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slowed, then stopped. / know Madame Piris. I've been here before. Her heart began to race. She sensed that here, through the darkened doorway, was the beginning of the end of the mystery. She opened the door and stepped inside. It took her several moments to get used to the cavernous darkness of the room. There was a familiar bar in the corner, and a dozen tables and chairs A waiter walked up to her and addressed her in Greek 'Kalimehra.' 'Kalimehra. Pou ineh Madame Piris?' 'Madame Piris?' The waiter gestured toward an empty table in the corner of the room, and Catherine walked over and sat down Everything was exactly as she remembered it An incredibly old woman, dressed in black, with a face desiccated into angles and planes, was moving toward the table 'What can I . . . ?'She stopped, peering into Catherine's face Her eyes opened wide. 'I knew you once but your face .
    .' She gasped. 'You've come back!' 'You know who I am?' Catherine asked eagerly The woman was staring, her eyes filled with horror. 'No! You're dead! Get out!' Catherine moaned faintly and felt the hair on her scalp begin to rise. 'Please I just . . .' 'Go, Mrs Douglas!' 'I have to know . . .'
    The old woman made the sign of the cross, turned, and fled Catherine sat there for a moment, trembling, then rushed out into the street. The voice in her head followed her. Mrs Douglas!
    And it was as though a floodgate opened up. Dozens of brightly lighted scenes suddenly poured into her head, a brilliant series of kaleidoscopes out of control. I'm Mrs Larry Douglas. She could see her husband's handsome face. She had been madly in love with hinf, but something had gone wrong. Something . .
    The next image was of herself trying to commit suicide, and waking up in a hospital Catherine stood in the street, afraid her legs would not carry her, letting the pictures come tumbling into her mind She had been drinking a lot, because she had lost Larry. But then he had come back to her. They were at her apartment, and Larry was saying, 'I know how badly I've behaved. I'd like to make it up to you, Cathy. I love you. I've never really loved anyone else. I want another chance. How would you like to go away on a second honeymoon? I know a wonderful little place we can go. It's called loannina.' And then the horror had begun The pictures that came into her mind now were terrifying. She was on a mountain top with Larry, lost in a swirling grey mist, and he was moving toward her, his arms outstretched, ready to push her off the edge. At that moment, some tourists arrived and saved her. And then the caves 'The hotel clerk told me about some caves near here. All the honeymooners go there.' And they had gone to the caves, and Larry had taken her deep into the bowels of them, and left her there to die She put her hands over her ears as if to shut out the terrible thoughts that were rushing at her She had been rescued and taken back to the hotel, and a doctor had given her a sedative. But in the middle of the night she had awakened and heard Larry and his mistress in the kitchen, planning her murder, the wind whipping away their words - no one will ever 1 told you I'd take care of went wrong. There's nothing they can now, while she's asleep And she remembered running away in that terrible storm eing pursued by them getting into the rowboat, the wind lashing the boat into the middle of the stormy lake. The boat had started to sink, and she had lost consciousness. Catherine sank onto a street bench, too exhausted to move. So her nightmares had been real. Her husband and his mistress had tried to kill her She thought again about the stranger who had come to visit her at the convent shortly after her rescue. He had handed her an exquisitely made golden bird, its wings poised for flight. 'No one will harm you now. The wicked people are dead.' She could still not see his face clearly. Catherine's head began to throb Finally, she rose and slowly walked toward the street where she was to meet the