  We present a composite 1-10 keV Seyfert 2 X-ray spectrum, derived from ASCA
observations of a distance-limited sample of nearby galaxies. All 29 observed
objects were detected. Above ~3 keV, the composite spectrum is inverted,
confirming that Seyfert 2 galaxies as a class have the spectral properties
necessary to explain the flat shape of the cosmic X-ray background spectrum.
Integrating the composite spectrum over redshift, we find that the total
emission from Seyfert 2 galaxies, combined with the expected contribution from
unabsorbed type 1 objects, provides an excellent match to the spectrum and
intensity of the hard X-ray background. The principal uncertainty in this
procedure is the cosmic evolution of the Seyfert 2 X-ray luminosity function.
Separate composite spectra for objects in our sample with and without polarized
broad optical emission lines are also presented.
