"The point is," Norma broke in, "if it's someone you've never seen in your life and never will see, someone whose death you don't even have to know about, you still wouldn't push the button?"
Arthur stared at her, appalled. "You mean you would?"
"Fifty thousand dollars, Arthur."
"What has the amount -"
Important ch 1 english class 11 notes from Punjab Textbook.
"Fifty thousand dollars, Arthur," Norma interrupted. "A chance to take that trip to Europe we've always talked about."
"Norma, no."
"A chance to buy that cottage on the island."
"Norma, no." His face was white.
She shuddered. "All right, take it easy," she said. "Why are you getting so upset? It's only talk."
After dinner, Arthur went into the living room. Before he left the table, he said, "I'd rather not discuss it anymore, if you don't mind."
Norma shrugged, "Fine with me."
She got up earlier than usual to make pancakes, eggs, and tea for Arthur's breakfast.
"What's the occasion?" he asked with a smile.
"No occasion." Norma looked offended. "I wanted to do it, that's all."
Important ch 1 english class 11 exercise from Punjab Textbook.
"Good," he said. "I'm glad you did."
She refilled his cup. "Wanted to show you I'm not," she shrugged.
"Not what?"
"Selfish."
"Did I say you were?"
"Well" she gestured vaguely "last night"....
Arthur didn't speak.
Important ch 1 english class 11 extra questions from Punjab Textbook.
"All that talk about the button," Norma said. "I think you well, misunderstood me."
"In what way?" His voice was guarded.
"I'm not involved at all." She drew in a shaking breath. "I'm simply trying to indicate
"Are you" he seemed to draw back slightly "are you really saying "
"I'm saying that they're probably doing it for some research project!" she cut him off. "That they want to know what average people would do under such a circumstance! That they're just saying someone would die, in order to study reactions, see if there would be guilt, anxiety, whatever! You don't really think they'd kill somebody, do you?"
Important ch 1 english class 11 summary from Punjab Textbook.
Arthur didn't answer. She saw his hands trembling. After a while, he got up and left. When he'd gone to work, Norma remained at the table, staring into her coffee. I'm going to be late, she thought. She shrugged. What difference did it make?
While she was stacking dishes, she turned abruptly, dried her hands, and took the package from the bottom cabinet. Opening it, she set the button unit on the table. She stared at it for a long time before taking the key from its envelope and removing the glass dome. She stared at the button. How ridiculous, she thought. All this furore over a meaningless button.
Reaching out, she pressed it down. For us, she thought angrily.
She shuddered. Was it happening? A chill of horror swept across her.
In a moment, it had passed. She made a contemptuous noise. Ridiculous, she thought. To get so worked up over nothing.
She threw the button unit, dome, and key into the wastebasket and hurried to dress for work.
She had just turned over the supper steaks when the telephone rang. She picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Mrs. Lewis?"
"Yes?"
"This is the Lenox Hill Hospital."
She felt unreal as the voice informed her of the subway accident -the shoving crowd, Arthur pushed from the platform in front of the train. She was conscious of shaking her head but couldn't stop.
As she hung up, she remembered Arthur's life-insurance policy for $25,000, with double indemnity for -.
"No." She couldn't seem to breathe. She struggled to her feet and walked into the kitchen numbly. Something cold pressed at her skull as she removed the button unit from.