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lover.”
    She felt a bond established between them. Two people who loved good books and fine literature and who were surrounded by Philistines.
    â€œI would not have guessed you for a man who cherished books, and certainly not Shakespeare.”
    â€œOdd, I would have said no one could love books without feeling something special for Shakespeare. Did you teach him in that school you were employed at—the one with all the wily girls?”
    â€œSome. When I could keep their attention on him long enough.”
    He remained standing half in half out the door, so that he would be visible to anyone passing in the hall, while she was across the entire room from him. Even so, Jennifer was aware of a certain impropriety in this lengthy interview alone with him. But if he was aware, he gave no sign of it.
    â€œThen you must understand him pretty well,” he said.
    â€œPretty well, I think.”
    â€œGood. There are some points I’ve often wondered about. Perhaps we can talk about them sometimes and you can help me clear up my thinking.”
    She doubted that his thinking was ever anything but clear. Her little warning voice was telling her that this conversation had gone on long enough now and that she ought to excuse herself before someone saw them and got the wrong impression.
    â€œFor instance?” she prompted him.
    Certainly he seemed to have no interest in ending their discussion. “For instance, all that supernatural business. Is it literal, or only subjective? I have heard arguments both ways.”
    â€œBoth literal and subjective, I should think. In Macbeth, for instance, Banquo’s ghost is certainly subjective. It’s only Macbeth’s imagination at work. But in some other plays he surely means the ghosts and spirits to be taken literally.”
    â€œWhat about the witches in Macbeth? They are surely not meant literally, are they?”
    She shook her head, so immediately absorbed in their conversation that she forgot all other considerations. “I think not. Macbeth saw them because he wanted to see them. He wanted to remove Duncan from the throne and so he saw three witches who prophesied his doing just that. It was only his ambition talking.”
    â€œBut don’t you think that makes the entire play monstrous, because certainly the good in him is defeated and in your interpretation, evil triumphs?”
    Jennifer was thrilled to see that his grasp of Shakespeare was far more than superficial. She so rarely met anyone with whom she could truly discuss such things that she was fairly trembling with excitement.
    They had been so absorbed, however, in their literary argument that both had failed to hear anyone approach until Helen suddenly appeared behind Walter in the doorway. She looked from one to the other of them, clearly a bit surprised to find them alone together like this.
    â€œI was just coming to see if you thought the library would be all right for the lessons,” Helen said.
    â€œYes,” Jennifer said, blushing. “I think it will do very nicely.”
    * * * * * * *
    W hy is she blushing, Walter thought . So she feels it too, then? It isn’t only me. But, my God, it can’t be. And yet...and yet....
    He too seemed finally to realize his position, for he said, with what might have been embarrassment, “I was on my way down to look in on Alicia.”
    He turned to go but paused long enough to incline his head toward Jennifer and say, with a barely suppressed smile, “It has been most enlightening, Miss Hale, and I hope we will have an opportunity to continue.”
    â€œI have no doubt we will continue our discussion,” she said, and with a barely perceptible flick of her eyes in Helen’s direction, she added, “Perhaps we can form a little discussion group and get several opinions.”
    â€œPerhaps,” he agreed, looking vastly amused at that suggestion. Then he was gone. Jennifer heard his footsteps