CHAPTER VII
關燈
小
中
大
akeifshechose.LethermerelytellthemwhatwasinDr.Trent’sletterandtherewouldbeasmuchfussmadeasif—Valancythoughtbitterly—theyreallycaredtwostrawsabouther.
“Dr.Trent’shousekeepergotwordfromhimtoday,”saidCousinStickles,sosuddenlythatValancyjumpedguiltily.Wasthereanythinginthoughtwaves?“Mrs.Juddwastalkingtoheruptown.Theythinkhissonwillrecover,butDr.Trentwrotethatifhedidhewasgoingtotakehimabroadassoonashewasabletotravelandwouldn’tbebackhereforayearatleast.”
“Thatwillnotmattermuchtous,”saidMrs.Frederickmajestically.“Heisnotourdoctor.Iwouldnot”—hereshelookedorseemedtolookaccusinglyrightthroughValancy—“havehimtodoctorasickcat.”
“MayIgoupstairsandliedown?”saidValancyfaintly.“I—Ihaveaheadache.”
“Whathasgivenyouaheadache?”askedCousinStickles,sinceMrs.Frederickwouldnot.Thequestionhadtobeasked.Valancycouldnotbeallowedtohaveheadacheswithoutinterference.
“Youain’tinthehabitofhavingheadaches.Ihopeyou’renottakingthemumps.Here,tryaspoonfulofvinegar.”
“Piffle!”saidValancyrudely,gettingupfromthetable.Shedidnotcarejustthenifshewererude.Shehadhadtobesopoliteallherlife.
IfithadbeenpossibleforCousinSticklestoturnpaleshewouldhave.Asitwasnot,sheturnedyellower.
“Areyousureyouain’tfeverish,Doss?Yousoundlikeit.Yougoandgetrightintobed,”saidCousinStickles,thoroughlyalarmed,“andI’llcomeupandrubyourforeheadandthebackofyourneckwithRedfern’sLiniment.”
Valancyhadreachedthedoor,butsheturned.“Iwon’tberubbedwithRedfern’sLiniment!”shesaid.
CousinSticklesstaredandgasped.“What—whatdoyoumean?”
“IsaidIwouldn’tberubbedwithRedfern’sLiniment,”repeatedValancy.“Horrid,stickystuff!AndithasthevilestsmellofanylinimentIeversaw.It’snogood.Iwanttobeleftalone,that’sall.”
Valancywentout,leavingCousinSticklesaghast.
“She’sfeverish—shemustbefeverish,”ejaculatedCousinStickles.
Mrs.Frederickwentoneatinghersupper.ItdidnotmatterwhetherValancywasorwasnotfeverish.Valancyhadbeenguiltyofimpertinencetoher.
