In the foyer, on the Hipplewhite desk, Allison found the maidʹs chore list with its cross‐offs, which included Clarkʹs supper. Allison went quickly through the daily mail: a garish coupon packet, a bill from Jamestown Liquors, Novemberʹs pay‐TV program guide, and the worst thing, the funniest, an already opened, extremely unkind letter from Clarkʹs relations up North. ʺYouʹre an old fool,ʺ Allison read, and, ʺYouʹre being cruelly deceived.ʺ There was a gift check for Clark enclosed, but it was uncashable, signed as it was, ʺJesus H. Christ.ʺ