CHAPTER XI
關燈
小
中
大
keitsincetheday,seventeenyearsago,whenatCousinGladys’thimbleparty,theydiscoveredthatshehadgot—SOMETHING—inherheadatschool.Liceinherhead!Valancywasdonewitheuphemisms.
PoorMrs.Frederickwasalmostinastateofcollapse.Shehadbelieved—orpretendedtobelieve—thatValancystillsupposedthatchildrenwerefoundinparsleybeds.
“Hush—hush!”imploredCousinStickles.
“Idon’tmeantohush,”saidValancyperversely.“I’vehush—hushedallmylife.I’llscreamifIwantto.Don’tmakemewantto.AndstoptalkingnonsenseaboutBarneySnaith.”
Valancydidn’texactlyunderstandherownindignation.WhatdidBarneySnaith’simputedcrimesandmisdemeanoursmattertoher?Andwhy,outofthemall,diditseemmostintolerablethatheshouldhavebeenpoor,pitifullittleCecilyGay’sfalselover?Foritdidseemintolerabletoher.Shedidnotmindwhentheycalledhimathiefandacounterfeiterandjail-birdbutshecouldnotenduretothinkthathehadlovedandruinedCecilyGay.Sherecalledhisfaceonthetwooccasionsoftheirchancemeetings—histwisted,enigmatic,engagingsmile,histwinkle,histhin,sensitive,almostasceticlips,hisgeneralairoffrankdaredeviltry.Amanwithsuchasmileandlipsmighthavemurderedorstolenbuthecouldnothavebetrayed.Shesuddenlyhatedeveryonewhosaiditorbelieveditofhim.
“WhenIwasayounggirlIneverthoughtorspokeaboutsuchmatters,Doss,”saidAuntWellington,crushingly.
“ButI’mnotayounggirl,”retortedValancy,uncrushed.“Aren’tyoualwaysrubbingthatintome?Andyouareallevil-minded,senselessgossips.Can’tyouleavepoorCissyGayalone?She’sdying.Whatevershedid,GodortheDevilhaspunishedherenoughforit.Youneedn’ttakeahand,too.AsforBarneySnaith,theonlycrimehehasbeenguiltyofislivingtohimselfandmindinghisownbusiness.Hecan,itseems,getalongwithoutyou.Whichisanunpardonablesin,ofcourse,inyourlittlesnobocracy.”Valancycoinedthatconcludingwordsuddenlyandfeltthatitwasaninspiration.Thatwasexactlywhattheywereandnotoneofthemwasfittomendanother.
“Valancy,yourpoorfatherwouldturnoverinhisgraveifhecouldhearyou,”saidMrs.Frederick.
“Idaresayhewouldlikethatforachange,”saidValancybrazenly.
“Doss,”saidUncleJamesheavily,“theTenCommandmentsarefairlyuptodatestill—especiallythefifth.Haveyouforgottenthat?”
“No,”saidValancy,“butIthoughtyouhad—especiallytheninth.Haveyoueverthought,UncleJames,howdulllifewouldbewithouttheTenCommandments?Itisonlywhenthingsareforbiddenthattheybecomefascinating.”
Butherexcitementhadbeentoomuchforher.Sheknew,bycertainunmistakablewarnings,thatoneofherattacksofpainwascomingon.Itmustnotfindherthere.Sherosefromherchair.
“Iamgoinghomenow.Ionlycameforthedinner.Itwasverygood,AuntAlberta,althoughyoursalad-dressingisnotsaltenoughandadashofcayennewouldimproveit.”
NoneoftheflabbergastedsilverweddingguestscouldthinkofanythingtosayuntilthelawngateclangedbehindValancyinthedusk.Then—
“She’sfeverish—I’vesaidrightalongshewasfeverish,”moanedCousinStickles.
UncleBenjaminpunishedhispudgylefthandfiercelywithhispudgyright.
“She’sdippy—Itellyoushe’sgonedippy,”hesnortedangrily.“That’sallthereisaboutit.Cleandippy.”
“Oh,Benjamin,”saidCousinGeorgianasoothingly,“don’tcondemnhertoorashly.WemustrememberwhatdearoldShakespearesays—thatcharitythinkethnoevil.”
“Charity!Poppy-cock!”snortedUncleBenjamin.“Ineverheardayoungwomantalksuchstuffinmylifeasshejustdid.Talkingaboutthingssheoughttobeashamedtothinkof,muchlessmention.Blaspheming!Insultingus!Whatshewantsisagenerousdoseofspank-weedandI’dliketobetheonetoadministerit.H-uh-h-h-h!”UncleBenjamingulpeddownthehalfofascaldingcupofcoffee.
“Doyousupposethatthemumpscouldworkonapersonthatway?”wailedCousinStickles.
“Iopenedanumbrellainthehouseyesterday,”sniffedCousinGeorgiana.“Iknewitbetokenedsomemisfortune.”
“Haveyoutriedtofindoutifshehasatemperature?”askedCousinMildred.
“Shewouldn’tletAmeliaputthethermometerunderhertongue,”whimperedCousinStickles.
Mrs.Frederickwasopenlyintears.Allher