CHAPTER XXVII

saythatyouhaveactuallygoneandmarried—married—thatnotoriousBarneySnaith—that—that—criminal—that——” “Ihave.” “Then,”saidUncleJamesviolently,“youareashamelesscreature,losttoallsenseofproprietyandvirtue,andIwashmyhandsentirelyofyou.Idonotwantevertoseeyourfaceagain.” “WhathaveyoulefttosaywhenIcommitmurder?”askedValancy. UncleBenjaminagainappealedtoGodtoblesshissoul. “Thatdrunkenoutlaw—that——” AdangeroussparkappearedinValancy’seyes.TheymightsaywhattheylikedtoandofherbuttheyshouldnotabuseBarney. “Say‘damn’andyou’llfeelbetter,”shesuggested. “Icanexpressmyfeelingswithoutblasphemy.AndItellyouhavecoveredyourselfwitheternaldisgraceandinfamybymarryingthatdrunkard——” “Youwouldbemoreendurableifyougotdrunkoccasionally.Barneyisnotadrunkard.” “HewasseendrunkinPortLawrence—pickledtothegills,”saidUncleBenjamin. “Ifthatistrue—andIdon’tbelieveit—hehadagoodreasonforit.NowIsuggestthatyouallstoplookingtragicandacceptthesituation.I’mmarried—youcan’tundothat.AndI’mperfectlyhappy.” “Isupposeweoughttobethankfulhehasreallymarriedher,”saidCousinSarah,bywayoftryingtolookonthebrightside. “Ifhereallyhas,”saidUncleJames,whohadjustwashedhishandsofValancy.“Whomarriedyou?” “Mr.Towers,ofPortLawrence.” “ByaFreeMethodist!”groanedMrs.Frederick—asiftohavebeenmarriedbyanimprisonedMethodistwouldhavebeenashadelessdisgraceful.Itwasthefirstthingshehadsaid.Mrs.Frederickdidn’tknowwhattosay.Thewholethingwastoohorrible—toonightmarish.Shewassureshemustwakeupsoon.Afteralltheirbrighthopesatthefuneral! “Itmakesmethinkofthosewhat-d’ye-call-’ems,”saidUncleBenjaminhelplessly.“Thoseyarns—youknow—offairiestakingbabiesoutoftheircradles.” “Valancycouldhardlybeachangelingattwenty-nine,”saidAuntWellingtonsatirically. “Shewastheoddest-lookingbabyIeversaw,anyway,”averredUncleBenjamin.“Isaidsoatthetime—youremember,Amelia?IsaidIhadneverseensucheyesinahumanhead.” “I’mgladIneverhadanychildren,”saidCousinSarah.“Iftheydon’tbreakyourheartinonewaytheydoitinanother.” “Isn’titbettertohaveyourheartbrokenthantohaveitwitherup?”queriedValancy.“Beforeitcouldbebrokenitmusthavefeltsomethingsplendid.Thatwouldbeworththepain.” “Dippy—cleandippy,”mutteredUncleBenjamin,withavague,unsatisfactoryfeelingthatsomebodyhadsaidsomethinglikethatbefore. “Valancy,”saidMrs.Fredericksolemnly,“doyoueverpraytobeforgivenfordisobeyingyourmother?” “Ishouldpraytobeforgivenforobeyingyousolong,”saidValancystubbornly.“ButIdon’tprayaboutthatatall.IjustthankGodeverydayformyhappiness.” “Iwouldrather,”saidMrs.Frederick,beginningtocryratherbelatedly,“seeyoudeadbeforemethanlistentowhatyouhavetoldmetoday.” Valancylookedathermotherandaunts,andwonderediftheycouldeverhaveknownanythingoftherealmeaningoflove.Shefeltsorrierforthemthanever.Theyweresoverypitiable.Andtheyneversuspectedit. “BarneySnaithisascoundreltohavedeludedyouintomarryinghim,”saidUncleJamesviolently. “Oh,Ididthedeluding.Iaskedhimtomarryme,”saidValancy,withawickedsmile. “Haveyounopride?”demandedAuntWellington. “Lotsofit.IamproudthatIhaveachievedahusbandbymyownunaidedefforts.CousinGeorgianaherewantedtohelpmetoEdwardBeck.” “EdwardBeckisworthtwentythousanddollarsandhasthefinesthousebetweenhereandPortLawrence,”saidUncleBenjamin. “Thatsoundsveryfine,”saidValancyscornfully,“butitisn’tworththat“—sh