CHAPTER X

“BlessthisfoodtoouruseandconsecrateourlivestoThyservice,”saidUncleHerbertbriskly. AuntWellingtonfrowned.ShealwaysconsideredHerbert’sgracesentirelytooshortand“flippant.”Agrace,tobeagraceinAuntWellington’seyes,hadtobeatleastthreeminuteslongandutteredinanunearthlytone,betweenagroanandachant.Asaprotestshekeptherheadbentaperceptibletimeafteralltheresthadbeenlifted.WhenshepermittedherselftosituprightshefoundValancylookingather.EverafterwardsAuntWellingtonaverredthatshehadknownfromthatmomentthattherewassomethingwrongwithValancy.Inthosequeer,slantedeyesofhers—“weshouldalwayshaveknownshewasnotentirelyrightwitheyeslikethat”—therewasanoddgleamofmockeryandamusement—asifValancywerelaughingather.Suchathingwasunthinkable,ofcourse.AuntWellingtonatonceceasedtothinkit. Valancywasenjoyingherself.Shehadneverenjoyedherselfata“familyreunion”before.Insocialfunction,asinchildishgames,shehadonly“filledin.”Herclanhadalwaysconsideredherverydull.Shehadnoparlourtricks.AndshehadbeeninthehabitoftakingrefugefromtheboredomoffamilypartiesinherBlueCastle,whichresultedinanabsent-mindednessthatincreasedherreputationfordulnessandvacuity. “Shehasnosocialpresencewhatever,”AuntWellingtonhaddecreedonceandforall.NobodydreamedthatValancywasdumbintheirpresencemerelybecauseshewasafraidofthem.Nowshewasnolongerafraidofthem.Theshackleshadbeenstrickenoffhersoul.Shewasquitepreparedtotalkifoccasionoffered.Meanwhileshewasgivingherselfsuchfreedomofthoughtasshehadneverdaredtotakebefore.Sheletherselfgowithawild,innerexultation,asUncleHerbertcarvedtheturkey.UncleHerbertgaveValancyasecondlookthatday.Beingaman,hedidn’tknowwhatshehaddonetoherhair,buthethoughtsurprisedlythatDosswasnotsuchabad-lookinggirl,afterallandheputanextrapieceofwhitemeatonherplate. “Whatherbismostinjurioustoayounglady’sbeauty?”propoundedU