CHAPTER X

ncleBenjaminbywayofstartingconversation—“looseningthingsupabit,”ashewouldhavesaid. Valancy,whosedutyitwastosay,“What?”didnotsayit.Nobodyelsesaidit,soUncleBenjamin,afteranexpectantpause,hadtoanswer,“Thyme,”andfeltthathisriddlehadfallenflat.HelookedresentfullyatValancy,whohadneverfailedhimbefore,butValancydidnotseemeventobeawareofhim.Shewasgazingaroundthetable,examiningrelentlesslyeveryoneinthisdepressingassemblyofsensiblepeopleandwatchingtheirlittlesquirmswithadetached,amusedsmile. Sothesewerethepeopleshehadalwaysheldinreverenceandfear.Sheseemedtoseethemwithneweyes. Big,capable,patronising,volubleAuntMildred,whothoughtherselfthecleverestwomanintheclan,herhusbandalittlelowerthantheangelsandherchildrenwonders.Hadnotherson,Howard,beenallthroughteethingatelevenmonths?Andcouldshenottellyouthebestwaytodoeverything,fromcookingmushroomstopickingupasnake?Whataboreshewas!Whatuglymolesshehadonherface! CousinGladys,whowasalwayspraisingherson,whohaddiedyoung,andalwaysfightingwithherlivingone.Shehadneuritis—orwhatshecalledneuritis.Itjumpedaboutfromonepartofherbodytoanother.Itwasaconvenientthing.Ifanybodywantedhertogosomewhereshedidn’twanttogoshehadneuritisinherlegs.Andalwaysifanymentaleffortwasrequiredshecouldhaveneuritisinherhead.Youcan’tthinkwithneuritisinyourhead,mydear. “Whatanoldhumbugyouare!”thoughtValancyimpiously. AuntIsabel.Valancycountedherchins.AuntIsabelwasthecriticoftheclan.Shehadalwaysgoneaboutsquashingpeopleflat.MoremembersofitthanValancywereafraidofher.Shehad,itwasconceded,abitingtongue. “Iwonderwhatwouldhappentoyourfaceifyoueversmiled,”speculatedValancy,unblushingly. SecondCousinSarahTaylor,withhergreat,pale,expressionlesseyes,whowasnotedforthevarietyofherpicklerecipesandfornothingelse.Soafraidofsayingsomethingindiscreetthatsheneversaidanything