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‘Is that what I’ve done?’

‘Yes You weren’t hurting the boy Actually, what you were trying to do wasfor a while Now you’re both winning Not because you want to, but because you have to’

‘No, it’s only he who’s ahead The idea was to grow theive them—’

‘Love,’ said Bleak

Quartermain could not say the word That dreadful sweet, candy–sickening word So trite, so true, so irritating, so wonderful, so frightening, and, in the end, so lost to himself

‘They won I did them a favor, my God, a favor! I was blind! I wanted them to race about, like we run about, and wither, and be shocked by their withering, and die, like I’ But they don’t realize, they don’t know, they’re even happier, if that’s possible’

‘Yes’ Bleak pushed the chair ‘Happier Because growing old isn’t all that bad None of it is bad if you have one thing If you have the one thing that ht’

That dreadful word again!

‘Don’t say it!’

‘But I’htily to keep an unaccusto his lips

‘So you’re right, so I’oddamn idiot fool!’

The freckled leaf–shadows passed over his liver–spotted hands They fitted, for a saw andHe stared at thee and corruption Then the freckling, twinklingtrees went on

‘What do I do nohat do I do? Help me, Bleak’

‘We can help ourselves You were heading for the cliff I tried to warn you You can’t hold theed the children to continue their daocentrics Then they really would have been unhappy!’

‘A fine time to tell me’