MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-2

[2801] not be said, I think, that I did not take my work to heart. [2802] But rather,
tenderly, Ah those old craftsmen, their race is extinct and the mould
broken.

[2803] Two remarks.

[2804] The Molloy whom I stealthily approached could hardly resemble ^{[⁁]Between the Molloy I stalked within me thus and} the
true Molloy, after whom I was so soon to be in full cry, over hill and
dale, other than remotely.^{[₰] the resemblance cannot have been great.}

[2805] I was annexing perhaps already, without my knowing it, to the ^{[⁁]my private} Molloy^,
thus retrieved within me, elements of the Molloy described by Gaber.

[2806] The fact was there were three, no, four Molloys. [2807] He that inhabited
me, my caricature of same, Gaber's and the man of flesh and blood
somewhere awaiting me. [2808] To these I would add that Youdi's were it not for
Gaber's prodigious exactitude in everything connected with his missions. ^{corpse fidelity to the letter of his messages.}
[2809] Bad reasoning. [2810] For could it seriously be supposed that Youdi had confided
to Gaber all he knew, or thought he knew(all one to Youdi) about his ward?
protégé ? [2811] Assuredly not.

[2812] He had only mentioned ^{[⁁][rec] revealed} what he deemed of
relevance for the prompt and proper execution of his orders. [2813] I will
therefore add a fifth Molloy, that of Youdi. [2814] But would not this fifth
Molloy necessarily coincide with the fourth, the real one as the saying
is, the one ^him dogged by his shadow? [2815] I would have given a lott to know.

[2816] There were others too, of course. [2817] But let us leave it at that, if you
don't mind, the party is big enough. [2818] And let us not meddle either with
the question as to how far these five Molloys were constant and how far
subject to variation. [2819] For there was this about Youdi, that he changed
his mind with great facility.

[2820] That makes three remarks. [2821] I had only anticipated two.

[2822] The ice thus broken, I felt equal to facing Gaber's report and
getting down to the official facts. [2823] It seemed as if the enquiry was