CHAPTER XXVIII

Summerpassedby.TheStirlingclan—withtheinsignificantexceptionofCousinGeorgiana—hadtacitlyagreedtofollowUncleJames’exampleandlookuponValancyasonedead.Tobesure,Valancyhadanunquiet,ghostlyhabitofrecurringresurrectionswhensheandBarneyclatteredthroughDeerwoodandouttothePortinthatunspeakablecar.Valancy,bareheaded,withstarsinhereyes.Barney,bareheaded,smokinghispipe.Butshaved.Alwaysshavednow,ifanyofthemhadnoticedit.TheyevenhadtheaudacitytogointoUncleBenjamin’sstoretobuygroceries.TwiceUncleBenjaminignoredthem.WasnotValancyoneofthedead?WhileSnaithhadneverexisted.ButthethirdtimehetoldBarneyhewasascoundrelwhoshouldbehungforluringanunfortunate,weak-mindedgirlawayfromherhomeandfriends. Barney’sonestraighteyebrowwentup. “Ihavemadeherhappy,”hesaidcoolly,“andshewasmiserablewithherfriends.Sothat’sthat.” UncleBenjaminstared.Ithadneveroccurredtohimthatwomenhadtobe,oroughttobe,“madehappy.” “You—youpup!”hesaid. “Whybesounoriginal?”queriedBarneyamiably.“Anybodycouldcallmeapup.WhynotthinkofsomethingworthyoftheStirlings?Besides,I’mnotapup.I’mreallyquiteamiddle-ageddog.Thirty-five,ifyou’reinterestedinknowing.” UncleBenjaminrememberedjustintimethatValancywasdead.HeturnedhisbackonBarney. Valancywashappy—gloriouslyandentirelyso.Sheseemedtobelivinginawonderfulhouseoflifeandeverydayopenedanew,mysteriousroom.Itwasinaworldwhichhadnothingincommonwiththeoneshehadleftbehind—aworldwheretimewasnot—whichwasyoungwithimmortalyouth—wheretherewasneitherpastnorfuturebutonlythepresent.Shesurrenderedherselfutterlytothecharmofit. Theabsolutefreedomofitallwasunbelievable.Theycoulddoexactlyastheyliked.NoMrs.Grundy.Notraditions.Norelatives.Orin-laws.“Peace,perfectpeace,withlovedonesfaraway,”asBarneyquotedshamelessly. Valancyhadgonehomeonceandgothercushions.AndCousinGeorgianahadgivenheroneofherfamouscandlewickspreadsofmostelaboratedesign.“Foryourspare-roombed,dear,”shesaid. “ButIhaven’tgotanyspare-room,”saidVal