mmission.”

    ‘Arials before ted to talking fiss Gruff. Miss Lea, if you ions or four I migo lie, but three…“

    I slid my pencil from the cover.

    ‘ is your real name?“

    Se sure t o proceed? I could tell you a g story—a rat migter ting to t of things…”

    I sell me your name.”

    ted in ones glo.

    ‘My name is Vida inter. I  to be able to call myself by t name legally and ly.  you  to knoo t name was—“

    So overcome some obstacle  iceable neutrality, an utter absence of intonation, as t  name was Adeline March.”

    As to cut s even tion tinued ratartly, “I  going to ask my date of birt o ten it.”

    ‘I can manage , if you give me your place of birth.“

    Sated sigell you mucter, if you o tell it my way…”

    ‘t we s on public record.“

    S is a matter of record t Adeline Marc Bartal, London. I can ed to offer any personal guarantee of ty of t detail. tional person, I am not so exceptional t I can remember my oh.”

    I noted it down.

    Noion. I  must be admitted, no particular tion prepared. S  to tell me e of birtory and te of  book, s be less ty-to judge by ered t  tainty didn’t matter; e out for myself any tions, I already ion I needed in order to ascertain t a person by tually existed.  to ask, t o er tell a story, but ion as a .

    ‘tell me,“ I began sloories  everytrously snatcell me somet o you in ts a public record.“ Educational successes, I ing acs. triump are recorded for proud parents and for post