“Curtain’s up, miss,” he said and disappeared again.
“Oh dear, oh dear,” she cried, “how the time flies. Can’t you come and talk to me after the show?”
I smiled at her not unkindly.
“By ten-fifteen,” I said, “I shall be in my bedroom.”
“But what am I to do?” she said. “I’ve begun to lean on you. You aren’t going to leave me here wallowing?”
I stared at her.
“Wallowing in what?” I asked.
“Why, in the darkness,” she said, “killing all those people.”
I took her hands again.
“My dear Mary,” I said, “it is in order to remove you that I am here.”