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 He replied, "Yes," and he knew what he had done.

She said: "I'm Alice."

"Yes," he said. "Yes, I called you." And he could not leave it at that; he could not cut off. He had to say something and he had no choice but to go on. "Father was just here. I just saw him off. I—I called your number, Alice."

She said: "I see. Of course I see. You meant to call Fidelia." And quietly, not sharply at all, she cut off.