Back at IFF in Billy’s office..
![3.20-DEAD-MEN-LEAVE-NO-TRAILS.avi_00[10]](https://justwalkwithme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/3-20-dead-men-leave-no-trails-avi_0010.jpg "3.20-DEAD-MEN-LEAVE-NO-TRAILS.avi_00[10]")
Lee: Amanda saw the guy, Billy.
[Squeeee! I love how this is enough for Lee!! 
Good man Lee!!! Such a contrast to Over the Limit, where no one thought Amanda’s having seen the bomber with the stroller was reliable enough]
Amanda: Yes, Sir!
Lee: She’s sure it was Sallee. 
Billy: Alright. No offense to you, Amanda, but I’ve checked every agency—national and international—that keeps tabs on terrorists. Even the Soviets. They’re all unanimous. Sallee is dead!
[Whoa. you know things are serious when Billy consults the Soviet’s 
I wonder if he asked Gregory 😉 )
Amanda calmly responds: No, Sir. 
Lee: What about the strangulation marks on the McDonald woman’s neck? They could’ve been made with la touche de la veuve.
[whoooo is that the touch of the widow? Widow Touch? anyone? whooooo. I did suggest maybe Millicent was a widow! Hooo haaaa.. speak French to me Lee.. Oh wait.. his French was the name of a deadly weapon? yeah nah.. doesn’t matter.. still.. speak French to me Lee! hoo haaa!!!]
Amanda: What’s that—a garrotte?
Lee: A garrotte takes two hands. This is the new, improved version that the French Resistance developed during World War Two… 
[whooo relatively recently?! haaaaaa.. actually this demonstrates the value of knowing your history. take that Miss snippy! Great to see Lee happily filling Amanda in.]
… It’s a wire noose with a handle. It’s easy to conceal—all you need is one free hand for la touche de la veuve. The widow’s touch. 
(Lee reaches out toward Amanda like he’s using it on her, and Amanda jumps back slightly. Oh boy. careful Lee she just saw what one did to Millicent! Then again, this is the reality of working at the agency I guess.. and it’s interesting that Lee directly addresses Amanda about this, he doesn’t coddle her. I like this, it shows his respect for her. She’ll cope. )
[I’ll call it a garrotte.. I’m not fussy about the semantics of lethal weapons! Just.. get it away from me!]
Billy: It was Sallee’s trademark. [This explains Lee’s semantics. phew. glad there’s a reason or it’s just a bit random]
Amanda: Still is. [good call!]
Billy: The pathology report is not conclusive. It could’ve been anything. [A pearl necklace maybe?! ]
[Ah Billy, he’s so expressive. Billy – no body was found!! Amanda saw him!!! I guess it’s his job to be the sceptic, the objective view here. Lee doesn’t seem to be fulfilling that role here.]
Amanda: Sorry, Sir. 
Lee: Alright. Did you get any of the evidence that the police found in Sallee’s room?
Billy: I called Dick Abney over at Justice. He pressured the Chief of the DC police, who pressured his lieutenant, unfortunately… we didn’t get much.
(Billy gets out a box and inventories it’s contents)
Billy: One thumb tack. Two rubber bands. A burnt out lightbulb. … and a broken pencil lead.
[Billy hands Amanda the light bulb]
Lee: That’s all he left?
[He left Millicent. Does that count?! Apparently with Billy, it does not!]
Billy: We just got this stuff because it fell behind a built-in bureau that he couldn’t take time out to rip apart!
[A burned out light bulb fell behind a bureau? really??!! come on!!]
Lee: Well, what about prints? 
Billy: Some, but they were sanded…
Lee reacts wordlessly to this – well! see!!!! How normal is that?!
..I agree… Sanded prints, no clothes, no personal effects… [Shame Amanda doesn’t have any of those bank notes that Sallee handed to her still.. they could have done finger prints and found the same thing.]
…Damn suspicious…
[yeah! I’ll say! given last episode, sanded finger prints were a sure sign the John Doe was an assassin!]
…Oh! We found this under a loose board in the woman’s closet. Now, he’d been through her place with a fine-tooth comb, but he missed it….
[Billy gives it to Lee] 
…It’s a diary. Crypto has been through it, but they didn’t find anything! 
Amanda: Sir, what about the picture of the man sleeping? Millicent showed me the picture of Sallee-… well,… of a man, sleeping. Did you find that?
Billy shakes his head and Lee responds: Nah, he probably took it with him. Billy, this guy is covering his tracks like somebody who has had practice.
[I think we can see here, Lee has more practice at convincing Billy of something. He goes back to what they know. This is the moment Billy is swayed by this argument! IMHO]
Amanda: Yes, Sir. And dead men leave no trails.
[whooo. Amanda finishes off the winning argument! and.. inserts the ep title while she’s at it tee hee..]
Billy: Okay. You two spend the rest of the afternoon, and see what you can come up with,..
[whoo hooo!!! They are going to do some spy/detective work??!!! fun!!]
…and I want a full report at the end of the day. 
[They’ve convinced Billy it’s possible.. but he’s not fully convinced I guess.. more work to do here!]
Amanda hands Billy back the light bulb.
Amanda: Yes, Sir.
Lee: Okay…Hah.
Both Lee and Amanda shoot up out of their seats at the same time, super keen to get going on drumming up some more evidence I think!
Seeing their shared eagerness.. Billy rolls his eyes at these two. 
The children are excited to get to work!
[Is it just me or has this day been exceptionally long?! Amanda has been very busy today!] Seems Billy thinks it’s been a long day ha!
Oh well moving on.. we head back to the Q bureau. Lee walks in to find Amanda at work at his desk.
Lee: How’s it going? 
Amanda: Well, in the last sixty months, Steven Sallee has not applied for a driver’s license, passport, credit cards, … bank account, or a job requiring a background check or fingerprints. That is, if he even has fingerprints still—we’re not sure. 
[whoo hooo! Amanda is actually working! and not umm just lucky! or intuitive or a coincidence!]
Lee: So, he either is dead, or he’s acting exactly like what he is… a real pro. 
Amanda: How’d you do? 
Lee: Ah, I just spent an hour with the inter-agency cross-check file and nothing that even sounds remotely like Sallee popped up, so…
[do we know Alan’s last name? did they check Rupert Andretti.. or heck did they ask Mario about his brother?! ]
Amanda:What about Millicent’s diary? 
Lee: Well, hmm, you heard what Billy said—that Crypto struck out with it. And I haven’t had time to look it over.
Amanda: Yeah. You mind if I take a try? 
Lee: Oh, would ya?
Amanda: Mmm.
Lee: Look, I’m due over at NSA in fifteen minutes for another international ID scan. Hah. It’s like chasing the wind, but… you never know. 
Amanda: See you later.
Lee: Mm-hmm.
Lee walks out.. and the scene ends here.. I love how Amanda’s head is in the diary before Lee has even left the room!
They split up to follow their respective leads. I’m liking this! just.. don’t be apart too long you hear!
Okay, well here’s a good place to pause. Anyone reading who’d care to respond or share their thoughts? byee!
"Just walk with me.." 
I just want to say how impressed I am by Bruce’s French accent when he talks about the garotte. And I noticed that he and Mel Stewart really seem to be good at saying the foreign names with an accent. I can’t remember specific eps for Bruce off hand other than an ep we haven’t walked through yet, but listen to Mel recite the list of dead villains on The Triumverate.
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Ok, this is where things start to get so much fun, imo, to watch. I don’t know why, but I love to watch Amanda piece together Sallee’s trail with the diary. And the way Lee jumps full in from the time she comes into the meeting and now, here in this scene, supporting her theory about Sallee to Billy. I just love the easiness, if you will, of them together right now. It’s lovely.
Also, I actually love when they stand up together here at the same time as a team – such a wonderfully welcome contrast to the way they were in Billy’s office in Wrong Number. There they are just attacking each other. Here they are unified in cause and supportive of the other. Yay! All the gears are turning in the same direction now!
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Ignoring the contrivances in this episode, I like these two scenes in the show very much. Lee shows his confidence and belief in Amanda is firm. He seems to truly value her on a professional level. Finally! And he’s going to bat for her with Billy. Insistently too. This has got to make Amanda feel good – make her feel like she really is his partner because that is how he is treating her. Good for you, Lee! I also really like that he shows no condescension or a “you’re an idiot” vibe when Amanda asks about Sallee’s weapon. Unlike when she asked the Huck Finn question in a previous episode.
Billy is acting like a “true” boss here. He wants hard facts, not an eyewitness account and circumstantial evidence, albeit fairly convincing. I’m glad he gives in and lets Lee and Amanda have an afternoon to investigate. He should know by now not to ignore it when Amanda feels so strongly about something.
I think it’s quite funny that crypto struck out with Millicent’s diary. Did they think she was writing in code? Do they think she is some sort of operative or something because they found it under a floorboard in her house? I wonder if the crypto people are capable of just reading something at face value anymore – lol.
I wonder why Billy is so grumpy here. And I don’t get his reaction to Lee and Amanda standing up and almost bumping into each other. Usually he reacts with a little grin when these two do something like this in front of him. They’re on the same side this time, so I just don’t get it. It’s not like in Wrong Number when they were arguing with each other. It doesn’t feel like there are any personal feelings getting in the way here. It just comes off as awkward to me.
Love that Amanda has done all those checks on Sallee. Apparently she has been trained in how to do that, and she does it well. She’s come a long way!! And like you said, iwsod, it does not involve luck or coincidence! Just great work!
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I always notice the difference between the way Lee explains the “widow’s touch” in this episode and the “Huck Finn” comment in an earlier episode in season 3. (when was that?) Everything about their interaction in this post is mature and equal, respectful and accepting of each other as partners, and the other side of a complete coin. No longer is there any hint of confusion or hesitation as to what the other ‘s place should be. Some sort of deep settlement has taken place in both of them, it appears. They have seeped deeply into almost every nook and cranny of each other’s beings. Maybe that is why Billy has such an incredulous look on his face when they stand up. He can see it and yet he can tell that they haven’t really let the acknowledgement of it out to one another, hence the confusion in how they share personal space.
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haha – should have read your comment before I typed posted mine. Thanks for your explanation of why you think Billy reacts the way he does here. I find his reaction confusing, but what you say here seems like a good explanation.
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Love how Lee is here with Amanda. He no longer questions the things that she sees and hears. He respects how far she has come and how capable she has become.
This is the second time that Lee and Amanda have jumped up at the same time in front of Billy, but now it’s in a different context. In Wrong Number, they jumped up to argue with one another and Billy questioned what was going on with them. Here he sees them anxious to get to work, together as a team. He doesn’t question it, but it’s got to be interesting for him to see them acting in an opposite manner. I’m sure he’s just filing all of this away
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I always find it interesting to look at Billy’s office – it’s changed so much over the last couple of years. And the items he has on his desk are forever changing too.
– let’s hope that’s not what what’s in store this episode!). I’m sure I’m making something out of nothing but I’m feeling a bit uninspired by this episode so far. Sallee seems to be the most interesting character at this point. That pink shirt in the opening sequence really set him apart from everyone else! 🙂
I noticed the ashtray, so ubiquitous in the 80’s, now a thing of the past in offices (and any other public or workplace indoor areas in NZ – not sure about elsewhere in the world).
I see he keeps some alcohol (whisky? brandy?) behind his desk too.
And is that some kind of radio or communication device next to the booze?
Beige and brown are playing a big part in this episode. I remember wearing much brighter colours in that decade, but then I was younger (late teens/early twenties) than the ages of the characters in SMK (mid 30’s). Maybe in this episode the preponderance of beige and brown is a metaphor for maturity and settling down, or something lasting, steady and reliable. (Normally beige is associated with the dull, boring and unimaginative
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Hey Kiwismh!
Great to hear your thoughts! Feeling a bit ‘beige’ about this ep so far are you?! 🙂
rofl. the pink shirt is a highlight?! rofl!! Lee needs to drop the grandpa outfits for sure! And bring some of the sexy back!
I agree, Sallee is a very interesting baddie. that silent stare was a very powerful weapon! Those eyes are piercing!!! I wonder if he’ll win the golden teacup award for season 3?!!
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Yeah, I wonder if he talks it over with his wife when he goes home at night, especially when Lee started to change as a person, he changed because of Amanda, but also I think everything happens for a reason, and she entered his life when he was READY for a change, he just didnt know it yet 🙂
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I bet he does, as much as he is able. I wish they had shown him with his wife Jeannie more.
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Do you think that Jeanie knows Billy is an agent and that IFF isnt really IFF? or do you think that it’s the same kind of deal Amanda has with her family? I can’t imagine it is, since hubby and wife is very different than grandma and kids, LOL.
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I am assuming so, but more on that when we get further along in the walk. 😉
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I was kind of thinking in “reach for the sky,” when he calls her, just the nature of their conversation leads me to believe that she kind of “knows” though true to form, I doubt Billy talks about the cases with her (LOL I can see him being all like “that’s classified” lol).
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I was thinking about ‘Reach for the Sky’ too. I think you couldn’t hide what you did from a spouse. The unexplained absences, ruined clothes, etc. would cause the husband/wife thinking their significant other was having an affair.
I read the original pilot script which had Amanda happily married to Dean (who was described as a good looking, yuppie type) and a very nosy neighbor who kept catching Amanda with Lee and and giving disapproving looks (thinking that Amanda was cheating) I am sure it became obvious to the producers that you couldn’t have Amanda hide what she was doing with Lee from her husband very long and they would either have to kill him off (a little dark for SMK, especially season 1), have them get divorced on screen (again, a little too serious and quite the downer) or have her already divorced and this way they could still keep the cool title.
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I think so too. Hmm… What if Jeannie figured about Amanda and Lee getting “close” before Billy did? That would make an interesting conversation (Or fanfiction.) 😉
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No, no I think Billy knew what he was doing when he put Lee and Amanda together “Looks like I’ve finally found you a partner, Scarecrow! …” IDK and it might just be me, but by that line, it seems like he knew what he was doing, LOL.
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Billy definitely thought they would make a great team. I’m sure he caught on to their ‘budding romance,’ before others did. I just wonder if it could have started with a conversation at home with Jeannie. Lots of interesting possibilities. Plus, if Billy’s a hopeless romantic, it’s possibly inspired by Jeannie. 😉
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Well, he did know about the chocolates Amanda gave to Francine at the end of FFFT, and that there were expensive, so that leads me to believe that Billy is somewhat of a romantic, maybe both he and Jeanie are 🙂
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Oooh – good catch on him knowing that the chocolates were expensive! We already know that Billy is happy with donuts so he probably had to be schooled in high quality -this-is-the-way-to-my-heart chocolates.
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Something interesting (well, interesting to me).
I always wondered who “Crypto” was, because the way the German dub referred to this made it appear like Crypto was one single person. Here we have Crypto referred to in the singular (Crypto has been through it) and then in the plural (but they didn’t find anything). So what we have here is a department (singular) with at least two people in it (plural). So glad I finally got that cleared up. As a fanfic writer, every little bit is important, right?
I always wondered a bit about Billy’s reaction when Amanda and Lee got up. Normally I just about see him as a fellow shipper, so the eyeroll didn’t really fit. But that’s just me.
SA
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I see Billy’s response here as being more “Oh my God, I thought I was sending in my two best people and now I think I’m sending in two of the Stooges.” Also, he is no doubt thinking about the similarity of movement to when they were having the fight in his office not so long ago. I’m sure he can think they’re goofs and still ship them. 😉
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Yep! this sounds good to me Janet! 🙂 well put!
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I always thought that the way Lee & Amanda rose was a little out of place. But I then thought that with the more seriousness of season 3 it was TPTB’s way of having some comic relief. I’ve been watching season 1 with my kids and I really miss the lightheartedness of seasons 1 & 2. I like season 3 for the romance.
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“Crypto” I believe is their word for Forensics, I am assuming.
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It is short for cryptology – the study of cyphers and codes and how to write them and break them. I love the fact there are people from all over the globe on this site. I’ve learned so much about communication – things we might take for granted aren’t clear to people whose first language isn’t English, or whose first language is and doesn’t come from North America (we had an interesting conversation awhile back about what most of the world calls the ‘first floor’ is what people in Canada/US call the ‘second floor’, ‘Second floor’ would be ‘third floor’, etc. Makes a huge difference in stamina if Lee is climbing up the trellis to Amanda’s second floor bedroom window. 😉 )
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LOL, yeah that would be one long trellis! haha!
Well maybe that definition of “Crypto” is correct then, because it would make sense if they were looking for possible hidden clues or codes in her diary.
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I see Cindy has replied to this, and just wanted to add I love that you shared this question you had about crypto with us SA! It never occurred to me that it might not be clear who crypto was. But why should it be?
There are many who stop by who are not native English speakers, so just wanted to say thanks for bringing this up! 🙂
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I agree, SA, Billy’s eyeroll doesn’t reall fit in. But thank goodness we have this site to hear what other people think. I like clagjanet and Morley’s explanation here.
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Agreeing with you all about how nice it is to see Lee supporting Amanda and how to the two seem very partner-like here. I don’t think Billy is too concerned about how close they are becoming (and obviously, he’s seen it). Maybe he thinks it’s made them more effective as a team.
lol….I like that screen capture as Lee and Amanda are about to stand up in Billy’s office. It looks like Amanda’s intending to grab ahold of Lee’s shirt. 😉
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love this Sara!
Yeah Billy is a curious one! On the one hand he encourages and champions this connection between Lee and Amanda.
At the same time, I think he expects Lee to put the job before his growing feelings for Amanda..
He did that in fast food for thought- and somewhere else so far? hmm.. can’t remember!
Billy may have a wonderful marriage, but I’m guessing Jeanie is not an agent, and lol he doesn’t envisage having to put the country’s safety before hers!
To be honest, I think he asks something super human of Lee and Amanda.. to be able to expect this.. but.. their romantic relationship is still yet to be declared between each other.. maybe this will become more of an issue later.. ahem.. as in.. I think we’ll have more to talk about regarding this a little.. ahem.. later!
[Not that I remember any details I don’t!] Bye!
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Just how long did Sallee have before Lee and Amanda returned? He was awfully fast cleaning out the place so thoroughly. Maybe he can get a job as a cleaner organizer as his next career (and bonus – he wouldn’t leave finger prints!)
Billy always annoyed me here until I chose to interpret his disbelief as playing devil’s advocate so he can get the proof needed to bring to his superiors.
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Considering who Sallee is, I don’t think he would have had too much to clean out. I don’t think he would have wanted to have too much baggage to begin with just in case he had to clear out quickly. Also, he wouldn’t want to have to much so as not to leave any evidence.
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I love Billy, he is one of my favorite characters in the show (after Lee and Amanda of course 😉 ). I like the thought of the Agency being like a ‘family’ and Billy being like … the ‘father’, and the agents are the ‘children’.
I also like how Billy kept putting Lee and Amanda together, i think he saw that Amanda could be … and was good for Lee, she brought out the best in him, and never quit, no matter what he (or their cases) threw at her. She is feisty, she is determined, and she ‘knows how to get what she wants’ … LOL.
I am sure Billy knows there are … ‘feelings’ between Lee and Amanda, which technically is a no-no in their line of work, I wonder if he thought about how that might happen when he first paired them together, or if he figured Lee was too much of a ‘man about town’ to fall for someone he worked with?
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I think in at least one episode we’ve seen before Billy does refer to his underlings at the agency as children. I can hear him saying, “Listen up, children” in my mind. In Murder Between Friends maybe?
I think when Billy first paired them up, he did it to try to ground Lee a little bit. I can see Lee getting a little too reckless and Billy trying to find a way to get him to being a little more cautious. Having to watch out for a civilian housewife and mother while on a case could do just that. But I also don’t think Billy meant it seriously about Amanda being his partner – hence the reason she’s still wearing the guess pass.
As far as any romantic feelings developing, I’m guessing Billy probably figured Lee would rather be tortured to death than get involved with anyone like Amanda. I can’t recall off the top of my head now, but I wonder when Billy first started to see and think that Amanda as a partner for Lee really was a good idea.
Just rambling thoughts this morning…Billy is a favorite character of mine too. I wish we got to see and learn more about him.
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My two cents on why Amanda still wears a guest pass in her third year of service: (1) She is currently employed part time, which makes her an anomaly. Any Agent, even a trainee, is full time as are the vast majority of people, who work at top-secret I.F.F., to reduce the likelihood of divided loyalties. (2) Billy believes this keeps Amanda & her family off the list of Agents; thereby, safer from the scrutiny of foreign intelligence operatives.
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A valiant effort Nancy!!!!
Nope. Still don’t like it! 🙂 tee hee..
Love this. Indeed she is an anomaly.. what was that line in OBDOBD? Amanda King is a clearance code all of her own! 🙂 [swoony!]
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Yes indeed, a clearance code all her own! I love how she kept forgetting the password and Lee had to phone Mrs. Marsten to tell Amanda. Not long after, TPTB obviously told Mrs. Marsten that Amanda is a password all her own. Don’t recall the episode, but I love the humor in S&MK.
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It’s in, “One Bear Dances, One Bear Doesn’t.”
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Am enjoying the respect that Lee is showing Amanda here – he’s frank but not brutal with her. Plus he’s treating her like an equal – more providing her with information than “tutoring” her through it. And Amanda is certainly doing her part.
And Billy is sweet here – he’s got some great facial expressions, and you can just see him collecting all his impressions of them together (and their relationship) to mull over later….
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