CHAPTER XXX

aftershebeganwearingitthatBarneybegancallingherMoonlight. “Moonlightandbluetwilight—thatiswhatyoulooklikeinthatdress.Ilikeit.Itbelongstoyou.Youaren’texactlypretty,butyouhavesomeadorablebeauty-spots.Youreyes.Andthatlittlekissabledentjustbetweenyourcollarbones.Youhavethewristandankleofanaristocrat.Thatlittleheadofyoursisbeautifullyshaped.Andwhenyoulookbackwardoveryourshoulderyou’remaddening—especiallyintwilightormoonlight.Anelfmaiden.Awoodsprite.Youbelongtothewoods,Moonlight—youshouldneverbeoutofthem.Inspiteofyourancestry,thereissomethingwildandremoteanduntamedaboutyou.Andyouhavesuchanice,sweet,throaty,summeryvoice.Suchanicevoiceforlove-making.” “Shurean’ye’vekissedtheBlarneyStone,”scoffedValancy.Butshetastedthesecomplimentsforweeks. Shegotapalegreenbathing-suit,too—agarmentwhichwouldhavegivenherclantheirdeathsiftheyhadeverseenherinit.Barneytaughtherhowtoswim.Sometimessheputherbathing-dressonwhenshegotupanddidn’ttakeitoffuntilshewenttobed—runningdowntothewaterforaplungewhenevershefeltlikeitandsprawlingonthesun-warmrockstodry. Shehadforgottenalltheoldhumiliatingthingsthatusedtocomeupagainstherinthenight—theinjusticesandthedisappointments.Itwasasiftheyhadallhappenedtosomeotherperson—nottoher,ValancySnaith,whohadalwaysbeenhappy. “Iunderstandnowwhatitmeanstobebornagain,”shetoldBarney. Holmesspeaksofgrief“stainingbackward”throughthepagesoflifebutValancyfoundherhappinesshadstainedbackwardlikewiseandfloodedwithrose-colourherwholepreviousdrabexistence.Shefoundithardtobelievethatshehadeverbeenlonelyandunhappyandafraid. “Whendeathcomes,Ishallhavelived,”thoughtValancy.“Ishallhavehadmyhour.” Andherdust-pile! OnedayValancyhadheapedupthesandinthelittleislandcoveinatremendousconeandstuckagaylittleUnionJackontopofit. “Whatareyoucelebrating?”Barneywantedtoknow. “I’mjustexorcisinganolddemon,”Valancytoldhim.