CHAPTER XXVIII

ancy. CousinGeorgianalookedhorrified.Ahousewithoutaspare-roomwasmonstroustoher. “Butit’salovelyspread,”saidValancy,withakiss,“andI’msogladtohaveit.I’llputitonmyownbed.Barney’soldpatch-workquiltisgettingragged.” “Idon’tseehowyoucanbecontentedtoliveupback,”sighedCousinGeorgiana.“It’ssooutoftheworld.” “Contented!”Valancylaughed.WhatwastheuseoftryingtoexplaintoCousinGeorgiana.“Itis,”sheagreed,“mostgloriouslyandentirelyoutoftheworld.” “Andyouarereallyhappy,dear?”askedCousinGeorgianawistfully. “Ireallyam,”saidValancygravely,hereyesdancing. “Marriageissuchaseriousthing,”sighedCousinGeorgiana. “Whenit’sgoingtolastlong,”agreedValancy. CousinGeorgianadidnotunderstandthisatall.ButitworriedherandshelayawakeatnightswonderingwhatValancymeantbyit. ValancylovedherBlueCastleandwascompletelysatisfiedwithit.Thebigliving-roomhadthreewindows,allcommandingexquisiteviewsofexquisiteMistawis.Theoneintheendoftheroomwasanorielwindow—whichTomMacMurray,Barneyexplained,hadgotoutofsomelittle,old“upback”churchthathadbeensold.ItfacedthewestandwhenthesunsetsfloodeditValancy’swholebeingkneltinprayerasifinsomegreatcathedral.Thenewmoonsalwayslookeddownthroughit,thelowerpineboughsswayedaboutthetopofit,andallthroughthenightsthesoft,dimsilverofthelakedreamedthroughit. Therewasastonefireplaceontheotherside.Nodesecratinggasimitationbutarealfireplacewhereyoucouldburnreallogs.Withabiggrizzlybearskinonthefloorbeforeit,andbesideitahideous,red-plushsofaofTomMacMurray’srégime.Butitsuglinesswashiddenbysilver-greytimberwolfskins,andValancy’scushionsmadeitgayandcomfortable.Inacorneranice,tall,lazyoldclockticked—therightkindofaclock.Onethatdidnothurrythehoursawaybuttickedthemoffdeliberately.Itwasthejolliestlookingoldclock.Afat,corpulentclockwithagreat,round,man’sfacepaintedonit,thehandsstretchingoutofitsnoseandthehoursencirclingitlikeahalo. Therewasabigglasscaseofstuffedowlsandseveraldeerheads—likewiseofTomMacMu