How to use "for" in a sentence

So I wait for the second voice

Aspen is famous for its mountains and the countryside around it

It's a popular place for skiing

I live there and I work for Ute Mountaineer, a sports equipment shop

Now that winter is over, she's going to another town in Colorado to work as a gardener for the summer

I think about my plan for the day

The Gallery is part of Horseshoe Canyon, and it's famous for the huge rock paintings which cover its walls

I told her I was going to Utah and promised to be back for her party

I can't wait for adventure

It will be good to have company for a while.

They work for Outward Bound, a sports equipment shop in Moab, Utah

Both Aspen and Moab are important tourist centres for hikers.

We are on the trail together for about five kilometres

I'll meet you after for a drink.'

The music is perfect for the way I feel: lucky, free and happy

There are plenty of holes in the rock for my hands and feet so I climb down easily

But will they realise that something is wrong and go for help?

When I don't arrive for work, Brion After, my boss, will know that something is wrong

I am never late for work

7.0 pm I've been chipping at the rock for almost three and a half hours

I stop for a drink of water

I lay the multi-tool on the boulder and reach for the water bottle

By the time they reached Goblin Valley, the car park was full and there was nowhere to stay for the night.

Kristi agreed and they parked by the side of the road for the night.

Perhaps I can remove this large piece before I stop for the night

I chip at the rock for another hour and remove as much as the piece that came off before

But I'm not comfortable for long

I stand and chip for twenty minutes, then sit and rest for twenty minutes

It's time for plan two

The sound of my voice shouting for help frightened me.

What will I need for the job? The knife, that's certain, but also a tourniquet to stop the blood

The plastic pipe from the CamelBak seems best for that

I decide it's time to film a message for my family and friends

I have been trapped in Blue John Canyon for the last twenty-four hours

All I can do now is wait for someone to find me.

I feel strong enough to survive the fear of death, but not my body's need for water

Then I missed the next drink and decided to save it for later

I do the same for my right arm, using webbing.

All I have for the time I've spent on this is a long red line across my right arm

I've been here for exactly forty-eight hours

Back in Aspen, Aron's housemates were preparing for the party

'He said he'd be here for sure.

The officer on the desk asked for Aron's information: full name, age, height and weight

But there was something the officer didn't tell them: a person has to be missing for at least forty-eight hours before the police will start a search and rescue operation

I can now only sit for a few minutes so I take smaller sips every hour.

Two hours later, it's time for my next sip of water

I guess everyone missed me when I didn't arrive for Leona's party last night

Except for Brion

When I don't arrive for work, he'll think something is wrong

It's time for a drink

All I can do is stay strong for another night and hope for rescue.

He called Mrs Ralston for the license-plate number of her son's truck

He had found a list of email addresses for Aron's climbing friends

He wanted to check immediately, but he had to leave for Australia that day

Steve had climbed for many years

Steve called the Utah police for the area and spoke to one the main officers, Kyle Ekker

Steve gave him the latest license-plate number for Aron's truck and Officer Ekker sent his men out to look for it.

The vehicle license office for the area was in Santa Fe

'Wait for us, Aron,' Mrs Ralston said as she went to bed

Now I realise that my love for friends and family is the main reason I want to escape

I decide to rest for a while.

I have been awake for over a hundred hours

He called Glen Sherrill, the head officer for the area

We've found the truck you're looking for

Steve immediately arranged for a rescue team to join the police and help in the search

I am calm as I leave necessary instructions for my parents.

I'm crying as I close the camcorder for the last time

But there are no tears - my body is too dry for tears.

There are metal rings in the rock for climbers

I just want to stay there for the rest of my life.

I can't walk straight, I can't think for more than a few seconds, and I'm losing blood, fast.

I was trapped by a boulder in the canyon for five days

'Thanks for everything.' I wave goodbye as the helicopter rises into the air.

As the nurses take off my shoes, I ask Steve to let my mother know that I'm OK and to arrange for someone to collect all the things I left at Horseshoe Canyon.

'Look, do you want this for the pain or not?'

I realise that my nightmare has lasted for exactly 127 hours

Most were for the pain and to fight the poison in my blood

A week later, I was back in hospital in Denver for my fifth and most difficult operation

The following weeks were difficult for my family

I was like a child again, unable to do anything for myself

Then, as the others made their way back to their vehicles, I stayed behind for a few minutes

When the captain of the American ship the Abraham Lincoln decided to leave and look for the monster, he asked me to go with them as an expert.

"Don't worry! The ocean isn't big enough for both the sea monster and me

We sailed for three months and we never saw the creature once.

It was dark and we knew that we had to stay in the water for the night

The Captain showed Ned and Conseil to their rooms, but he stopped me for a moment.

We had to wait six days for the water to rise before the ship could leave

We found bananas and coconuts, and we made a small camping area for the day

We all laughed, then continued looking for fruit and vegetables

Then he could cry for a member of his crew'.

I asked him if he wanted to go for a walk on the ocean floor

But Captain Nemo had another reason for our walk

We travelled in the Indian Ocean for ten days

I did not see Captain Nemo for some days after the man's death

Maybe he blames someone for that, and I think he wants to hurt that person."

"Would you like to go pearl fishing? This is the richest part of the world to fish for pearls."

There are many sharks in these waters, and it's very dangerous to go looking for pearls there.

On the way back to the ship, we saw an Indian boy swimming for pearls

I didn't do it for you."

But the Nautilus did not go near the surface of the water again for some time

I felt sorry for him, but I loved the sea

"I have a little surprise for you, Professor."

Atlantis did exist, but only Captain Nemo knew for sure.

The Nautilus was too strong for it, but it was a very frightening creature!

The man cried for help.

"Didn't you do the same for me?"

Captain Nemo did not wait for the answer

I didn't see him for several days

"Captain, you can't expect us to stay on this ship for ever!"

I had respect for him as a scientist, but he murdered those men on the other ship!

We travelled underwater, never coming up except for air

Wait for two minutes, then come up after me

This was my home for nine months

The waters off the coast of Norway were famous for this

I know! I'll look for some Bowers.' Then she thought, 'No, it's too hot for that and I feel sleepy.'

She looked round for the White Rabbit, but she couldn't see him anywhere.

'Goodbye, feet! Who will put your shoes on for you now? I can't do it! I'll give you some new shoes for Christmas

Alice wanted to ask him for help

It was the right size for her head.

He sat for a long time with his finger in his mouth

There was one chocolate for each bird and animal.

But the chocolates were too big for the small birds, and they had to eat them very slowly

She can catch a mouse in the morning for her breakfast and a little bird in the evening for her dinner - Oh! I'm sorry!'

Another bird called to her children, 'Come away, my dears! It's time for bed!'

'He's looking for his hat,' thought Alice.

Why am I bringing a rabbit his hat? Perhaps when I get home, I'll do things for Dinah

Perhaps I'll watch mouse-holes for her!'

But after a very short time she was too big for the room

'What will happen to me?' She waited for some time, but she didn't get bigger

Everything was quiet for a short time, then something hard hit her arm.

He ran after her but Alice ran too fast for him

'I eat mushrooms for dinner,' she thought

The Caterpillar looked at Alice for some time before it spoke

It's very difficult for me.'

'Well, perhaps it's not difficult for you, but it is for me,' said Alice.

It did not speak for some minutes, then it said, 'So you're different, are you?'

It was quiet for a time

'It's a good size for you, but not for me,' said Alice

The Caterpillar was quiet for some minutes

Alice looked at the two mushrooms and thought for a minute

'I know! I'll look for that beautiful garden.'

It thought for a minute or two

She waited for two minutes, and the Cat came back again.

Alice stayed under the tree for a short time

When they saw Alice, they cried, 'No, no, you can't sit here! There isn't a place for you!'

Alice thought for a little

Butter isn't good for a watch.' He looked angrily at the March Hare.

'No,' Alice answered, 'but it's the same year for a very long time.'

So he doesn't do anything for me

And I don't have time for anything.'

The Kings men looked for the gardeners but couldn't find them

She watched for a minute or two

Alice thought for a minute

The King looked for the Cat for some time, but he couldn't find it anywhere.

'Come for a walk, you dear thing,' the Duchess said to Alice

The Mad Hatter thought for a minute

The March Hare and the Mouse were quite near him and he looked at them for ideas

'You slept for a long time!'

I went to an ordinary school for a year

I stayed in that school for five or six years

It was good news: if I played in their football team, there was a place for me in school there.

So the next morning, Mom put some things into a suitcase for me, and put me on a bus

And that was all of our conversation for several days.

'It was difficult enough for me just to remember where our goal line was.'

When it got late, he told me to take the harmonica with me, and I played it for a long time in my room.

They played for about an hour, and I was lying back with my eyes closed, listening happily

Jenny stopped singing for a second or two, and the others in the group stopped playing

But not for me

"Just give me that boy in my team for a year!", and they did

Then the men came back and everybody was waiting for their dinner.

The 'showers' were just a long hole in the ground for us to stand in, while somebody threw water over us

The enemy soldiers tried to blow us up for the next five nights, then it stopped

But it was time for us to move up north to help some of our other men in the jungle.

But his foot wasn't too bad for the army to get him - and here he was.

It started to rain one day, and it didn't stop for two months! But we still had to look for enemy soldiers - and one day we found them

I looked round for Bubba, but he wasn't there

I was at the hospital for two months

I bought some shrimps, and one of the cooks at the hospital cooked them for me

Every day for the next few weeks, I went with Mr Chi (that was his name) and watched him while he worked

There were about two thousand people waiting for us at San Francisco airport when we got off the plane! What a surprise! A lot of them had beards and long hair

He tried to clean it off and not look angry, but I didn't want to wait for them to start throwing things at me! No sir! I started running.

I waited in there for almost an hour before I came out again.

I went to look for Colonel Gooch, and I found him in the middle of a group of policemen

'The plane for Washington is waiting for us.'

After we put our suitcases in our rooms, the Colonel asked me to go out to a bar with him for a drink.

Soon after that, I heard that I was leaving the army early, and they gave me some money for a train ticket to go home.

So I got a ticket for Boston, instead of Mobile.

So I sat down and waited for five or six hours.

Later, I went outside and walked round for about half an hour, then went back

We talked together until it was time for her to sing again.

I went to California and stayed there for some time.' She laughed

'He's a friend of mine from home, and he's going to stay with us for a few days.'

Moses wrote down the address for me.

I waited outside for most of the day

She listened quietly, then opened the car door for me to get in, and we sat and talked.

'I want you to do something for me.'

As it happened, I didn't stay in prison long, because they soon realized that I was an idiot, and they put me in a special hospital for idiots

'You're just the kind of person that they're looking for!' the doctors told me.

'Why don't you wait for me in that bar across the street? Then I'll take you to my place.'

When I got back to the flat, Jenny was gone, and there was a letter waiting for me

Then you went up into space and I lost you for four years, and I think you changed

And for the first time ever, I knew that I was a real idiot.

Money for Playing Games

I decided to go home to Mobile, but the bus stopped at Nashville on the way and I went into town for a drink and something to eat

It was time for me to get back to the bus station, but when I started to leave, the old man said, 'Why don't you sit down and finish this game with me?'

We were a day or two early for the tournament, and Mr Tribble took me to see some people who were making a film

'We're here for the chess tournament,' said Mr Tribble

'You're just what I need for a film that I'm making

I wasn't an actor for very long

And the next day he took Sue and me out in his little boat, to look for a good place to start the shrimp business.

And after a year, Mom was working for me, and Mr Tribble, and Curtis (my old football friend), and Bubba's daddy.

Why wasn't I ready for that news? I don't know, but I wasn't

The business was doing well, but I asked myself, 'What are you doing all this for?' And I knew that I had to get away.

'Perhaps he would be an idiot,' I finished for her.

'Can I see him for a minute or two?'

I knew then that I didn't have an idiot for a son

He put his arms round me for a second, then went off to play with Sue again.

'Perhaps I can put things right with Jenny,' I thought, 'now that I've found her again.' But the more I thought about it, the more I finally understood that it was better for the boy to be with Jenny and her husband, and not to have an idiot for a father.

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment

Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny

We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by a sign stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote

And some of you have come from areas where your quest - quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality

With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

I do not consider it necessary, at present, for me to discuss those matters of administration about which there is no special anxiety, or excitement.

There has never been any reasonable cause for such apprehension

And, more than this, they placed in the platform for my acceptance, and as a law to themselves and to me, the clear and emphatic resolution which I now read:

I add, too, that all the protection which, consistently with the Constitution and the laws, can be given, will be cheerfully given to all the States when lawfully demanded, for whatever cause - as cheerfully to one section as to another.

It is scarcely questioned that this provision was intended by those who made it for the reclaiming of what we call fugitive slaves; and the intention of the lawgiver is the law

Again, in any law upon this subject, ought not all the safeguards of liberty known in civilized and humane jurisprudence to be introduced, so that a free man be not, in any case, surrendered as a slave? And might it not be well at the same time to provide by law for the enforcement of that clause in the Constitution which guarantees that "the citizen of each State shall be entitled to all privileged and immunities of citizens in the several States?"

And while I do not choose now to specify particular acts of Congress as proper to be enforced, I do suggest that it will be much safer for all, both in official and private stations, to conform to and abide by all those acts which stand un repealed, than to violate any of them, trusting to find impunity in having them held to be unconstitutional.

Yet, with all this scope of precedent, I now enter upon the same task for the brief Constitutional term of four years under great and peculiar difficulty

It is safe to assert that no government proper ever had a provision in its organic law for its own termination

Continue to execute all the express provisions of our National Constitution, and the Union will endure forever - it being impossible to destroy it except by some action not provided for in the instrument itself.

And, finally, in 1787 one of the declared objects for ordaining and establishing the Constitution was "TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION."

The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government, and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere

Where hostility to the United States, in any interior locality, shall be so great and universal as to prevent competent resident citizens from holding the Federal offices, there will be no attempt to force obnoxious strangers among the people for that object.

While the strict legal right may exist in the government to enforce the exercise of these offices, the attempt to do so would be so irritating, and so nearly impracticable withal, that I deem it better to forego for the time the uses of such offices.

No foresight can anticipate, nor any document of reasonable length contain, express provisions for all possible questions

There is no other alternative; for continuing the government is acquiescence on one side or the other.

If a minority in such case will secede rather than acquiesce, they make a precedent which in turn will divide and ruin them; for a minority of their own will secede from them whenever a majority refuses to be controlled by such minority

And while it is obviously possible that such decision may be erroneous in any given case, still the evil effect following it, being limited to that particular case, with the chance that it may be overruled and never become a precedent for other cases, can better be borne than could the evils of a different practice.

The fugitive-slave clause of the Constitution, and the law for the suppression of the foreign slave trade, are each as well enforced, perhaps, as any law can ever be in a community where the moral sense of the people imperfectly supports the law itself

I will venture to add that to me the convention mode seems preferable, in that it allows amendments to originate with the people themselves, instead of only permitting them to take or reject propositions originated by others not especially chosen for the purpose, and which might not be precisely such as they would wish to either accept or refuse

The chief magistrate derives all his authority from the people, and they have conferred none upon him to fix terms for the separation of the states

By the frame of the government under which we live, this same people have wisely given their public servants but little power for mischief; and have, with equal wisdom, provided for the return of that little to their own hands at very short intervals

If it were admitted that you who are dissatisfied hold the right side in the dispute, there still is no single good reason for precipitate action

At this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office, there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first

With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.

To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union, even by war; while the government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it

Neither party expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration, which it has already attained

Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding

"Woe unto the world because of offences; for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that mam by whom the offence cometh!" If we shall suppose that American Slavery is one of those offences which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

I don't claim any constitutionality for a rebellion successful or otherwise, so long as that rebellion means in the ordinary sense of the term, what it does mean, namely, wresting justice by violent means

I believe that a man is the strongest soldier for daring to die unarmed with his breast bare before the enemy

So much for the non-violent part of non-cooperation

I ask further, is it unconstitutional for me to say to the British Government "I refuse to serve you"? Is it unconstitutional for our worthy Chairman to return with every respect all the titles that he has ever held from the Government? Is it unconstitutional for any parent to withdraw his children from a Government or aided school? Is it unconstitutional for a lawyer to say "I shall no longer support the arm of the law so long as that arm of law is used not to raise me but to debase me"? Is it unconstitutional for a civil servant or for a judge to say, "I refuse to serve a Government which does not wish to respect the wishes of the whole people"?

I ask, is it unconstitutional for a policeman or for a soldier to tender his resignation when he knows that he is called to serve a Government which traduces his own countrymen? Is it unconstitutional for me to go to the agriculturist and say to him "it's not wise for you to pay any taxes, if these taxes are used by the Government not to raise you but to weaken you?" I hold and I venture to submit, that there is nothing unconstitutional in it

But I do venture to suggest that it will be highly unconstitutional in the midst of this unconstitutional Government, - in the midst of a nation which has built up its magnificent constitution, - for the people of India to become weak and to crawl on their belly - it will be highly unconstitutional for the people of India to pocket every insult that is offered to them; it is highly unconstitutional for the 70 millions of Mohammedans of India to submit to a violent wrong done to their religion; it is highly unconstitutional for the whole of India to sit still and cooperate with an unjust Government which has trodden under its feet the honour of the Punjab.

I say to my countrymen so long as you have a sense of honour and so long as you wish to remain the descendants and defenders of the noble traditions that have been handed to you for generations after generations; it is unconstitutional for you not to non-cooperate and unconstitutional for you to cooperate with a Government which has become so unjust as our Government has become.

Values have shrunk to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; and the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone

Compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered, because they believed and were not afraid, we have still much to be thankful for

Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence

Small wonder that confidence languishes, for it thrives only on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, and on unselfish performance; without them it cannot live.

Restoration calls, however, not for changes in ethics alone

This Nation is asking for action, and action now.

Hand in hand with that we must frankly recognize the overbalance of population in our industrial centers and by engaging on a national scale in a redistribution, endeavor to provide a better use of the land for those best fitted for the land.

It can be helped by national planning for and supervision of all forms of transportation and of communications and other utilities that have a definitely public character

And there must be provision for an adequate but sound currency.

I shall presently urge upon a new Congress in special session detailed measures for their fulfillment, and I shall seek the immediate assistance of the 48 States.

If I read the temper of our people correctly, we now realize, as we have never realized before, our interdependence on each other; that we cannot merely take, but we must give as well; that if we are to go forward, we must move as a trained and loyal army willing to sacrifice for the good of a common discipline, because without such discipline no progress can be made, no leadership becomes effective.

But it may be that an unprecedented demand and need for un delayed action may call for temporary departure from that normal balance of public procedure.

I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis - broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe.

They have asked for discipline and direction under leadership

And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe - the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.

Divided, there is little we can do - for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.

To those people in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them, help themselves, for whatever period is required - not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.

To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge - to convert our good words into good deeds - in a new alliance for progress - to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty

To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support - to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective - to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak - and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.

Finally, to those nations who would make them-selves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms - and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.

Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

'It's not a policy for me,' Mr Slinkton said

'It's for a friend of mine

He asked me to get the information for him

How very sad for him!'

I was angry with myself for disliking him

I watched him for the rest of the evening and he seemed to be a good man

He told me that he had not known him for very long

He told me that Mr Slinkton had taken his two nieces to Italy for their health

The clerk searched through his files for a moment and then he brought me some papers.

He wants a policy for two thousand pounds and he has asked Mr Slinkton to write a reference for him.

He thought for a moment

'But of course I can do that for him,'

Mr Slinkton sat down in my office and wrote the reference for Mr Beckwith

I did not see Mr Slinkton again for six or seven months

I was away from Mr Slinkton and Miss Niner for about five minutes.

I did not stay there with her for more than two minutes

We talked for a few minutes

'Give me what you always give me for breakfast, lunch and dinner

This was not a pleasant situation for him

He thought for a moment and then he spoke to me.

'You will try to argue that I was responsible for Beckwith's condition - and for his eventual death

You thought you could kill me for the two thousand pounds of the insurance policy, didn't you? You wanted to kill me with brandy, didn't you? But you wanted me to die quickly

You're the man who's already killed one innocent girl for her money

Beckwith paused for a moment to look at Slinkton

He was unable to speak for fear.

'You are seeing me under my real name now for the first time

And I hope you see me in your imagination - when they put the rope around your neck and the crowd cries out for your death!'

Slinkton turned quickly away from us for a second and put his hand to his mouth

She needed the money to pay for a bed in the 'White House', her lodging house in Flower and Dean Street

The women talked for a few minutes

Polly was an 'Unfortunate': a polite Victorian word for a prostitute

She was too good for that.'

Then he left for work and passed Spitalfields Church at about 5.32 a.m.

By six o'clock he was ready for work and went downstairs to the backyard

But her taste for alcohol dominated her life, and eventually she had to walk the streets as a prostitute.

Amelia saw Annie for the last time on the 7th

Nobody saw her alive again; she never came back for her bed.

It was a busy morning, with a lot of people already in the streets or getting up, and heavy traffic for the market

Mr Diemschutz, anxious about the safety of his wife, went into the club to look for her

At the same time Morris Eagle, another member of the club, ran for help in the opposite direction

He had seen her for the last time on September 25th

She probably came to England for domestic work

Jack the Ripper wanted more blood, and he went to look for another victim.

After the murder of Elizabeth Stride, Jack the Ripper went to look for another victim

She slept in a police cell for three hours

He ran to a warehouse nearby and called out for the night watchman, a man named Morris

Mr Morris ran for assistance and soon returned with two policemen

They were part of the police hunt for the Whitechapel killer

Then they went off to look for the killer.

The Juwes are the Men that will not be blamed for nothing.

Unfortunately he had not worked for some months so the couple could not pay the rent, and Mary had returned to prostitution

It is probable that Mrs Prater and Mrs Lewis paid no attention to Mary Kelly's last terrified cry for help!

He noticed that Mary owed him 29 shillings in rent, so he sent his assistant Thomas Bowyer to her room to ask for the money

He had to wait for some bloodhound dogs to arrive

When they went into the court, he waited around for about 45 minutes

She thought he was looking up Miller's Court 'as if waiting for someone to come out'

But some students of the murders believe that Hutchinson's description is too precise and that he was lying for some reason.

The Ripper did not stay with his victims for hours before killing them.

It had been in the water for about a month

On Friday November 30th Druitt lost his job at a private school for some unknown reason

He wrote that he was afraid of becoming like his mother and 'the best thing for me was to die.' His mother was in an asylum for lunatics

In 1902 Inspector Abbeline suspected a man called George Chapman, a publican who was arrested for poisoning his barmaid Maud Marsh

Other artists and writers show a similar fascination with violence - Dickens, for example, or Zola

After the murders in Berner Street and Mitre Square the streets were too dangerous for the Ripper, which explains why he did not kill in October

When the police found a leather apron at the scene of the Hanbury Street murder, they hunted a man called John Pizer, a Polish boot-maker who always wore a leather apron for his work

A young criminal called Squibby, for example, was in Hanbury Street, when a detective saw him in the crowd and chased him

The crowd followed shouting, 'Catch him!' Squibby was terrified and finally surrendered to the police for his own protection.

But it is certain that the Ripper was not Jewish, and Samuel Montague, an important Jewish citizen and MP, offered a reward of 100 pounds for the arrest of the murderer

Although the details of Annie Chapman's murder were given on September 19th, they were not reported for reasons of decency

This was published on October 1st, the day that the world finally had a name for the Whitechapel killer.

The townspeople, who had never seen him before, watched with interest as he stopped for water at a fountain

Children followed him to the marketplace, where he stopped for more water at another fountain

The innkeeper, who was also the cook, was busy with his pots and pans, preparing a meal for a group of travellers who were laughing and joking in the next room.

'What can I do for you, Monsieur?' he asked without looking up.

Then, seeing the visitors rough appearance, he added, 'If you can pay for it.'

The man looked around, desperate for somewhere to spend the night

'I've slept for nineteen years on a piece of wood

'The police say that he looks dangerous, and it would be better for everyone to lock their windows and doors.'

'I've been in prison for nineteen years

I've been walking all day, and nobody in this town will give me food or a bed for the night

'Mme Magloire,' said the bishop, 'will you please prepare another place at the table for this gentleman?'

'I've spent five years in prison for violent robbery, another fourteen years for trying to escape four times

Valjean was so tired that he fell asleep, fully-dressed, on top of the sheets, but he didn't sleep for long

He had woken because the bed was too comfortable; he had not slept in a proper bed for twenty years

Out of work, and with no food in the house, he had been arrested for trying to steal a loaf of bread

The bishop, who had been bending sadly over a plant damaged by the basket, looked up and said gently, 'I think I was wrong to keep the silver for so long

'And he told you,' the bishop finished the sentence for him, 'that an old priest had given it to him? Yes, he was telling the truth.'

But now, for the first time in twenty years, a man had shown him great kindness, and he did not know what to feel.

Then, reaching for his stick, he said, 'Go to Hell!'

Valjean stood for some time gazing emptily around him at the sunset and the shadows moving in on him

Suddenly he shivered, as if he had become aware for the first time of the icy wind

'This is for your poor, Monsieur

Valjean looked for the boy for another hour, running along the path, calling out his name, but with no success

Then, his heart full of grief for what he had done, he buried his face in his hands and, for the first time in nineteen years, he cried.

'Why don't you sit down for a minute? You look tired

'I left Paris this morning to look for work in Montreuil,' she continued

She took Mme Thenardiers hand and said, 'Will you look after my daughter for me?'

Will you do that for me? I could pay six francs a month.'

'And another fifteen francs for extras,' called the man.

'Then we agree to look after her for you,' he said.

The next morning, Fantine kissed her daughter goodbye and left for Montreuil, crying as if her heart would break.

One month later, Thenardier was short of money again, so he took Cosette's beautiful silk clothes to Paris and sold them for sixty francs

Fantine, meanwhile, found work in Montreuil and asked for news of her daughter every month

At the end of the year, however, Thenardier was not happy with just seven francs a month; he demanded twelve and Fantine paid without protest, happy that her daughter was being well cared for.

She rented a small room, sent money regularly to the Thenardiers and, for a short time, was almost happy

She forgot many of her problems, and dreamt only of Cosette and her plans for the future

'How much will you give me for it?' Fantine asked.

Forgetting her troubles for a moment, she smiled at the dentist's humorous efforts to sell the people of Montreuil false teeth.

One winter's evening, a toothless woman with a grey face and flowers in her hair was arrested for attacking a man in the street

She was taken to the police station, where Inspector Javert, the chief of police, sent her to prison for six months.

Madeleine for some time, but finally gave in

I'll pay your debts and arrange for your child to return to you

After all her pain and suffering she had, for the first time in her life, found kindness in another human being

At last she would be cared for, and she could look forward to a life of happiness with Cosette

Madeleine sent the money, but the Thenardiers found even more dishonest excuses for not sending Cosette back.

The weeks passed and, although she was happier than she had been for a long time, Fantine caught a fever

Madeleine was making preparations to leave for Montfermeil and to fetch Cosette himself, he had a visitor

Inspector Javert walked into his office, and stood in silence waiting for him to look up from his work.

'The police headquarters in Paris told me that Jean Valjean was arrested last autumn for stealing apples,' Javert explained

He'd changed his name to Champmathieu and had lived for several years in the village of Ailly-le-Haut-Cloche

I visited the man in Arras prison, and I saw for myself that he is indeed Jean Valjean

He sat by her bed for an hour and then, having told the nurses to look after her, he returned to his home

Madeleine - as we shall continue to call him for this part of the story - knew that he could not let Champmathieu go to prison for crimes he had not committed

Finally, having heard all the evidence, the judge called for silence

Madeleine waited for the whispers to stop before announcing in a loud, clear voice that he was Jean Valjean

Fantine, thinking that the inspector had come for her, gripped M

'He hasn't come for you.' Then, gently rising from his chair, he moved towards Javert

'I know what you've come for,' he said quietly so that Fantine wouldn't hear

Valjean looked around the room, thinking for a second of making his escape

But the idea did not last for long

He turned again to Fantine and looked for one last time at her sad, pale face and empty, blue eyes

Dressed in rags, she knitted woollen stockings for Eponine and Azelma.

Cosette gazed at the doll for several minutes but, remembering her job, she sighed and continued on her way

She did not notice the coin that Mme Thenardier had given her for the bread fall out of her pocket into the water

But the bucket was so heavy that, after a dozen steps, she had to stop for a rest

'This is a very heavy bucket for such a small child,' he said gently, looking down at her from his great height.

'This gentleman wants a room for the night,' Cosette said, trembling with fear, expecting to be beaten.

'It's for you.'

The Thenardiers gave the old man their best room for the night

The next morning they gave him the bill, charging him three times the usual price for a meal and a bed for the night

That child, for instance - you've no idea how much she costs

The December days passed in great happiness for Cosette and for Jean Valjean, too

He walked for a couple of hours every evening, sometimes alone, sometimes with Cosette

The beggar raised his face and stared hard at Valjean for just a second, then quickly bowed his head

Although he had only seen the beggar's face for a second, it had seemed strangely familiar.

'But for a second, there was something about the beggars eyes that reminded me of Javert

It was too dangerous for him and Cosette to stay there another night

He went back upstairs for Cosette, who was waiting for him patiently, holding her doll.

He walked along this lane for a long time until, to his horror, he discovered his way blocked by a high wall

Valjean looked desperately for an escape from the alley, but could see none

His father, a brave officer who had fought for Napoleon and nearly died at the Battle of Waterloo, had really loved him and his mother very much

He did not earn very much money, but it was enough for the rent and simple meals

He hated his grandfather for the unjust, cruel way he had treated his poor father

Life was hard for him, but he never forgot the promise he had made his father: that he would find Thenardier, the man who had saved his father's life, and help him in any way he could.

They'd be good for you, Marius

Then, for some reason, Marius stopped going to the Luxembourg Gardens

She looked up when Marius passed for the second time, and gave him a casual glance

Taking a deep breath, he rose and was going to pass the bench for a third time when he stopped

He did the same every day for two weeks

Every day for the next month, Marius went to the Luxembourg Gardens, excited by knowing that the girl was secretly looking at him, but too shy and embarrassed to know what to do

Sometimes he stood for half an hour in a place where her father could not see him, looking at her and enjoying the small, secret smiles she sent him.

His desire for the girl was growing daily, and he dreamt of her every night

They did not come for a whole week, and Marius began to feel depressed

He searched everywhere for them, but without success

He stood for a moment staring after them as they disappeared round a corner

Marius read the four letters and discovered that they were all asking for money

'What can I do for you, Mademoiselle?' he asked.

'I've got a letter for you, M

My warm-hearted neighbour, I have heard of how you kindly paid my rent for me six months ago

I thank you for it

But my eldest daughter will tell you that my wife is sick and none of us have had any food for four days

The Jondrette family had been Marius's neighbours for many months, but he had never before paid much attention to them

But now he understood that Jondrette's business was writing dishonest letters, asking for money from people he imagined were wealthier than himself.

Picking up a pen that lay on the table, she wrote on a piece of paper, Be careful! The police are coming! She showed Marius her work and then, changing the subject quickly, for no reason at all, she gazed into his eyes and said shyly, 'Do you know, M

She clapped her hands and cried, 'We've been looking for that everywhere! How did you know they were mine? Of course, the handwriting

'Ah, this is for the old man who goes to church every day

Perhaps he'll give me enough for a dinner

We haven't eaten for three days..

'That's enough food for two days

Marius had lived for five years without much money, but he had never been really poor

'Now we're ready for the kind gentleman

In the bright mist that clouded his vision, Marius could hardly see the features of the sweet face that had lit his life for six months and had then disappeared, filling his life with darkness

No warmth for my unhappy children

'She had an accident in the machine-shop where she works for six sous an hour, 'Jondrette explained

'But I'll take my daughter home and come back this evening with more money for you.'

'Can you find out for me?'

The girl looked hard at him for a minute.

Leblanc and 'Ursula' from the trap that Jondrette was setting for them

Then, when everything had been explained, Javert thought for a moment

Finally, he asked Marius for his door key and told him to go home and hide quietly in his room so that his neighbours would think he was out.

A few minutes later, there was nobody in the building except for Marius and the Jondrettes

'That is for your rent and food, Monsieur,' he said

The conversation continued politely in this way for several minutes

Marius, however, who had been going to fire the gun as a signal for the police to arrive, shook so much that he almost fell off the cupboard.

Leblanc, but the old man was too quick for him

This was too much for Marius.

All I'm asking for is 200,000 francs

Thenardier sat on the corner of the table in silence for some moments, swinging his leg and gazing with a fierce satisfaction at the fire

Inspector Javert looked for Marius everywhere, but without success.

He sent money every Monday to Thenardier, who was in prison, which meant that he had even less money for himself

But the main reason for his unhappiness was that he was forced to live his life with no hope of seeing 'Ursula'.

She stared at Marius with a look of pleasure on her pale face, and for some moments seemed unable to speak.

'I've been looking for you everywhere

I'll mend it for you

Valjean had gone away on business for a couple of days, and Cosette was in the downstairs sitting room, playing the piano.

She listened at the window for a minute, then ran up to her bedroom, opened the window and looked out

He spent the next two nights walking around the garden, checking the gate, listening for noises, but nothing unusual happened.

Finally, she kissed the book, held it to her heart and waited for the evening, when she knew that something special was going to occur.

'Forgive me for being here.' Marius spoke at last

Forgive me for talking like this, I don't know what I'm saying - perhaps I'm annoying you? But the truth is, I can't live without you.'

Now, for the first time, there was a cloud in the clear blue sky of his life

'Father told me this morning that I have to pack everything and be ready to leave for England within a week.'

He stayed in that position for some time

'It's worth losing a day together if we want to be happy for the rest of our lives.'

'Well, I'll pray for you to succeed and I'll never stop thinking about you

He was unhappy about many things - about losing his teeth, about the political situation but, most of all, about the fact that he had not seen his grandson for four years, since their big quarrel

At last! After four years! Was it really him? He wanted to open his arms and hug him, but all he said was, 'What have you come for?'

I know I'm not welcome here, but I have come to ask for only one thing

You're probably in trouble with the police, or you're in debt, and you've run back to me for help

The old man paused for a moment before saying, 'So, you want to get married at the age of twenty-one

'Tell me about it,' he said to Marius, who stared back with silent amazement, unaware that the word 'grandfather' was responsible for the change in the old man's behaviour

'Here's some money for you

Gillenormand called for Marius to come back, but it was too late

At nine o'clock that evening, Marius crept into the garden of Cosette's house, but she was not there waiting for him as she had promised

There was nothing for him to do except die.

'Your friends are waiting for you at the barricade in the rue de Chanvrerie.'

In the spring of 1832, the people of Paris were ready for revolution

The ordinary people liked him at first, but he soon showed that he was more interested in power for his family than democracy for his people

The General had been very popular with the people of France because of his love for Napoleon

The day of his funeral was arranged for 5 June, and thousands of people saw this as a chance to make a public protest against the king and his government.

Having run to tell Marius that his friends were waiting for him, she was helping Enjolras and his companions to build the barricade

The barricades were finished in less than an hour and, with the sound of drums in the city growing louder, Enjolras brought a table out into the street and sat down with his friends for a drink.

While the fifty men behind the barricade waited impatiently for the arrival of sixty thousand soldiers, Enjolras approached the tall, grey-haired man.

Unafraid, Marius ran through the shadows, ignoring shouts for him to stop

Around the corner, he could see a row of soldiers aiming their guns down the rue de Chanvrerie, waiting for the order to fire.

Marius saw a soldier attacking Enjolras, who had fallen backwards and was calling for help

Neither did he see, at the moment the soldier fired, a young boy dressed in rags jump in front of the gun and fall wounded as the bullet meant for Marius hit him in the hand.

While the soldiers waited at the far end of the street for further orders, and the rebels removed dead bodies from the barricade and took care of the wounded, Marius walked around the stronghold in a kind of dream

Then, with a great effort, she raised herself on one arm and, struggling for breath, looked into Marius's eyes.

'I have a letter for you in my pocket

'Now you must promise me something for my trouble,' she said

With those words, she closed her eyes for the last time and died.

So she still loved him! He thought for a moment that now he must not die, but then he thought, 'She's going away.'

She was going with her father to England, and his grandfather had refused to give his permission for him to marry

'Well, Gavroche, will you do something for me? I want you to deliver this letter to the address written on the outside.'

The boy scratched his head, thought for a moment, and then, with a sudden movement, took the letter and ran off into the night.

He went out into the night and sat on the doorstep, his heart filled with a terrible hatred for the man who was trying to steal Cosette from him

He sat for a long time listening to the sound of distant gunfire in the city, wondering how to get his revenge, when suddenly he heard footsteps

'I'm looking for Number Seven

I have a letter for a girl who lives here.'

The ground floor of the wine shop became a hospital for the wounded, and the bodies of the dead were taken to an alley near the smaller of the two barricades

The barricade was stronger than it had been for the first assault, and the rebels were at their positions, guns loaded and ready for action

The battle continued for some time; the cannon destroyed the upper windows of the wine shop, and did some damage to the barricade, but the rebels did not withdraw

'You're the leader, aren't you? Can I ask you for a favour?'

Javert walked away slowly and Valjean, waiting for him to turn a corner, fired his gun into the air and returned to the stronghold.

On the other side was the low barricade, behind which hundreds of soldiers waited for rebels trying to escape

He walked blindly downwards in this way for a long time, his clothes wet with the blood from Marius's wound, the faint whisper of the young man's breath in his ear

They seemed to be listening for something, waiting for someone to move

Give me half of what you found in this man's pockets, and I'll unlock the gate for you.' He produced a large key from his pocket, and a piece of rope

'You killed a man for just thirty francs? You're a fool.' He searched Marius's pockets himself, and then Valjean's.

He took the thirty francs and, helping Valjean to lift Marius on to his shoulders, he put the key in the lock and opened the gate just wide enough for Valjean to pass through

He stared into Valjean's eyes for a long time, then, stepping back with a look of confusion in his eyes, asked dreamily, 'What are you doing here? Who is this man?'

'No, not yet,' Valjean replied, feeling in Marius's jacket for the wallet

Javert shouted to the driver who was waiting for him to bring his carriage close to the river

While one servant ran to find a doctor and another looked for clean sheets, Valjean felt Javert's hand on his arm

When they had got back into the carriage, however, Valjean said, 'Inspector, will you do one last thing for me before you arrest me?'

'Let me go home for a minute

Javert was silent for some moments, his chin sunk in the collar of his overcoat

At the end of the rue de l'Homme-Arme, which was too narrow for the carriage to enter, Javert paid the driver and accompanied Valjean to his front door on foot.

'I'll wait for you here.'

Valjean went into his house and called, 'It's me!' Climbing the stairs, he paused for a moment to look out of the window to see what Javert was doing

Leaning against the door for support, he murmured, 'Marius!'

I cannot feel grief for you

Marius lay for a long time between life and death in a state of fever, endlessly repeating the name of Cosette.

Every day, according to one of the servants, a white-haired, well-dressed gentleman came to ask for news of the sick man.

'She comes here every day in the shape of an old man who asks for news of you

While you've been ill, she's spent her time crying and making bandages for you

'I have the honour, on behalf of my grandson, Marius Pontmercy, to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage.'

I was so excited today that I haven't even dressed up for you

The wedding was arranged for February the following year

He also invented a dead family for Cosette, so that everybody believed she was an orphan

But there were more important things for Marius to think about

Apart from preparing for his wedding, there were two people that he wanted to find

Gillenormand's house for the wedding feast

But Cosette was not unhappy for long

She had Marius, and she would be happy with him for the rest of her life!

Everything ended for me when she married you yesterday

Neither of them spoke for several minutes

Please Monsieur, if I can't see Cosette again, I'll have nothing left to live for

As 'Monsieur Jean', he gradually became a different person to her, and she began not to depend on him for her happiness.

He waited in the small, damp room for an hour before sadly returning home

One evening he discovered there were no chairs in the room at all - he and Cosette had to stand in the cold for their whole meeting

When Valjean did not appear for the second evening, Cosette sent a servant to his house to ask if he was well

He would then stare at the house for several minutes, tears rolling down his cheeks, before turning round and slowly returning home.

But she loved her husband even more, and she gradually became used to not depending on the old man for her happiness.

It was signed 'Thenard', and was asking for money

The stranger explained in great detail how he used to work for the government in foreign countries and that, now he was retired, he wanted to move to South America with his wife and daughter

'I'll tell you the first part for nothing

It's a remarkable secret and I'll sell the information to you for 20,000 francs.'

'I'll tell you for twenty francs.'

He waited for a few seconds to see Marius's reaction.

Marius, meanwhile, was grateful for finally having the chance to help Thenardier, and therefore to keep the promise he had made to his father

Thenardier looked puzzled for a moment, then said, 'Monsieur, I think you are mistaken.'

'I told you that I do not like to see a man accused unjustly, but I do like to see a man punished for crimes he has committed.'

'There's a carriage waiting for you

You'll feel some grief for me, but not too much

'Now, Cosette,' he breathed softly, 'the time has come for me to tell you your mother's name

This good woman had a little red riding hood made for her

The wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, and then he immediately fell upon the good woman and ate her up in a moment, for it been more than three days since he had eaten

I do not even know where this is because the fog is so thick that I can only see for a few metres in any direction.

Is she my wife? My girlfriend? I think that she is, and I suddenly feel afraid for her

I do not know what to do for a moment

And I remember that after I eat, I wait for her in the car park until she finishes work, and she is surprised to see me there

Is it the man with the dark eyes and dirty brown hair? Does he know I am here? Good! If he looks for me, he is not with Catherine, I think

"Good for her."

"So why didn't he run? Why wait here for us?"

The tall man is silent for a moment: "Who knows? I don't want to understand the mind of these psychopaths

"You can't be serious? A bank robbery?" And for a moment he looks surprised, but then he laughs

And for a few seconds there is only the sound of Beethoven as the music begins to reach its molto allegro.

He looks at the newspaper for a moment but says nothing.

He looks at the loch again, at the jetty and the small boats waiting there for the tourists in the hotel

She needs to come now, he knows, but he cannot shout for her

I just need to wait for her like a good husband, he thinks.

All he has to do is make her hold it for a second

The attendant is about to finish for the night.

He looks at Oliver for a moment, nods, pulls his lighter from his pocket and offers it.

"Can't we just go out for a few minutes, please? Just to enjoy the sunset?"

"Ay, well, just for 10 minutes then."

Just one push, and then he can shout for the attendant and pretend to help but really just watch the monster go down into the loch

"Help me, for the love of God, help me!"

She waits for a moment, uncertain, and then she takes a breath

She pauses for a second, and he sees her hands shake

She nods and bites her red fingernails for a moment

He does not feel any sympathy for her

He cannot: not for someone who can do that

No, he cannot feel any sympathy for her, but maybe now she can find some rest

He walks up the corridor to the front desk and is about to shout for an officer when he sees the tall figure standing at the door of the police station

And for the first time in a week, Gerry relaxes and lets his anxious, pale face smile.

No, you either get out of the city for life, or Big Jones finds you

They look for drugs and weapons

They do not look for sixty thousand pounds of uncut diamonds.

"Watch out for the salties, mate

See you later," he says to the brothers, then he heads for the truck.

He does not believe the brothers, not for a moment

And on the television screens there are giant faces, clips from movies, news headlines, commercials for cars and perfume, chocolate and beer.

You do what I say, no problem." And Nick looks at him for a moment: "You look okay now: these new clothes aren't bad."

He thinks about home for a moment, but that is too far away now, and too long ago.

He looks around and steps into the doorway of a shop for a moment

And for a moment he does not understand.

He opens the bag for everyone to see, and there is a cry from a woman near to him, followed by another and another

She is a quiet young thing, and beautiful too, and Carolina likes to have beautiful things around her, so she is more than happy to talk for both of them.

I am sailing from here to Southampton, then I intend to stay in England for some time

"Well, for them, not for me: I'm not married," says Edward a little too quickly.

Peter thinks that for a film there must be something visual about the murder weapon

"And for me," Edward says as he refills Eleanor's glass, "the important thing is the twist."

In fact, I have an idea for a story: an idea I think about occasionally."

"Maybe," she says with another shy smile, "but you first: what's your idea for the perfect murder weapon?"

"Okay, well, it's not my idea, and it's old, but I think it's great for a film

She always goes for a run in the evening, but this time she waits until he falls asleep in a chair in the lounge, and she puts a candle to the curtains

Then she goes for her run and makes sure that many people see her."

"Normally, yes," says Eleanor, and all three men notice how her smile fades a little, "but she has a plan for that

And at this point she screams and runs from the building and falls to the floor." Eleanor stops speaking, and for a moment there is silence at the table.

"Yes," Eleanor says, and for a moment more there is silence again.

So he looks out of the window and waits for the judge

He forgot to do it once, and they refused to pay him for the day.

Several people saw the defendant walking around Bristol looking for Mr Dawson

They say this is premeditated murder because for half an hour Miss Lee looked for Mr Dawson; they also say she made her intention clear on three different occasions

He takes the back stairs, passes three or four lawyers in their black gowns and white wigs and feels sorry for them: it is so hot today

Tonight is a good night to go out for a few drinks, he thinks, and he is deciding whom to call, when he hears a female voice.

What? Oh, who cares about her? She'll probably like prison, the crazy cow: more people for her to hurt

Nick looks at her for a second and then turns and runs back to the door.

Maybe there is something we can do to make you forget this? Maybe you can take me for a drink." Then she smiles and takes his hand

And for a few moments you are so afraid that you cannot think

The blanket of your bed is covering all of you except for your head, and part of you thinks that this is good

You know that Sophie is sleeping in her usual position at the top of the stairs and that she never makes a noise in the night, and you wish, for the first time, that you also had a dog

No reason for you to think that there is more than one burglar

The gardai are everywhere, and they are looking for him

In the distance he can hear the siren of a gardai car in the city centre, but he is sure it is not for him

And an old man who looks at Barry for a moment before returning to his prayers

He looks to the right wall and sees what he is looking for: a large wooden box with two doors.

He pauses for a moment to try and remember what he has to do next, but then the door to the church opens again, and three women enter

But after a few minutes he realises how tired he is, and he thinks that maybe he can close his eyes for a moment and even rest his head against the grille.

"Yes, I'm here," he says, and for a moment there is silence before he remembers what to say

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." And again there is a long silence

"Father, I need to ask for something from you

I need to ask for sanctuary."

"Yes, Father, I need somewhere to hide for a few days, a week maybe

"Well, God will judge you for this, my son

But tell me, why did you stay in the city? Why not run for the countryside? Or hop on a ferry out of here?"

I need to wait for a few days until they think I'm miles from the city

I can let you sleep here for a few days, and I can bring you some food."

And for the first time in two days, Barry Brennan feels relief

Thank you! You know, I'm sure there's a bit of spare money for the church

He hits the button for the radio, and an old song fills the silence of the desert

Maybe it is time for the first drink of the day after all, and he takes the small flask from the pocket of his denim jacket, removes the lid and swallows.

Maybe there is one waiting for him in Flagstaff

And this one, he hopes, will have a little more respect for him and won't laugh at him.

So he drives, and for a while he feels better

He needs to find another route and a motel to stay in for a few days: a cheap motel where they only want a name and some cash.

And he thinks for a moment about not stopping, but there is nowhere for him to go

It's small, too small for a tall man like him.

But in the reflection of the red paint he sees the cop raise his hand, and in the soft evening light he sees the knife, and for a moment he does not understand.

And he thinks that the next bullet is for him

"Sally left me last month," he said, and he called the waiter for another beer

And listen, I don't hate them for that

I just know that if we ask them for a small amount, then they can pay

If you ask for more, you have to wait, and then there is the risk that they contact the police

Their cabin by the lake was cold and empty, and there were no jobs for him anywhere.

Brandon pulled him from the old deserted cabin, and they ran for Greg's truck

And he got to the truck and managed to drive to the road, where for a few minutes he thought he was free

That's enough time for them to get the money from Banff but not enough to do anything else like phone the cops

"My husband went for the money," says the woman, rifle in one hand, black hat in the other

There is only the sound of the waterfall for a moment

Around the old but impressive school, there are green gardens and grounds that continue for miles, and at the windows of the building there are the thirty faces of serious young men, who watch them strangely.

The headmaster tells them to sit in the same voice he uses for his students.

But last night he didn't call for anything."

They walk along the corridors for five minutes and reach an internal courtyard.

"Be honest now, or there might be trouble for you."

for lunch."

They say he punishes them for every mistake."

"What for?"

And for a while he thought that he would die in the deep dark corner behind the wall

Junior is short for his age

When Owen was a boy of fourteen, he played rugby or football every day, he ran to the school in the village just for fun, and he spent every Sunday in the forests with his dad.

And Owen knew the boy was interested then, and for the first time in a long time he thought that maybe there was something they could do together

"At this time of year, we want to look for rabbits, Son, but if we can get a hare, even better."

"Well, the police, for example

"Well, it is, Son, but only like downloading films for free

If you have no gun, then there is no problem; we can come back for the gun another day

Junior looks a bit happier now, and for twenty minutes Owen talks to him about how to hold the gun and how to walk with it, while his son listens carefully and asks sensible questions that show a real interest

Then maybe in a few years they can start to go for a pint like Owen and his father did.

And for a while they walk, and he is happy about how carefully Junior holds the gun and how he listens and does exactly what he should

Then slowly you win respect, and slowly you make a name for yourself.

But maybe there is another reason for the name of the casino.

And for a moment Hank is silent

But for a moment Clive and Kenny wait, stepping backwards so that the waves caused by the feeding frenzy do not get at them.

And for a little while more they wait, until the surface of the pool is calm again

She hears the train in the dark tunnel and tells herself to wake up and to focus for another forty minutes.

No, these kids are okay, but they are loud, and it is impossible for Sarah not to hear their conversation

If he follows me, I will shout and scream for help.

Sala and Cham live in an enormous overcrowded city that they are forbidden to leave, for their own protection: the world outside the city was contaminated during the wars.

Anyway, there are loads of robots doing the work for now."

"So they're just getting wet for no reason?" said Niki

It was true; life for most people was difficult

It was March 15, and she had been going out with Cham for exactly one year

The little chip under her skin lit up for a second, showing how many energy units she had left

A simulator cost five units per hour, which was a lot - but it was worth it for the escape it offered from the city.

Inside, Niki went to meet some other friends while Sala looked around the busy entrance area for Cham

There was a screen on the wall with a list of places to choose from: places they would never see for real.

Then, after her final spoonful, Sala reached for her bag.

"I have something for you

By the time they left the simulator, she'd fallen in love - and luckily for her, so had Cham.

"I have something for you, too."

"It's like a pod experience, but you stay in for much longer," explained Ding

They connect your body to them and look after it for you - your food, your muscles, everything

It was unusual for him

Most of them had at least forty floors above ground - these were called "sky apartments." Below ground, there were often another ten floors, for "earth apartments." The government had started building under the ground long ago, because the land inside the city was so limited.

Sala and Cham stepped off the walkway near their apartment blocks, and as they did so, someone knocked Sala's elbow, then held her arm for a second.

The woman reached for Sala's hand and slipped a small package into it

"Must be something for Gran's garden," she said.

"And thanks for my painting, too

"Is he looking for work again?" Cham smiled, and shook his head

"No, he's helping fix the equipment at the meat-growing laboratory, actually, and getting reasonable money for it

It had taken years for Gran to make her garden because it was so difficult to find soil or plants, but she had made some soil with rotten vegetables and fruit, and slowly found bits and pieces here and there

"Gran, I have something for you!"

"I think it must be something for you to plant."

Instead, she turned the package over, looking for a way to open it

"After the Oil Wars, I looked for him all over the city, but I couldn't find him anywhere

"I haven't heard from him for more than..

Was this the best life they could hope for?

We can get what you paid for this back, I'm sure..."

"I didn't pay for it all."

"It was a special offer - if you bought one experience, you could get another for free." He suddenly started talking very fast

"I had enough money for one, and you just had to say you were interested in Pod Life

"Is this the Pod Life that Ding was talking about? The one where you live in a pod for two years?" Cham looked uncomfortable

The three of them laughed and talked as they waited for the doors to open

You can earn a lot of money for it - a real salary, like your mom's."

He reached out for her hand

"You're thinking of leaving me for two whole years and you can't see the problem?"

I'm sure he loves you, but you can't blame hint for thinking about the future

Sala thought for a while

Gran stared into the distance for a moment, deep in thought

there's nowhere in the city for wild roses to grow

How wonderful to think that there might still be a different world out there - a world where you could do all those things for real!

Then she waited for his reply

She couldn't judge him for considering Pod Life

"Don't use any energy units for me - I'm not bothered," said Sala.

"Go for it."

"From her brother?" Cham paused for a second, then laughed

It's for people our age: seventeen to twenty-one."

But whenever she thought about lying in a pod for months, her stomach seemed to turn over and over - in spite of what she'd told Cham.

The following afternoon, as Sala walked up and down in her little room, waiting to go with Cham for their pod experience, she had a strange feeling in her stomach

It disappeared under the surface for a moment, so Sala looked around.

Sala and Cham swam with them for a while - further out into the ocean first and then back toward the beach

"If I didn't have you, I'd sign up for Pod Life, I think."

"Niki and I passed the laboratory the other day - there were loads of people looking for work."

"I feel very sorry for all those people

And I'd wish with all my heart that there was something better for you."

Sala realized that for Gran, the rose fruit meant something real; it spoke of a world that Sala could only begin to imagine

Up on the roof, they talked about all the things that didn't really matter: what they'd eaten for dinner, the weather, Apat on the jumping machine..

I loved the pod, but I'd be afraid of doing it for longer

"Thank you for coming," he whispered

"Sorry for what?"

He hadn't done anything else for years

"I'll be doing it for my family," Cham pointed out

"Sorry for getting angry

Cham was silent for a moment

"The only thing I can ask is this: if I do Pod Life without you, will you still be here for me when I come out? Can you wait two years?"

"Cham, you have to do what's right for you

This was how it would be, for two whole years..

As Sala reached for the last one, another hand reached for it at the same time

She found Gran sitting with Mom, talking and drinking tea; for once, Mom had got home from work early.

I've been trying to send a message for many years, but nothing has crossed the boundary successfully

"Wait for what? He's about to sign up for Pod Life."

She counted the minutes until it was time to leave for the pod center

"We have to wait for the woman to contact us again."

Cham's parents Dani and Tian were waiting for them just inside

"That's our name for everyone who signs up," said Leti

There will be a Contact Hour for visits each day."

Cham's parents asked a lot of questions, and Leti seemed to have an answer for everything

Energy units must be saved for your own use

You will remain in the pod for this, so you will speak through your avatar."

If your body is in good health, you will then return to the pod for a further twenty-three months."

Then Cham would be torn away from her for two long years.

She decided to go for a run at the energy center; maybe it would cheer her up

She had been there for about thirty minutes when a woman began running on the machine next to her

and anyway, maybe she would come back with exciting news for everyone.

"Yes, your grandmother's brother has been trying to contact her for a long time

It only works for a short time," Wena carried on

"Well, he can't leave the pod for two years, can he?" Wena's eyes were calm, but hard, too

Now, we're looking for people that the government is unlikely to miss

She was over an hour late for meeting him at the simulator center, and because her ultranet connection didn't come back on until she was almost there, she couldn't even call him or send him a message

But now it seemed an obvious place for the government to bug.

Cham reached for her hand

Then they met Niki, Palo, and Ding in a cafe for taste-pots

"It's been hard for her, all this business about Uncle Eston

She's been hoping all week for more news

Gran hesitated, for a long time

It took a moment for her words to have an effect.

Cham's last day was difficult for everyone

"Make interface pictures for us, Cham," his two younger sisters begged

Sala watched as everyone gathered around Cham for their final goodbyes

for something to happen.

Wena was silent for a moment

What else could I say? Sala was kicking herself for not keeping Wena talking for longer

She'd just have to wait for Wena to appear again.

Sala engaged her virtual interface and sat waiting for him.

I can't believe how fresh the air is and the sky is just..." At last, he paused for a second.

We're waiting for news."

It must be strange for him, not knowing where she was or what she was doing

"Most things worth fighting for involve a little danger

They trained us for it

This is our future, isn't it? There's no point in sitting back, just waiting for it to happen."

Looking for Answers

The next day, Sala started to look for her

Did she dare go back to the earth apartment? What if Cham was warning her for a reason?

I can just wait for Wena or Oban to appear.

Sala checked her ultranet connection for the millionth time

They all fell silent for a moment.

"Test it for what?" demanded Sala.

With no Cham to talk to, and no news from Wena, the week went by very slowly for Sala.

The following morning, Sala got up early for the big event of her week: Cham's Ultranet Talk Hour.

You know, I'm starting to think I might stay in for a while longer."

"He comes out for tests in a couple of weeks, doesn't he?" said Mom

But I believe that this is best for all of us." He looked over at Dani, who nodded in agreement

When the ultranet interface went dead, she sat quietly for a moment

Cham's test days had arrived at last, and Sala had joined Dani, Tian, and Cham's two sisters at the pod center for their first Contact Hour with him

"So he says it's for your own protection," said Gran bitterly.

The door of the apartment opened and Apat came in, back from visiting a friend for dinner.

If the government came asking them questions, it would be better, for now, that he knew nothing at all.

She was saving all her strength for when they saw Cham.

"We're ready for visitors!" called a cheerful voice

Sala watched them, searching their faces for clues

Cham sat down and looked at the pictures that his sisters had drawn for him, then answered his parents' questions about the tests

She closed her eyes, and let herself enjoy it, just for this moment

If they can't surprise you, it's harder for them to control you.

She ordered a large lunch for herself

I felt sorry for de Winter already

Go and ask the waiter for another cup,' Mrs Van Hopper told me.

She was not silent for long, of course

Mrs Van Hopper's dressmaker was waiting for her upstairs.

But the note was for me

You must stay in bed for a week or two.'

It was too late for me to go back

We ordered our food and sat for a time in a pleasant, easy silence.

'I work for her

I talked about my mother and her great love for my father

I suddenly realized that we had been sitting at the table for more than an hour

I thought for a moment that he was going to tell me about Manderley

But thank you for today.'

Mrs Van Hopper had been in bed for about ten days

I waited for her to ask more questions

It was her special name for him

'Helen is sailing for New York on Saturday

I wanted to be alone for a few minutes

He knew who I was looking for, of course.

Her daughter sails for New York on Saturday and we're going with her

I work for her, you know that

But I'll take you to Venice for our honeymoon

We'll travel round Italy for a time

How could he love me, after her? I would be a companion for him

'It was lucky for you that I was ill,' she said

The sun will be shining for you when we come to Manderley.'

It was so easy for Maxim

But for me, everything was new and strange

I was going to Manderley for the first time

The gates were wide open for us

She's been housekeeper here for years

He thanked Mrs Danvers quickly and took me into the library for tea

It was a place for rest, for reading and for quiet thinking.

There was far too much food for two people

Maxim sat in a chair by the fire reading the letters that had been waiting for him

'They have been getting the rooms in the east wing ready for us

'It is my duty to wait for you, Madam,' Mrs Danvers said

The rooms here have been specially arranged for you.'

'I suppose you have been at Manderley for many years,' I said.

And for a moment I saw a look of hatred in her eyes.

I have been looking after the house for the past year

It was new for us to sit together quietly like this

In Italy we had walked about in the evenings, or gone for a drive

It is what he has done every evening for years.

It was the normal Manderley breakfast, but far too much for two people

I looked round for a box of matches, but I could not find one

Of course, I can give orders for the fire in the library to be lit.'

'Mrs de Winter has been dead for over a year.'

'I wondered if you had seen the menus for the day

As I wrote I noticed my own handwriting for the first time

We stared at one another for a moment without speaking.

I stood for a moment and then walked in.

Maxim had told me how hard Frank Crawley worked for Manderley

'She may try to make things unpleasant for you,' Beatrice went on

'Robert, will you fetch a coat for Mrs de Winter?'

He bent down and threw a stick for Jasper to run after.

Jasper ran on ahead and took the right-hand path without waiting for us.

There was no sound except for the noise of a little stream and the quiet rain on the leaves

Maxim picked up a stone and threw it across the beach for Jasper.

I climbed down into the bay and the man looked at me for the first time

I cut a piece of string for Jasper and went out of the cottage

Maxim was waiting for me beside the rocks

'I had to get some string for Jasper

'Come on, Jasper, for God's sake,' said Maxim angrily

There was no need for you to go after Jasper.'

'And forgive me for being so unkind.'

The raincoat, too wide, too long for me, must have been hers too

The weather was wet and cold for over a week

I had been thinking about that terrible night for so long.

'Mrs de Winter, you mustn't think that,' said Frank, looking at me for the first time

I looked round the room for somewhere to put the books

You think I am not right for Manderley

A strange name for a boat - "I'll come back"

Mr de Winter was always buying clothes for her, beautiful clothes.'

'I blame myself for the accident,' she said

I hoped that Maxim would ask for me but he did not.

It was easy for Mrs Danvers to watch me from one of their windows.

Beatrice stayed for tea and left soon afterwards

Maxim would not be back for another hour

I called Jasper and we went for a walk through the woods

I'm telling you for the last time.'

Preparations for the Ball

'It's for Maxim and Mrs de Winter to decide.'

The Ball will be for you.'

Our visitors were talking happily now about their costumes for the Ball

That evening, as I was getting ready for dinner, there was a knock at my bedroom door

Her name was Caroline de Winter and she had been famous for her beauty

The preparations for the great day went on

Furniture was moved as the great hall was prepared for dancing

I thought about going for a walk

'The Ball is for you, after all

'You've got her to thank for it,' said Maxim, smiling at me.

This Ball was for me because I was a bride, the new Mrs de Winter

Manderley had been made into a place of light and beauty, just for me.

I found Clarice waiting for me in my bedroom, her face full of excitement

'What are you standing there for?' he asked me

Clarice was waiting for me in my bedroom

As you stood on the stairs, I thought for one terrible moment...'

You must come down for him,' she said.

'They will be waiting for me at dinner

'Thank you so much for a wonderful evening

The best party I've been to for a long time.'

I was too young for Maxim, I knew too little about the world

She was too strong for me.

'What do I care for his pain?' she said

Well, he's paying for it now

But even then, she cared for nothing and nobody

The sea was too strong for her in the end.'

Tell Mrs Danvers to have food and drink ready for the men

'Frith will be looking for me

Then she went to the door and held it open for me.

'When you see Mr de Winter, Madam, please tell him there will be a hot meal ready for the men at any time.'

Then for the first time I realized that Maxim had not gone away

I sat on the cliffs for a long time doing nothing, thinking of nothing.

I felt, for the first time, that it was my home

I felt that I was waiting for something - something terrible.

'I'm afraid I've got some bad news for Mr de Winter

This was the reason for the strange fear in my heart

'Rebecca went up to London for a time

I wanted to take the boat a good way out, but the wind was too strong for me.

We sat there together for some minutes without saying anything

There were a lot of letters thanking us for the Ball

I rang the bell for a maid and when she came, I spoke to her angrily

The menu for the day lay on the desk

I crossed everything out and rang for Robert.

He told me he was bringing Colonel Julyan and Frank back for lunch.

'This is most unpleasant for you and your husband,' Colonel Julyan said to me

'I feel very sorry for both of you.'

That makes things rather difficult for us now.'

'I suppose Mrs de Winter had to go down into the cabin for something

We all stood on the terrace for a moment and then Colonel Julyan looked at his watch.

'Thank you for the lunch,' he said to me

'It's you I'm sorry for,' Maxim told me sadly

He opened the door for me and I went in quietly and sat down

'Mrs de Winter was careless for a moment and she died.'

'I want to wait for Maxim.'

'Max will be back for dinner, I'm sure.'

'I'm very sorry for you.'

But I can still make life unpleasant for you

I'll wait for you in the cottage

'Stop him for God's sake.' But it was too late

Thank God for Favell's laugh

'Aren't those holes in the boat enough proof for you?'

'I'll get your proof for you,' shouted Favell

Were you on the beach when she took her boat out for the last time?'

She knew her for years,' Favell said, with his unpleasant smile.

'Here is the page for the day Mrs de Winter died,' she said

He looked at me like a man saying goodbye for the last time

Tomorrow will be a long day.' He held my hand for a moment, but he did not look into my eyes

I settled down for the long journey to London

No one said anything for a few minutes

'We must thank you for all your help,' Maxim said as the magistrate got out of the car.

There was no need for Maxim to look so white and troubled.

There was a long-distance call for her at six

'You've slept for two hours,' Maxim told me

'I can get hundreds of dollars for these!' he thinks.

But Brad, you can see Natalie, and you're waiting for her...'

Bud is waiting for him.

'I have a drink for you, Nathan,' she says.

The two policemen jump out, and look for Natalie and Nathan.

'OK, but we need a new stand-in for Natalie

The boy was in the front passenger seat of the wagon, waiting for someone in the store

But then, inevitably, her fantasy burst, for he wasn't Danny.

Each time, for a few hours after she woke, she could not face reality

This was a warm and wonderful fantasy, but she could not sustain it for long

She bought a quart of nonfat milk and a loaf of whole-wheat bread that was cut thin for dieters, so each serving contained only half the calories of an ordinary slice of bread

Danny's cries and her response became increasingly shrill and desperate, for they knew that they must reach each other before nightfall or be lost forever; in the oncoming night, something waited for Danny, something fearsome that would seize him if he was alone after dark

She remained on guard for a few minutes, but the night was so peaceful that at last she had to admit she was alone

She closed her eyes and imagined herself lying beside him, reaching for him in the dark, touching, touching, moving against him, into the shelter of his arms

But for better or worse, this December 30 was the hinge, upon which her entire future would swing.

The Lido was one of those incredibly lavish productions that could be seen nowhere in the world but Vegas, for it was only in Las Vegas that a multimillion-dollar show could be staged year after year with little concern for profit; such vast sums were spent on the elaborate sets and costumes, and on the enormous cast and crew, that the hotel was usually happy if the production merely broke even from ticket and drink sales

Tina enjoyed dancing in the Lido, and she stayed there for two and a half years, until she learned that she was pregnant

She landed a position as choreographer for a two-bit lounge revue, a dismally cheap imitation of the multimillion-dollar Lido, and eventually she took over the costumer's job as well

A month ago, for the first time, she'd thought that at last she had begun to overcome her grief

If audience reaction was as strong and as positive as Tina hoped, her financial future was assured, for her contract gave her two and one-half percent of the gross receipts, minus liquor sales, after the first five million

If Magyck! Was a hit and packed the showroom for four or five years, as sometimes happened with successful Vegas shows, she'd be a multimillionaire by the end of the run

Then at one o'clock, the entire cast and the crew would assemble for the final dress rehearsal.

It didn't last long enough for Tina to identify the source, but there was a stealthiness about it

In the brittle silence of the desert night, she imagined that she could sense an intruder listening too, listening for her.

Tina searched the entire house, except for Danny's old room, but she didn't find an intruder

Not long after his tenth birthday, the boy had asked for more space and privacy than was provided by his original, tiny quarters

Now, anxious to complete her search for the burglar - who was beginning to look as imaginary as all the other burglars she had stalked on other nights - she opened the door to Danny's bedroom

His desk occupied one corner; tubes of glue, miniature bottles of enamel in every color, and a variety of model-crafting tools stood in soldierly ranks on one half of the desk, and the other half was bare, waiting for him to begin work

Respecting his preference for neatness, Tina had instructed Mrs

Gazing at the dead boy's toys and pathetic treasures, Tina realized, not for the first time, that it wasn't healthy for her to maintain this place as if it were a museum

As long as she left his things undisturbed, she could continue to entertain the hope that Danny was not dead, that he was just away somewhere for a while, and that he would shortly pick up his life where he had left off

Her inability to clean out his room suddenly frightened her; for the first time it seemed like more than just a weakness of spirit but an indication of serious mental illness

An Electronic Battleship game had stood on that table, as Danny had left it, ready for play, but the easel had toppled into it and knocked it to the floor.

Although she wasn't much of a drinker, indulging in nothing more than a glass of wine now and then, with no capacity whatsoever for hard liquor, she finished the bourbon in two swallows

The focus of all the seats was the immense stage, a marvel of the size required for a Las Vegas spectacular, more than half again as large as the largest stage on Broadway

"Me? What are you thanking me for?"

He was so rich that he could retire and live the rest of his life in the high style and splendor for which he had a taste

She was also worried about being responsible for a ten-million-dollar budget

Working with that kind of money wasn't merely a step up for her; it was a giant leap.

Advance bookings indicated a record New Year's holiday crowd for Las Vegas

Carol had been shiny-eyed and breathless because the high rollers had tipped her with green chips, as if they'd been winning instead of losing; for bringing them half a dozen drinks, she had collected twelve hundred dollars.

Sinatra was in town, at Caesar's Palace, perhaps for the last time, and even at eighty years of age, he generated more excitement in Vegas than any other famous name

She had two and a half hours to fill before she had to leave for the hotel again.

Instead, she was coming in for a few hours this evening, while Tina was at the premiere.

For a moment Tina racked her mind, searching for someone to blame, and then a name occurred to her

Shattered by the loss of his son, Michael had been irrationally vicious with Tina for months after the funeral, accusing her of being responsible for Danny's death

Jaborski, the scoutmaster, had taken other groups of scouts on winter survival hikes every year for sixteen years, and no one had been even slightly injured

They didn't hike all the way into the true wilderness, just a reasonable distance off the beaten path, and they planned for every contingency

The experience was supposed to be good for a boy

Maybe not for a few days.

She let the hot water beat down on her neck for several minutes, until the stiffness in her muscles melted and flowed away.

The place was relatively quiet, except for the muffled oceanic roar of the VIP crowd that waited in the main showroom, beyond the velvet curtains.

Male dancers, wearing black tuxedos for the opening number, stood tensely, an eye-pleasing collection of lean, handsome types.

She headed toward the center booth in the VIP row, where Charles Mainway, general manager and principal stockholder of the Golden Pyramid Hotel, waited for her.

She was tall, slender, striking, fifty-five years old but able to pass for a well-preserved forty.

"Joel Bandiri is more responsible for the show than I am - especially if it's a flop."

"Smooth as I might be, I'm no match for these two."

They made pleasant small talk for the next fifteen minutes, and none of it had to do with Magyck! Tina was aware that they were trying to take her mind off the show, and she appreciated their effort.

He made no great show of being more than ordinarily interested in her, but the attraction she held for him was evident in his eyes

Fighting with Michael, coping with the shock of separation and divorce, grieving for Danny, and putting together the show with Joel Bandiri had filled her days and nights, so she'd had no chance to think of romance.

Now that she had spent more than a year grieving for her broken marriage and for her lost son, now that Magyck! was almost behind her, she would have time to be a woman again

Time for Elliot Stryker? She wasn't sure

No reason to be in a hurry to make up for lost pleasures

She'd been cleaning for Tina Evans for two years, and she had been entrusted with a key nearly that long.

The house was silent except for the softly humming refrigerator.

Some people for whom she cleaned house insisted that she keep regularly scheduled appointments, and they did a slow burn if she showed up more than a few minutes late

They pulled the handles for hours at a time, often making a twenty-dollar bill last a long afternoon

The duchesses, who for the most part were widows and spinsters, often ate lunch and dinner together

If she phoned for them and then ran out of the house, they might not find an intruder when they came

Besides, for the past twenty-one years, ever since her Harry died, she had always taken care of herself

She was about to head for the den when she noticed something odd about four framed eight-by-ten photographs that were grouped on the wall above the sofa

But, no, she was stuck in the past: The Cold War was over, and nuclear tests hadn't been conducted out in the desert for a long time

There were five photographs in addition to the one that had dropped onto the sofa; two were responsible for the noises that had drawn her into the living room, and the other three were those that she had seen popping off the picture hooks

Vivienne reached for the doorknob but stopped before touching it, unable to believe what she was seeing

Vivienne reached inside, fumbled for the light switch, found it, and entered warily

Although Vivienne could see where the noise originated, she couldn't locate any source for the bitterly cold air

Neither window was open, and even if one had been raised, the night wasn't frigid enough to account for the chill.

After a moment the other two models ceased their erratic dancing and began to spin around and around, like the first plane, as if they were actually flying, and there was no mistaking this deliberate movement for the random effects of a draft.

She believed in death and taxes, in the inevitability of slot-machine jackpots, in all-you-can-eat casino buffets for $5.95 per person, in the Lord God Almighty, in the truth of alien abductions and Big Foot, but she didn't believe in ghosts.

Gradually Vivienne's heartbeat subsided from the hard, frantic rhythm that it had been keeping for the past couple of minutes

Except, of course, that the boy who had once slept here had been dead for a year

Nevertheless, it might be a good idea for Tina Evans to get rid of the boy's belongings at last.

Vivienne had no logical explanation for what had happened, but she knew one thing for sure: She wasn't going to tell anyone what she had seen here tonight

Maybe some churching would be good for her

The person who paid a fair price for something was likely to place far more value on it than the one who got the same item for nothing

Although no second show was scheduled this evening, as would be the case every night henceforth, busboys and waitresses were busily clearing tables, resetting them with fresh linen and silverware for the following night's eight o'clock performance.

Knowing this feast had been laid on for the party, few of those present had eaten dinner, and most of the dancers had eaten nothing since a light lunch

Tina mingled, moving back and forth, upstage and downstage, through the crowd, thanking everyone for his contribution to the show's success, complimenting each member of the cast and crew on his dedication and professionalism

"In basic black he's dressed for any occasion-"

"I guess you'll have to be here most nights for a long time to come."

There's really no need for me to be."

In fact, Joel says it isn't healthy for a producer to be backstage every night..

He says I'd just make the performers nervous and cause the technicians to look over their shoulders for the boss when they should have their eyes on their work."

"Still, I guess you'll be here every night for the first week or so."

in between all that popping in and out of Magyck! Do you think you'd have time for dinner?"

"Are you asking me for a date?"

"You are asking me for a date," she said, pleased.

"I'll give you my address." She searched her purse for a pen.

The heating system rumbled to life, and for a couple of minutes at a time, the blower whispered wordlessly as hot air pushed through the vents.

She edged around the pit, determined to make the hateful bastard stop what he was doing, but he took a step away from her for every step that she took toward him, and he always stayed directly across the hole from her

Tina's terror over Danny's impending entombment was suddenly mixed with fear for her own life

She pulled the telephone directory from a drawer and leafed through the Yellow Pages until she found the advertisements for locksmiths

Hundreds of gamblers - pretty young women, sweet-faced grandmothers, men in jeans and decoratively stitched Western shirts, retirement-age men in expensive but tacky leisure outfits, a few guys in three-piece suits, salesmen, doctors, mechanics, secretaries, Americans from all of the Western states, junketeers from the East Coast, Japanese tourists, a few Arab men - sat at the semielliptical blackjack tables, pushing money and chips forward, sometimes taking back their winnings, eagerly grabbing the cards that were dealt from the five-deck shoes, each reacting in one of several predictable ways: Some players squealed with delight; some grumbled; others smiled ruefully and shook their heads; some teased the dealers, pleading half seriously for better cards; and still others were silent, polite, attentive, and businesslike, as though they thought they were engaged in some reasonable form of investment planning

Hundreds of other people stood close behind the players, watching impatiently, waiting for a seat to open

A sight for sore eyes."

She wasn't prepared for this pleasantness, nonplussed by the warmth of his greeting.

He was sitting here for eight hours straight."

But once in a while, a guy really loses track, doesn't get up for hours and hours, just keeps on playing like a zombie

At least it wasn't like the Michael Evans she had known for the past couple of years

He'll cover for me if I don't get back in time."

"Then there's 'Vegas syndrome.' Someone gets so carried away with gambling and running from show to show that he forgets to eat for a whole day or longer

After all, she'd lived with him for a long time, through years of happiness and years of misery, and she'd come to know the limits of his talent for deception and duplicity

It's hard for you to get around to it

But there at first, for a good many years, we had a great thing going

We can have it again if we really want to try for it."

"Sure." He mistook her astonishment for surprised delight

"Home life counts for something

He was happy being a blackjack dealer; his salary and his good tips were enough for him, and he was content to coast through the years

But merely drifting along in the currents of life wasn't enough for Tina

And I'm happy for you

I'm happy for you and me

It's good for you to have something to dabble in

It was good for us once, those early years