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" 'Now frorandfather Gravier Do you follow my drift?¡¯

"I was stunned into perfect silence

" 'Noithin a few months after the birth of Gravier,' Julien continued in the sa estion, to commence his connubial duties by randmother ever the wiser as to the nature of the first encounter, and so on went their conjugal bliss, or so Manfred toldupon theas fate required

" 'Now in ti woman in question went to her reward in heaven, as we say, and William took a second wife, only to discover that he could not deflower her any more than he'd been able to deflower his first wife, and once again Manfred called uponthe father of the noble lady whohter --

" 'But my point is you are related to me and to mine by blood ¡¯

"I was speechless

"As I looked at hi to fatho to evaluate what he was saying, some small voice inside said it was impossible, he couldn't be that old, he didn't look that old, the nuht for him to have been the father of Aunt Queen's older brother, Gravier, or of Aunt Queen herself, butthen, I didn't know

"But far louder than any voice that troubled me about years or numbers was the voice that said, 'Both you and Mona see spirits, Tarquin, and you are hearing an explanation of how that tendency caenes, Tarquin His blood gave you the receptors which Mona also enjoys ¡¯

"As for the desk in the parlor of Blackwood Manor, the one round which Williao home and tear it apart

"Right then I sat there in total shock I decided to drink the second cup of chocolate and I did I grabbed for the pitcher and refilled my cup Quietly he drank from his own

" 'It's not been my purpose to wound you, Tarquin,' said Oncle Julien, his voice very soft with affection 'Far from it Your youth and your sincerity appeal to me And I see this lovely bouquet of flohich you've brought to Mona, and this touches me that you want so desperately to love her ¡¯

" 'I do love her,' I said

" 'But we are a dangerously inbred family, Tarquin And you cannot be with Mona Even if you were both of age, my blood in your veins rules it out Over ti tended to dorief When I waswhen I was thoughtless and free and rebellious, when I hated tis, but I care very atorial state of concern about them That's why I must warn you that you can't be with Mona You o home to yours ¡¯

" 'I won't do it, Julien,' I said 'I want to respect you and I do respect you, even though you deceived in whom you seduced in the very bed in which I sleep now But I have to hear rejection from Mona's own lips ¡¯

"He took a deep s of his hot chocolate and looked away thoughtfully as though it coe strapping len