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"What?"

"If the door will be shut all the way, or if it'll be left just a little ajar so soht comes in"

"I wonder if the children know"

"No, of course not"

They sat and read the papers and talked and listened to so the charcoal embers as the clock struck ten-thirty and eleven and eleven-thirty They thought of all the other people in the world who had spent their evening, each in his own special way

"Well," he said at last

He kissed his wife for a long time

"We've been good for each other, anyway"

"Do you want to cry?" he asked

"I don't think so"

They hts and went into the bedroo back the covers "The sheets are so clean and nice"

"I'm tired"

"We'reall tired"

They got into bed and lay back

"Just a moment," she said