"Nothing," he said, and he sat down listlessly in an over-stuffed easy chair that was covered with chintz in full leaf. He didn't bother even to loosen his tie. I looked at him and compassion melted out of me. "Eaten?" He nodded. "Had to. Have to keep going." I said, "Nuts." It was time, I thought, for Dr. Wylie to reverse the field. We had been running with sympathy too long. Tears filled his eyes. "I hate to make such a spectacle of myself!" "How _right_ you are!" "Phil--I'm caving in! I can't think of another thing to do. My guts are full of ground glass. All I see--is Marcia--in my mind. I can't go on this way--" "Want to quit--going on that way?" "How can I?" It sounded as if he didn't want to quit. I said, "Listen, Paul, if you care to go to the cleaner, the dentist and down a gantlet all at once--you can quit." "What do you mean?" "Want a look at the real score? Or do you prefer to carry the torch of your slap-happy illusions forever?" He stared. "You know something you've kept from me!" "Certainly. I know a lot I couldn't tell you if I tried." "For Christ's sake--!" "All right. And remember, you asked. You went up to Hattie's last night--" "That fat she-fiend--!" "--and they said Marcia wasn't there. But she was." He leaped to his feet. "I'll grab a cab--" I got to my feet, too--not by leaping, and stood in front of him. "You'll grab no cab, Paul. Sit down--or shall I sit you down?" "Go on--" he said. "Tell me, then." "Marcia is up at Hattie's--working." He looked at me dementedly and snatched the phone. "You won't get them to put her on," I said. "She doesn't want to talk to you." "I'm calling the cops," he answered. "I'll bust that joint wide open and get her out, if it's the last thing--!" I hung up his telephone by reaching out with my foot. "Listen, Paulo. Listen good, once. You've made a lot of mistakes. Some, you admit. Some, you haven't caught on to--in spite of the infallible, scientific mind. And others--you haven't the empirical data to guess." "For the love of God, say what you're going to say!"