She　came　around　him；　sat　down　on　one　of　the　stair　risers；　and　saw　that　his

lower　lip　had　swelled　to　twice　its　size　and　that　there　was　dried　blood　on　his

chin。　Her　heart　took　a　frightened　leap　in　her　chest；　but　she　managed　to　speak

neutrally。

〃What　happened；　doc？〃　she　asked；　although　she　was　sure　she　knew。　Jack　had　hit

him。　Well；　of　course。　That　came　next；　didn't　it？　The　wheels　of　progress；　sooner

or　later　they　took　you　back　to　where　you　started　from。

〃I　called　Tony；〃　Danny　said。　〃In　the　ballroom。　I　guess　I　fell　off　the　chair。

It　doesn't　hurt　anymore。　Just　feels　。。。　like　my　lip's　too　big。〃

〃Is　that　what　really　happened？〃　she　asked；　looking　at　him；　troubled。

〃Daddy　didn't　do　it；〃　he　answered。　〃Not　today。〃

She　gazed　at　him；　feeling　eerie。　The　ball　traveled　from　one　band　to　the　other。

He　had　read　her　mind。　Her　son　had　read　her　mind。

〃What　。。。　what　did　Tony　tell　you；　Danny？〃

〃It　doesn't　matter。〃　His　face　was　calm；　his　voice　chillingly　indifferent。

〃Danny　—　〃　She　gripped　his　shoulder；　harder　than　she　had　intended。　But　he

didn't　wince；　or　even　try　to　shake　her　off。

（Oh　we　are　wrecking　this　boy。　It's　not　just　Jack；　it's　me　too；　and　maybe　it's

not　even　just　us；　Jack's　father；　my　mother；　are　they　here　too？　Sure；　why　not？

The　place　is　lousy　with　ghosts　anyway；　why　not　a　couple　more？　Oh　Lord　in　heaven

he's　like　one　of　those　suitcases　they　show　on　TV；　run　over；　dropped　from　planes；

going　through　factory　crushers。　Or　a　Timex　watch。　Takes　a　licking　and　keeps　on

ticking。　Oh　Danny　I'm　so　sorry）

〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　he　said　again。　The　ball　went　from　hand　to　hand。　〃Tony

can't　e　anymore。　They　won't　let　him。　He's　licked。〃