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THE PARTY BROKE UP ABOUT ONE Until then we sat around the kitchen table drinking coffee and putting down Elsie’s high-calorie cakes; talking about what had happened during the hypnosis Apparently it had been a roaring success I’d not only gone rigid between those chairs, I’d laughed like a crazyThat is, over nothing visible Of course I had so it to me

And I shivered and chattered asped for water as I lay on the blazing sands of the Sahara I drank too ot owl-eyed, silly drunk I grew knotted up with fury,with repressed hatred I listened to a Rachmaninoff piano concerto played by Rachnificent it sounded I held out ht pins into it

A roaring success

I guess we could have gone on all night talking about it It isn’t every day that such intriguing fare enters one’s life But we had two expectant mothers on our hands and they needed their rest Besides which, I suspected Elsie got a little fed up after a while It was too far re

Anne, Phil and I said good night to Frank and Elizabeth after we’d left Elsie’s house and they went across Tulley Street to their house as ent to ours

There was a half hour or so of ot the army cot out of the closet in Richard’s roo froot into our pajaht words and retired

I couldn’t sleep

I lay beside Anne, staring at the ceiling There were springs inat the ceiling and listening to the sounds of the night-the rustle of a breeze-stirred bush outside the , the creak of thesettle of the house; up the street, a dog barking briefly at so into sleep

I sed dryly and sighed I turned on my side and stared at the dark bulk of the bureau

"What’s the matter?" Anne asked, softly

"Oh can’t sleep," I answered

"You sick?"

"No Too uess"

"Oh You shouldn’t drink it at night"

"I know Well you go to sleep, sweetheart I’ll be all right"

"Okay" She sighed drowsily "If you feel sick, wake me up, now," she said

"I’m not sick" I leaned over and kissed her warht"