EDGARREPARINGTOTAKEtheNationalWrit?ersExamination,afive-hourfifty-minuteexamina?tion,forhiscertificate.Hewasinhisroht?eheprospectoftakingtheexamagainputhiminworldsofhurt.Hehadtakenittwicebefore,withevilresults.Nowhewasstudyingabookwhitaitheactualquestionsfromtheexaminationbutsimilarquestions."Barbara,ifIdontknockitforaloopthistimeIdontknoelldo."Barbaratioaddressher?selftotheironingboard.Edgarthoughtaboutsay?ingsomethingtohisyoungerchild,histwo-year-olddaughter,Rose,earingawhiteterry-clothbeltedbathrobeandlookedlikeatinyfighterabouttoclimbint.Theywereallintheroomwhilehewasstudyingfortheexamination.

    "ThewrittenpartiswhereIfalldown,"Edgarsaidmorosely,toeveryoheroom."TheoralpartiswhereIdobest."Helookedatthebackofhiswifewhichoihim."IfIdontkickitintheheadthistimeIdontknoeregoingtodo,"herepeated."Barb?"Butshefailedtorespondtothisimpliedquestioitwasafalsehope,takingthisexaminationwhichhehadalreadyfailedmiserablytwidwhichalwaysgothimveryworkedup,blackwithfear,beforehetookit.Nowshedidntwishtowithespec?taymoresoshegavehimherback.

    "Theoralpart,"Edgartinuedencingly,"isA-okay.Iforinstancegiveyoualistofanswers,Iknowitsowell.Listen,hereisanan?swer,youtellmethequestion?"Barbara,whowasverysexuallyattractive(thatwaswhatmadeEdgartaponherforadate,manyyearsbefore)butalsodeeplymean,saidnothing.Sheputhermindontheirsilentchild,Rose.

    "Hereistheanswer,"Edgarsaid."TheanswerisJuliaWardHowe.Whatis