CHAPTER IX
關燈
小
中
大
—poorAmeliawasworriedenoughasitwas.ButitwasValancy’sannouncementonSaturdaynightthatshewasnotgoingtogototheAnglicanchurchanymorethatbrokethroughMrs.Frederick’sstonysilence.
“Notgoingtochurchanymore!Doss,haveyouabsolutelytakenleave——”
“Oh,I’mgoingtochurch,”saidValancyairily.“I’mgoingtothePresbyterianchurch.ButtotheAnglicanchurchIwillnotgo.”
Thiswasevenworse.Mrs.Frederickhadrecoursetotears,havingfoundoutragedmajestyhadceasedtobeeffective.
“WhathaveyougotagainsttheAnglicanchurch?”shesobbed.
“Nothing—onlyjustthatyou’vealwaysmademegothere.Ifyou’dmademegotothePresbyterianchurchI’dwanttogototheAnglican.”
“Isthatanicethingtosaytoyourmother?Oh,howtrueitisthatitissharperthanaserpent’stoothtohaveathanklesschild.”
“Isthatanicethingtosaytoyourdaughter?”saidunrepentantValancy.
SoValancy’sbehaviouratthesilverweddingwasnotquitethesurprisetoMrs.FrederickandChristineSticklesthatitwastotherest.Theyweredoubtfulaboutthewisdomoftakingher,butconcludeditwould“maketalk”iftheydidn’t.Perhapsshewouldbehaveherself,andsofarnooutsidersuspectedtherewasanythingqueerabouther.ByaspecialmercyofProvidenceithadpouredtorrentsSundaymorning,soValancyhadnotcarriedoutherhideousthreatofgoingtothePresbyterianchurch.
Valancywouldnothavecaredintheleastiftheyhadleftherathome.Thesefamilycelebrationswereallhopelesslydull.ButtheStirlingsalway
