Nothing Can Rescue Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

it’s a malicious one, and in fact it takes us into the field of morbid psychology; I mean that no balanced person runs the risk of losing favours present and to come by gratifying petty spite. I’m inclined to reject the theory of petty spite, anyway. It would merely have tried to make your book sound funny—much funnier than these quotations do. They’re not funny at all. They’re ominous.”
    â€œThey were meant to frighten me.”
    â€œAnd that means hatred.”
    â€œIf anybody hated me,” said Mrs. Mason, her lip quivering, “I should know it.”
    â€œPeople often don’t know it; tragedy is full of people who didn’t know it. Assume that you’re right, though, and that nobody in your house deeply hates you; there must have been some reason for playing this game, and a good reason too. Was some other effect upon you intended? Was some other effect achieved?” As she was silent, he went on: “Did anybody suggest that a special person had the means and the ability to play the trick? Suggest, in fact, that Miss Evelyn Wing had been tampering with her own typescript?”
    Mrs. Mason, looking very angry, tossed her head.
    â€œMason insisted that it was a practical joke, meant to humiliate you. Did he say it must have been done by Miss Wing?”
    â€œI knew Evelyn Wing wouldn’t do a thing like that—especially if it pointed right to herself!”
    â€œBut did you know it immediately? Were you shaken at first? Do be frank with me, Florrie.”
    â€œJust at first I didn’t know what to think.”
    â€œAnd then you had the subtle notion that it all pointed too directly to her to have been done by herself. Did you have the notion?” He looked her at sceptically. “Do you trust her absolutely, Florence?”
    She hesitated, and then said sombrely: “There’s only one person I know that I can trust absolutely; but I trust Evelyn Wing better than to—”
    â€œWho is the person that told you Evelyn Wing couldn’t have done it?”
    Mrs. Mason, rather flushed, said nothing.
    â€œWell, at least we have a point or two for the record. Mason suggested that the trick had been played by Miss Wing, out of malice.”
    â€œI’ll never forgive him!”
    â€œMason, therefore, presumably wants to get rid of her.”
    â€œIt was so small of him!”
    â€œWe have been told that a favourite has no friends. Our second point is that some person—not Miss Wing—argued you out of the idea by showing you—what? That if Miss Wing were the guilty party she would have botched the job, misspelled words, interpolated something less literary? Convinced you, in fact, that the whole thing was a plot to eliminate your secretary.”
    â€œI believe it was!”
    â€œAnd what did you do about it? Or haven’t you done anything yet?”
    â€œI did do something, I can tell you! I made a new will.”
    â€œDid you indeed?” Gamadge allowed a match to go out on its way to his cigarette.
    â€œYes, I did. But it’s temporary—until we find out who put the things in my book.”
    â€œWell, Florrie, you’ve been a trifle precipitate.”
    â€œThis last thing was the last straw. Henry! You don’t know what I’ve had to put up with from people. I’ve been meaning to make a new will for ever so long.”
    â€œWhen did you make the new one?”
    â€œOn Thursday afternoon.”
    â€œQuick work!”
    â€œI’d had time to see that last awful quotation, and hear what Tim had to say, and realize that it wasn’t true. I had to do something. I should have burst if I hadn’t made that will.”
    â€œDid Bob Macloud draw this new will up for you?”
    â€œNo, he fussed so over the telephone that I just told him he needn’t do anything for us ever again, and that I was through. When I think of the bills he sent