tion came, and Dr. Maudsley presented  t to or. er or’s visit in ter left outside ray), and  it, assumed quite correctly t ook no interest in tter.

    tient ing moods. So be led into tion took place, and submitted to being poked and prodded. Invited to open ick out ongue, s, but at least uck ed upper from loo peer in, s bite ruments; sion. S be induced to speak a single word.

    Dr. Maudsley found ient to be undere,  to determine. as tally deficient? Or al neglect and lack of discipline? t least, o absolve twins.

    t tor  in  ten to  inspired o greater eloquence), enumerating tances of misbetages, truction of topiary garden, t upon Emmeline, tion cions hink she is simply wicked?”

    For a moment oo surprised at being interrupted to answer.

    ‘It’s only a suggestion,“ so discount  t tered. t t s all was enougo give her words an edge.

    And ter.

    ‘ you must bear in mind,“ sold  in trong parental attac, and rong guidance from any oter, t to date  point in ire worldview will ionship.“

    Se rig book s it out of, but s  closely, for sed on tened, ruck by tle voice. Despite its distinctively feminine pitc tle masculine auty about it. Siculate. S of expressing vieence, s disconcerting t time, t it rato let o speak or o go on speaking herself.

    ‘I must do some more researcold er o discuss tient after tion. ”And I sainly look very closely at twin.“

    er nodded. “t it is tics bet emotions, display a great variety of beaken one set eaco p and passive. One prefers cleanliness; t. One ite for food, tarve y—er about  ed—is crucial to Adeline’s sense of identity, it is unsurprising, is it not, if s in ion e to tor t  speak, but dreinued. “Noies in t. Sens to stories, is capable of understanding and being moved by a language t is not ts a o engage  of t repress t of y.”

    er turned o tor and gave  meant it o speak.

    ‘It’s a curious idea,“ iously. ”I s te,  you? t you could expect to be lore alike than dissimilar?“

    ‘But ion t t isn’t ted briskly.

    ‘hmm.“

    S speak but let ared at ty , rying to divine tion of o make .

    ‘eresting one“— on a sympatic smile to soften t of —”I don’t recall ever reading about sucer beties.“

    S  isn’t in ties, no. If it o be any isn’t.”

    ‘You have read Lawson?“

    ‘Of course. I  dream of pronouncing an opinion on any subject  being sure of my references first.“

    ‘Oh.“

    ‘to tive, tops s of t might be drawn.“

    ‘I remember ttle start. ”Oion! ell, I wonder wudy is of any relevance?“

    ‘I  been able to obtain tudy. Can you lend it to me?“

    So it began.

    Impressed by ty of er’s observations, tor lent udy. urned it, t of pites and questions attacime, ained a number of oticles to complete ly publiss, foreign  ime by passing to er first, and reading for  telligent summaries s o read, turned to tions. Botes, ations in ing in t, but ses on imes attac assays on separate pieces of paper.

    t; te; t; t on until to kno t till one t kno  mattered.

    ‘All tor said one evening in till no nearer.“ ated manner. old  seven, and o be late. ”Is it because of Emmeline t Adeline represses t? I to t question lies outside t knohe desk, half annoyed, half resigned.

    ‘You are quite rig does.“ You could forgive esty—

    it aken o reac to listen.

    urned to her.

    ‘to find out,“ sly.

    he raised an eyebrow.

    ‘My experience and observations o believe t t y in persuading te journal to publisake one look at my qualifications and t a silly ence.“ S , and I am. All t background and knoy project there.“

    tor looked at first surprised, turned misty. Original researc so very preposterous. It struck  at t, at tion of all t mont surely be t-read doctor in try on t of t, udy under ?

    S es, and  in , murmured, “Of course, if you needed an assistant, I’d be glad to help in any way I could.”

    ‘Very kind of you.“ ical experience… Invaluable… Quite invaluable.“

    ted o notice t empered.

    er gat t footsteps and firm closing of tisfaction about them.

    ty, but it .

    Lying full-lengtop of ting hinking.

    Original research.

    Is it because of Emmeline t Adeline represses t?

    Didn’t take a genius to figure out o .

    t at night.

    Emmeline never stirred as ted   er’s arms; per of tever t realize t nig ruth was hours away.

    It  for Adeline. Quick and s once to er’s absence. Darted to t found it locked already by er’s s  all, felt it all. Severance. S s fling s against t cla t  out of o to a little  t is o ting bones, but s feel tdress  s feel t nothing. She was broken.

    morning, so t react s cing a silent mantra t might have been Emmeline, Emmeline, Emmeline.

    er lifted Adeline in  difficult. teen no srengt  antial. tairs as easily as if so be aired.

    Jo. Approving, disapproving, it tered. er did the decision making.

    told Adeline so see Emmeline; a lie t aken Adeline any. Absent from  er, s  took to tor’s  here.

    Back at er’s room back into  o find er gone. As turning to anxiety in ternoon. S as far as she village.

    At teatime er found  taring in tion t o tor’s  dared follo. er put a o time to time, Emmeline stopped, ant, ing to turn back, but er took ion of  but puzzled steps. After tea sood by t. S faded, but it  until er locked tine of putting Emmeline to bed t sraught.

    All nig seemed to go on forever.  ant in Adeline took an agonizing ty-four o break in Emmeline. But w. S and so oblivion.

    tion of tion. Imagine surviving an earto, you find t place. terrain you kno it’s not t’s no ers so often wishers.

    Miss inter sat staring into space. int o a tender apricot. Ss o a soft, sangle. But   a biting  only surned o mine.

    ‘Are you all rig eat very much.“

    ‘I’ve al.“

    ‘But you look pale.“

    ‘A bit tired, maybe.“

    e finis up to carrying on.