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again?”
    “It’s the same thing, wouldn’t you say?” He pushed the bowl of pits away and sat gazing contentedly toward the ceiling, as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
    “What about Robert?” I asked.
    “What about him?”
    “Have you spoken to him in the last day or so?”
    “He’s still not saying much. But… “
    “But—what?”
    “I have the feeling he’s ready to cooperate with you. “
    I sat up straighten “He is? How do you know? What did he say?”
    “He didn’t say anything. It’s just a feeling I have. He seems—I don’t know—a little tired of hiding. Of everything. “
    “Everything? He’s not planning to—”
    “Nah. He’s just tired of being tired, I think. “
    “I’m very glad to hear that. “
    “I suppose that’s what you would call ‘progress. ‘ “
    I stared at him for a moment, wondering whether Robert might be willing to come out even without hypnosis.
    “He’s not that tired, gene, ” prot remarked.
    I could feel my shoulders slumping. “In that case, we’ll begin now. If you’re ready. “
    “Whenever you are. “
    “Good. Do you remember the little spot on the wall behind me?”
    “Of course. One-two-three-four-five. ” And he was out like a light.
    “Prot?”
    “Yes, dr. b?”
    “How do you feel?”
    “A little spacey. “
    “Very funny. Now—do you remember what happened the last time I spoke with you in this setting?”
    “Certainly. It was a hot day and you were sweating a lot. “
    “That’s right. And Robert wouldn’t speak to me—remember?”
    “Of course. “
    “Will he speak to me now?”
    There was a pause before prot abruptly slouched down in his chair.
    “Robert?”
    No response.
    “Robert, the last time I spoke with you was under very different circumstances. I didn’t know much about you then. Since that tune I have learned why you are suffering so much, and I want to try to help you cope with that. I’m not going to make any promises this time. It won’t be easy, and you’ll have to help me. For now, I only want to chat with you, get to know you better. Do you understand? Let’s just talk about the happy times in your life or anything else you’d like to discuss. Will you talk to me now?”
    He made no response.
    “I want you to consider this room a safe haven. This is a place where you can say anything that’s on your mind without fear or guilt or shame, and nothing will happen to you or to anyone else. Please remember that. “
    No response.
    “I’ll tell you what. I’ve got some information here on your background. I’m going to read it to you, and you stop me if I say anything that’s incorrect. Will you do that?”
    Again there was no response, but I thought I detected a slight tilt of Robert’s head, as if he wanted to hear what I had to say.
    “All right. You were a star wrestler in high school with an overall record of 26-8. You were captain of the team and finished second in the state tournament your senior year. “
    Robert said nothing.
    “You were a good student and won a scholarship to the state university. You were also awarded a community-service medal by the Guelph Rotary Club in 1974. You were vice president of your class for three years running. All right so far?”
    Still no response.
    “You and your wife Sarah and your daughter Rebecca lived in a trailer for the first seven years of your marriage, and then you built a house in the country near a forest with a stream. It sounds like a beautiful place. The kind of place I’d like to retire to someday…. “
    I glanced at Robert and, to my surprise, found him staring at me. I didn’t ask him how he felt. He looked terrible. “I’m sorry, ” he croaked.
    I wasn’t clear what he was sorry about—it could have been any number of things. But I said, immediately, “Thank you, Robert. I’m sorry, too. “
    His eyes slammed shut and his head dropped down again. Apparently the only reason he had come out was to offer this pathetic apology to