Golden early evening light was almost translucent. The silence shimmered, their steps crunching on the sanded paths that were dotted with golden yellow oak leaves at regular intervals, serrated wild vine leaves as red as Di's hair, Alice observed, once again, that autumn and its blazing colors brought Di into true glory, this season with all its versatile evasive hues would and did belong to her.
Di slowly turned to look at Alice, her large grey-green eyes held a penetrating, weighing look as she, said seriously, sincerely, "Well?" That little word was questioning, but it had a powerful, almost absolute weight that cut through the silence between them, like the incision of a scalpel's blade with which to cut open the skin.
Alice glanced at Di and said quietly, " When I left, I wanted to give you space, and time, because I thought that if I stayed, the situation would be too challenging, the silence too dark, and gloomy, when before there had been laughter and music in that space, which was ours, even behind closed doors. When I got there today and saw that tray in the kitchen that was put together in memory of him, and the autumn flowers and leaves in the vase, and his bright eyes, looking at me from that photograpf, I missed him so much, and then you were there and for a little while everything was like before, but still the silence was between us, like a wall glowing with coldness, which perhaps is now slowly beginning to break. "
Di, walked a few steps, and she said, quietly, "I often almost knocked on your door, but I didn't dare, because I was scared, my own temperament, and when you were not seen, at breakfast I assumed that you just arranged your own schedules opposite to mine or Nan´s. At the hallways of Redmond you were so distant, but those little looks that you sometimes threw towards me, they were memorable, but I was not ready then. I do not know if I´m ready now, but I have to try at least. And only yesterday I found out you weren't in the Hollow at all, when Nan told the truth."
A small, slightly ironic smile glimmered in Alice's eyes as she nodded. Di, cast a scrutinizing glance at Alice, and inquired, " I know things like that they do take time, but I take it as a good sign that you arrived at the Hollow today. I don't think Walter would like this, that we are at odds, so for his memory's sake too, we need to be honest with each other. So, where you were when you weren't in the Hollow. Were you at Madeleine's, perhaps?"
Alice, glanced at the stormy sea. They had walked around the public parks of Redmond, and now they were standing on a small cliff. The sky was shimmering, almost a reddish metallic hue, and the clouds were rustling rose-red. Alice glanced at Di in silence, and in the folds of her dark skirt her left hand slowly clenched into a fist, a slight sadness rising over her features, as she said, "You're right. Walter hated arguments, but this isn't really an argument, is it?"
Di, laughed a bit bitterly, as she replied, " Don't change the subject, you won't manage me, as you did to my brother, as you teased him out of his broording sulks, oh!" Alice, shook her head, and said, "My dear, Di, consider that my relation to you is quite different from that of your brother, thank God!" Di, crossed her arms, and looked at Alice in silence. Finally she said, "If he were here, what would he do now?"
Alice walked over to a large granite boulder, and after a little while the moss dripped down in little rivulets, as Alice, cried, "Di, come here!" The view from the boulder was quite captivating, and in a musing way, Alice said, "He would quote something, either Tennyson, Shelley, or his own work, I'm sure." A small smile lit up Di's eyes as she quoted, a piece from Shelleys Autum – A Dirge, with delicate tip of her head.
I dare not guess; but in this life
Of error, ignorance, and strife,
Where nothing is, but all things seem,
And we the shadows of the dream,
It is a modest creed, and yet
Pleasant if one considers it,
To own that death itself must be,
Like all the rest, a mockery.
That garden sweet, that lady fair,
And all sweet shapes and odors there,
In truth have never passed away:
'Tis we, 'tis ours, are changed; not they.
Alice glanced almost shyly at Di, as she said, "Intelligent, and very seasonal it was." Di, jumped off the boulder with a swagger, and said slightly irritated tinge in her tone, " Still you managed me, without me even noticing, it was clever, but it's not going to work, because we need to talk more, and this time, I allow no twisting, of moods, I think you'll get down without help, for you're no damsel in distress Alice, far from it actually." Di, watched as Alice, descended with reckless grace, and the hem of her skirt momentarily rose above her knees, revealing an old-fashioned cotton petticoat, the softness of which Di could almost feel in her fingers. Annoyed, Di purposefully turned her back on Alice and said more sharply than usual, "You didn't answer, so please answer now!"
Alice, breathed deep, as she leaned against the granite boulder, and closed her eyes for a moment. There was a slight rustle, like an impatient foot tapping against the sand, and Alice opened her eyes and met Di's gaze, and forcing herself to take a few steps, Alice said lightly, "Ah, I happened to be in a room at a hotel in Kingsport where I went to lectures in Redmond."
Din's eyes flashed, as she said in a shrill silvery voice, "I didn't even know you had savings, or did you go to her?" Alice, replied in her cool regal style, which for the first time, shook Di, almost as much as Alice's next words, "I couldn't go to Madeleine, because I don't know where she lived, and I couldn't sleep on the street, I slept in the guest room."
Di, pressed a hand into her thick hair, as she cast a perceptive glance in Alice's direction as she threw a small grenade into the conversation, "But at what cost, Alice? I understand you aesthetically, as Mrs. Stuart Dawson is quite stunning, all that voluptousness of ivory skin, and that midnight silky hair, but everything always has a price, and I think you may have to pay too high a price sooner or later! I never told you, but years ago I dealt with my feelings for Rosemary Meredith and eventually those feelings led me to you and I'm glad it did, but for your sake I wish you'd be more sure because this is exhausting! We've been so happy before she came into our lives, haven't we !"
Alice, nodded, and said a slight note of pleading in her voice that turned into a command, "Diana Blythe, don't turn your back on me, we're not done yet!" Startled, Di turned and looked at Alice who was standing straight on the sandy path, and she said in her persuasive style that was so gentle, but this time it fell somewhat flat, "I want to point out that I left the Hollow because I respected your request. And here we are, in this beautiful place to talk things through at least partially, if that's even possible."
Di, threw a stone into the raging water below with a powerfully violent gesture, and said briefly, "There are conversations that either destroy or strengthen, and I don't know which one this is. But answer one thing, if you can, have your feelings for me changed in these two weeks or not?" Alice's face was pale, and the pulse beat in her neck, and then she cried, with unusual vehemence, "No they have not!"
Di, walked with fierce steps, hands slightly shaking, from the precipice where they had ended up, and slicing, tender, by turns fierce, and trembling, words they had exchanged still seemed to glow in the wind, momentarily. Below, the wind raised foam to the surface of the sea. Alice half-ran a couple of steps behind her, cautiously.
After fifteen minutes a manicured park avenue rose before Di, as she turned into a side path that led towards Glazebo, she circled it, and pulled Alice against the outer wall covered with ivy and wild vines. A dense park hid them from view, dusk would soon fall. Alice swallowed, the slight protests that almost flooded her lips, as Di, with purposeful, cool deliberation, knelt, among the dry leaves, from which wafted the light, black scent, of decay...
Di, twisted her wrist, lightly, in lazy circles, and above her she heard how Alice, let out a shuddering gasp, which turned into a low, almost rough moan. Di, felt how, wet, tremors and convulsions, shook Alice, when she, in musingly manner, somewhat sharply, remarked, "I thought I knew what love was, something faithful, and eternal, but this, is something else, something forbidden a dark raging, visceral desire, it's just a name for very slippery longing, a happiness that may or may not be momentary. When you're so open in front of me, I wonder who you're thinking of, now?" And with a slicing possessive satisfaction, Di heard, bunch of half-choked words, burst into the air, they could be prayers or curses, but one name was clear, as Alice murmured, "Diana," at that same moment, as trickle of wetness, trickled down on Di's wrist, a pure embodiment of acts of flesh. The leaves crushed under Di's shoes as she, rose and bent, over Alice, the vines swayed, and and Di saw how Alice's hands had raked the vines, off the wall. There were, touches that were demanding, disintegrating, and reassembling, as Di sank into the trembling to the avalanche of desire, and fury that fluttered between them, as it suddenly filled that feeling of hollowed absence, and then, she felt, a sharp, bruise blooming, on her back as Alice had reversed their positions, without warning.
Tauntingly Di, whispered "Fair, Alice, so muddled, did you surrender to her, in the same way, I suppose you at least thought about it?" Alice, stilled, over Di, and she breathed fiercely, that little start was over in an instant, but Di took a note of it and, her eyes flashed, in the gathering gloom, greenish, like a cat's eyes, as she said, in in a low voice, with a deliberate bite in her tone, " I remember hearing rumors that you enjoyed yourself in the bosom of nature, year or so before the war, with a certain companion, so perhaps, your morals have always been loose, in an immoral way, which of course is very pleasing to me, in this instance, all this frisky outdoor air." Alice's eyes flashed, and her hand came up quickly, but before she could hit Di's cheek, Di, caught Alice's wrist, in a firm yet soft grip. Di, tied Alice's wrists together with her silken ribbon.
Even in the dimness, Di, saw that a flaming red had risen over Alice's face, and the heat almost glowed from her, as she shivered quietly. Di, glanced at Alice from head to toe, and said softly, "I must have touched a nerve, because you're not usually quite like that, but then, nothing about our current situation is quite normal, even for us, if there is us after this."
Alice let out an hissing sigh, and Di noticed how her words hurt Alice, as they were meant to do so, with surgical precision, just like an inflamed wound is cut open to let the pus, made up of influence, champagne, distance and secrets, drain out.
The wind picked up, there was a light scent of gathering rain, so cautiously Di put her arm around Alice and ushered her into Glazebo. There was a scent of cool stone, leaves, and something else, something sweet and sharp. Alice heard a slight rustle, as Di picked up something from the floor, and then a flickering light illuminate the space, as Di placed a small storm lantern on another weathered stone bench, there had been flower patterns carved into the stone, they looked deep, and sinister. Alice, glanced around and noticed two folded blankets and a small basket. Alice's wrists tingled slightly as the ribbon rubbed them, softly, Di looked up from the blankets she was spreading on the floor that had been swept clean.
A greenish gloom prevailed, for the blood-red vines enclosed Glazebo in their embrace, so effectually that you could not see the light out unless you walked very close, and at this time of the evening, especially on a Sunday, as now, this particular corner of the park was always deserted.
A slight surprise in her voice, Alice inquired, "So you planned this?"
Di, swept her curly hair from her braid behind her ears, and said quietly, still that sliver of coolness in her measured tone, "I thought sooner or later we might end up here." Alice, stretched out her bound wrists, towards Di, but Di shook her head, as she said, "No, not yet, this conversation of ours is not over yet."
Alice's coiffure was mushy, and her hair had ivy leaves, and she nodded in her sweet lofty way, and stretched out her neck, on which shone a silver cross, the size of half a little finger, it was all worked with elaborate open roses, and in the center of each flower twinkled a miniscule pieces of chips of chamfered sodalite.
Di, glanced at the pendant, and said slowly, "You are wearing it, I wouldn't have expected it, has it been around your neck the whole time?" Alice, nodded, and said, gently, "It was your first gift to me, it is very dear to me, as are you."
Di rose, and with soft fingers she caressed Alice's neck, and with one finger she pressed the sharp edges of the cross into Alice's skin, as she whispered, "your pulse is racing, as you are trembling still, so now I want an answer to a question I didn't ask before. I won't put up with your evasions, not any kind. From now on, we'll always tell the truth if at all possible. I want to point out that I can't believe that her lavish setting would have dazzled you, for you rejected Dorian's keen regard, for my sake, or at least I like to imagine, was it so?"
Alice's head dipped as she nodded, slowly.
Di, tilted Alice's face up and said, with a hint of warmth, "I'm Blythe, and one of our traits is devotion and loyalty, that is sometimes unfortunate. During these two weeks I've tried to sort out my own feelings about you, and sometimes I've even cursed you, but I haven't regretted it for a moment, that we had stumbled into this. It's clear that we're at a crossroads, but only time will tell if our love can be salvaged. I love you, perhaps not always, but for now and it has to be enough. I know I can't make demands, but I want to make a request based on the trust and love that exists between us despite everything, after all this outer meddling and inner confusion. Stop practicing singing for a month, it's not unreasonable since it's our last year, and may I point out that you're not a Music Major, after all." In response, Alice held out her wrists, and Di untied the sailor knot.
Alice rubbed her wrists, and said slowly, gravely, "I accept that, gladly." Di, lifted the items from the basket onto the blanket, as she said, "Now for a little refreshment." Alice, glanced at two spoons and two extremely small jars of jam, cherry and rowan jelly, as she said, "Well, then."
There were gooseflesh pimpling her skin, all over, Di, gripped the cold stone bench tightly, her fingernails scraping floral patterns, and Di felt her fingernails chipping, and breaking, and she heard Alice's soft, quiet whisper, "I've had a lot of time to think about what I would do, if I could have you by my side, so this might take a while, but somehow it feels like you're not going anywhere." There had been demanding, almost keening, tearing passion that had rocked Di, on the Glazebo floor, and Alice had thought, as she touched Di, that perhaps a certain ruthlessness was called for now, so Alice had adapted, and acted on instinct, as she had so often done at turning points.
Di, remotely felt how her foot hit the extremely cold stone, and the blanket scratched her skin, but it didn't matter, because Alice's light touch was everywhere, and slowly Di's guarded Blythian self-control broke as Alice's posessive lingering kisses, and caresses and the sweet taste of jam on her lips threw her into the depths, and into the light, which felt like a small eternal death.
In the drawing-room of Primrose Hollow, Nan looked gravely at her twin, for the strain that had been in Di's being had been wiped away as if by magic, and she seemed to glow, a kind of strange deep-relaxed contentment, though she looked as if she had been climbing in the woods, for her feet seemed to be lightly bruised. Nan, frowned as she said carefully, "You were on a long walk, I was waiting for you for tea after five, but you were nowhere to be seen."
There was a clatter from the stairs, and Nan heard Alice's soft hum, the light strains of Oh soft was the song by Elgar, as she with a nod towards Nan walked towards the kitchen, and soon the smell of soft spices spread into the living room, as a spice cake baked in the oven.
Nan, glanced in Di's direction sharply, as she said quietly, "All settled your fall-out are you then?" Di, nodded, and said quietly, "At least partially, for now."
Nan hummed, as she thought of Jerry, how they had argued but never had a fall-out, somehow the right harmony had always been found. So, Nan embraced Di and took in her hand, a black and white magazine with a penny-dreadful, its title was The String of Pearls: A Domestic Romance."
And raising her voice, towards the kitchen, Nan exclaimed, "Alice, here would be a reading moment." And when Alice was seated in another arm-chair, the tea-tray smelled on the table. And in dramatic, exaggerated tones Nan read the story of Sweeney Todd, "the Demon Barber of Fleet Street."
And when that tragic narrative ended, Di wiped away her tears, and Alice mused, " Well, fortunately we are not yet in such a bad situation that we would practice cannibalism, for profit. Mrs. Lovett was likable, in her own extremely utilitarian practical way." Nan looked at Alice in astonishment as she said " She was horrible, immoral woman! Swneeney's revenge was so tragic, and in the end so pointless, so much Dickensian suffering, but this was a perfect depiction of industrializion, and despair, unattainable love, and madness, and greed. Did either of you know Dickens alluded to this in his Pickwick's Papers, albeit only in a byline."
Di, chuckled and said, "You're the only one of us who has read all of Dickens's novels with extreme seriousness, it counterbalances all that beloved Austen of yours, but I'm curious why did you read this to us?" Nan stroked a paper bearing the stamps of the Redmond Library and said in her lively way, "Milne said something in his last Gaskell lecture, and I dug it up, for I have come across it on various occasions before, but I have not read it before."
Di, said impishly, "Well, you certainly don't want Shepherd's Pie this week, if we get meat on offer with our vouchers, but it sure doesn't have actual shepherd's in it, or clergymen, bishops, barristers, curates, rear admirals, royal mariners, or too thin poets, about whom one does not know whether they are dead or not."
Nan didn't look amused at all, as she said in a slightly scolding voice, "Di, how can you talk so lightly about people dying when there's a war, and that poet reference was really out of line, truly!" Alice, said half seriously, "Would you like a cake, I promise it doesn't have human parts in it, even though it just came out of the oven?"
Nan, waved her hands slightly in despair, as she remarked, "You're all grinning, even though I wanted to lighten the mood today!" Di, looked seriously at Nan and said a small wave in her voice, "You did that, in a marvelous way, thank you." Feeling mollified, Nan cut the cake, and the evening ended with a few hands of whist, where Nan slaughtered both Alice and Di, as was her usual way.
Later, in the silence of the twins' room, when Sunday had already turned into Monday, Nan said attentively, "It's not all right yet, is it?" And mutely Di, nodded, and then she grimaced, as Nan touched a large bruise, which had already darkened, above Di's shoulder blade, and Nan said, quietly, "You never came back here with bruises before, and your nails are in a terrible state, all torn and jagged. You haven't been hurt, have you?"
Di, glanced thoughtfully at Nan and said quietly, "No, you'll understand one day, I think. Next Friday is the release of my book, at the premisis of Sherwood Publishers, and I want you by my side. " Nan stroked Di's hand, once, and that touch was a promise, for they needed no words between them.
Alice was sitting in her own room, the air was musty, so she opened the window, and fresh air flowed in. Closing her eyes, she saw again the past two weeks, in Christine's suite, the atmosphere, twined with alluring all compassing influence, of power, and how it affected everything, the luxurious setting, relentless, exhausting exercises, glimmering cascade of notes, of roles, and quiet evenings, with cocoa, and especially Christine's slow lazy smile when Alice had arrived at the door of her suite, and Christine had said, "I promised I wouldn't devour you my dear, but you make it challenging sometimes, for wouldn't it be better, if you were here, there's room, instead of going to that sad guest room?"
Alice had hesitated at the door, and said almost despairingly, "You are married!" Christine had just laughed a light intoxicating carefree laugh, it had been like a champagne bubble, and she had cast a sharp look at Alice and said matter-of-factly, "Insomnia is a torturous state, I happen to know you don't sleep as much as you should, for sometimes I have woken up at night to check how you're doing, and I've seen how you're having a cat naps, those little chemises all twisted in most alluring way. And Andrew has his own arrangements, so there is no worry at all. I do think that next hours could turn out to be illuminating in various ways. There would be lot to learn, and some day someone can reap the benefits.."
Alice, glanced at the dressing mirror and meeting Christine's gaze, gave a light nod, before, quietly saying, "Why do you think I'd be the only one to learn something?" An amused smile flashed across Christine's face as she hummed Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix, extremely slowly, and then she had said, "I'm not, but it's the challenge of tension that's interesting, and how far I can push you, but of course you've already guessed that." And of what followed, it was different, more challenging, and not soft at all, but like a tidal wave, lingering moments filled with different sensations, slippery wetness that mingled with silk, and sometimes surprised, delighted guttural laughter, and bruises that bloomed, like blood roses, and when the exhausted Alice finally fell asleep, she heard, in her ear, Christine's extremely soft whisper, "Ah, this was most, provocative, in a most enticing way, and surprising too."
Adeline Gardiner glanced at her watch, and agitatedly stirred her tea. It was strange that Christine was late for their traditional lunch meeting. Bored, she glanced out the window, and saw the unassuming librarian of the Redmond Musical Society walking across the street, and beside her walked a woman who almost stopped traffic. Critically, Adeline scrunched up her nose, as the woman's modest walking dress was simple, but still, drivers, looked at the woman's back covered with red curls, fixedly.
Adeline's concentration snapped when Christine's slightly breathless voice said, "Sorry I'm late, I answered my correspondence, and time slipped from me." Adeline, nodding towards the window, for the couple just passed the large windows of the cafe, she said, "All kinds of people are walking the streets these days." Christine glanced at the window once, and Adeline noticed that, Christine's eyes had an intent look, as she said, in a light voice, "You haven't been in the little lounge at the Kingsport Theater for a while, have you? That red-haired woman, who walked past us with Miss Dobson, she's Winfred Roberts, and she's quite renowned in certain circles."
Adeline snorted, and said in a sarcastic tone, "Actresses can't be decent, is she even any good at her craft?" Christine, poured tea into her cup, in a smooth stream, from a silver teapot, as she said quietly, in light nostalgia tinging her features. "Yes, she is impressive, in her own way. Although I haven't seen her perform in years."
Adeline cut her toast in two at one stroke, as she said, "There seems to be some vestige of old gossip here, if so do tell, for I want amusement! How is your project going, by the way? At our Kingsport Laidies Meeting last week, you were quite in other worlds, and the chairwoman, had to talk to you after the meeting."
Christine crumbled her toast and sprinkled salt on the cucumber slices, and then she said, sharply, with a flash of amusement in her voice, " The project is moving forward, a couple of days ago was a very passionate and intense phase, and I experienced a few surprises, which were pleasant, because so rarely nothing surprises me, anymore, as you know."
Adeline, folded her napkin in prim manner, as she said, in an approving tone, " I forgot to tell you that a couple of weeks ago I happened to meet Alice Parker in the Music Society's Library, and complimented her. I can tell you too, you have done a good job with her, though I still can't imagine you teaching anyone. As my dear brother would say, "Christine you usually have more than one motive for your interests."
Christine, smiled and said in her drawling way, "Addie, as usual Roy at least sometimes can say an almost intelligent thought."
Adeline looked at Christine and she noticed that for all her outward elegance Christine seemed tense, like the predatory cat that Roy had once called Christine years ago, and Adeline said conciliatoryly, "So is there trouble in the air, is it Andrew related, or is everything okay in Manitoba, what about the dogs?"
A small self-deprecating smile appeared on Christine's lips as she said airily, "All is well in correspondence, and Andrew is enjoying his life, he is at the moment in New Orleans, and the dogs are doing well, they are all blooming." "But then why are you, restless?" Adeline inquired keenly.
Christine, cut a piece of too-dry chocolate cake that tasted mostly like cardboard, as she replied, "Don't be annoying, Addie, you know, sometimes I wish you'd live a little too!" Adeline, rose irritably, as Christine knew she would, and she said in her soft way, " Addie, Addie, I should like to raise a toast, to the us, as we are the Laidies who Lunch, but you know, I have noticed that the hats have shrunk since our days?" Stiffly, Adeline said, "I'm going to buy a new hat, actually, do you want to join me, or not?"
In a slightly crooked attic apartment, the windowsills of which were filled with cacti, and vines, and a few flourishing orchids, Madeline Dobson tapped her fingers on a worn coffee table, and said quietly, "Isabelle, what should I do?"
Isabelle, glanced at Winnie who was lounging on the couch with her graceful ankles crossed, she was engrossed in her perennial stacks of play scripts, and seemed to hear nothing, not even the wind whistling in the corners of the apartment. Isabelle, carried strong teapot of sugared tea from the kitchen corner to Madeleine, as she said briefly, "If you want to know what the message that came from Italy contained, Gardiner Hall is where you go, if they will tell you, it might just be a social visit too."
Madeleine crossed her arms and said with a trembling voice, "What if?" Isabelle, softly stroked Madeline's hair, and said "If the worst happens, you'll spend your time grieving, and then move on, that's the only sensible solution." Slowly, Madeline nodded.
Winnie, brushed the curls from her forehead, and declared, in her hilariously hearty way, "Next Friday is a private occasion at Helene's cafe, and we're all invited, of course!" Winnie pulled a stack of printed invitations from her small handbag that read in purple ink, "Diana Blythe´s Debut Novel Into the BlueBell Woods Launch Party at Sherwood Publishers, 5:30 p.m. Snacks available."
Madeline smiled in a wan way, as she said, "Books and pie, and probably songs too, right, Winnie?" Winnie hummed softly, in a sweetly mournful tone, and nodded, and stretched, and looked at her watch, and said suddenly, "Oh holy cats, I'm about to be late." And in her whirlwind way, Winnie gathered her things, and planted a light kiss on Isabelle's cheek, and then the door slammed shut behind her. Madeline, raised an eyebrow, and said, in her gentle teasing way, "I want, details, preferably right away!"
The headlines of all the newspapers in Kingsport proclaimed the Battle of the Men's Road Ridge has begun, in the Ypres Salient! And in the local news, in big bold print, Income War Tax Act has received royal assent in Canada. Wartime Elections Act was a bill passed on September 20, 1917, by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Robert Borden."
In Primose Hollow, there was stunned silence at the breakfast table, as Nan said gravely, "Of course the government is doing this to get more votes, and voters, to the government, but this is going to change everything, for the first time in the history of our country, we, that is, women will get the vote, in federal elections!"
Alice glanced at the title, and read the article, and said quietly in a piercingly calm voice, "Don't be naive, Nan, this is a step forward, sure, but surely the act doesn't take into account, disenfranchised or enemy-alien citizens naturalized, after 1902?"
"Not to mention the French Canadian minority," Di interjected. Nan, said pointedly to Di, "When have you been interested in the French Canadian minority?" Di, buttered her fresh bun, and said, "Persis wrote in her last letter about the tense situation in Quebec, and I'm just passing along the information, as one does, as it is pertinent to this news."
