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In at least two particulars, however, Charles Boone is proved wrong. First, when the town of
Jerusalem's Lot was 'rediscovered' (I use the term historically, of course),the floor of the narthex,
although rotted, showed no sign of the explosion or huge damage. Although the ancient pews were
overturned and several windows shattered, this can be assumed to be the work of vandals from
neighbouring towns over the years. Among the older residents of Preacher's Corners and Tandrell there
is still some idle rumour about Jerusalem's Lot (perhaps, in his day, it was this kind of harmless folk
legend which started Charles Boone's mind on its fatal course), but this seems hardly relevant.
Second, Charles Boone was not the last of his line. His grandfather, Robert Boone, sired at least two
bastards. One died in infancy. The second took the Boone name and located in the town of Central
Falls, Rhode Island. I am the final descendant of this offshoot of the Boone line; Charles Boone's
second cousin, removed by three generations. These papers have been in my committal for ten years. I
offer them for publication on the occasion of my residence in the Boone ancestral home, Chapelwaite,
in the hope that the reader will find sympathy in his heart for Charles Boone's poor, misguided soul. So
far as I can tell, he was correct about only one thing: this place badly needs the services of an
exterminator.
There are some huge rats in the walls, by the sound.
Signed, James Robert Boone 2 October 1971.
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