CHAPTER V

alancyhadsaiddefiantly,asshecontinuedtosayfortwentyyears,“Idon’twantabeau.”ButthisafternoonValancyonceandforallstoppedsayingthat. “I’mgoingtobehonestwithmyselfanyhow,”shethoughtsavagely.“UncleBenjamin’sriddleshurtmebecausetheyaretrue.Idowanttobemarried.Iwantahouseofmyown—Iwantahusbandofmyown—Iwantsweet,littlefatbabiesofmyown—”Valancystoppedsuddenlyaghastatherownrecklessness.ShefeltsurethatRev.Dr.Stalling,whopassedheratthismoment,readherthoughtsanddisapprovedofthemthoroughly.ValancywasafraidofDr.Stalling—hadbeenafraidofhimeversincetheSunday,twenty-threeyearsbefore,whenhehadfirstcometoSt.Albans’.ValancyhadbeentoolateforSundaySchoolthatdayandshehadgoneintothechurchtimidlyandsatintheirpew.Nooneelsewasinthechurch—nobodyexceptthenewrector,Dr.Stalling.Dr.Stallingstoodupinfrontofthechoirdoor,beckonedtoher,andsaidsternly,“Littleboy,comeuphere.” Valancyhadstaredaroundher.Therewasnolittleboy—therewasnooneinallthehugechurchbutherself.Thisstrangemanwiththeblueglassescouldn’tmeanher.Shewasnotaboy. “Littleboy,”repeatedDr.Stalling,moresternlystill,shakinghisforefingerfiercelyather,“comeuphereatonce!” Valancyaroseasifhypnotisedandwalkeduptheaisle.Shewastooterrifiedtodoanythingelse.Whatdreadfulthingwasgoingtohappentoher?Whathadhappen