And I've succeeded very
well, thus far. To this moment he believes everything is true that ought
to be true; or, if not, that something 'just as good' is true, as the
people in drug stores tell one."
"And you are afraid of me--that I'll--"
"One can't be too careful about dogs, especially one that believes as
much as that one does. Frankly, I _am_ afraid of you. You have such a
knowing way of fighting off moments that might become Peavey."
"I don't quite understand--"
"Of course you don't, but that's of little consequence--to Jim. He
doesn't understand either. But you see he has a fine faith now that the
world is all Peavey--he learned it from me. Of course, I _know_ better,
but I pretend not to, and often I can fool myself for half an hour at a
time. And of course I shouldn't care to have that dog find out that this
apparently Peavey world--flawlessly Peavey--has a streak of Lansdale
running through it--that it has even its moments of curious, hard
suspicion, of distrust, of downright disbelief in all the good
things,--in short, its Miss Katherine Lansdale moments, if you will
pardon that hastily contrived metaphor."
Perceiving that further concealment would be unavailing, I added quite
openly: "Now, young woman, you see that I know your secret.
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