedforanyactingatall。
Therefore,whensheenteredthekitchenbythebackdoor,shewashummingalittletunetoherselfandsmiling。
"Patrick!
"shecalled。
"Howareyou,darling?
"
Sheutthearceldownonthetableandwentthroughintothelivingroom;andwhenshesawhimlyingthereonthefloorwithhislegsdoubleduandonearmtwistedbackunderneathhisbody,itreallywasratherashock。Alltheoldloveandlongingforhimwelleduinsideher,andsheranovertohim,kneltdownbesidehim,andbegantocryherheartout。Itwaseasy。Noactingwasnecessary。
Afewminuteslatershegotuandwenttothehone。Sheknowthenumberoftheolicestation,andwhenthemanattheotherendanswered,shecriedtohim,