CHAPTER XXXIII

haven’tanyofthemysteryandreserveoftherealwood-flowers.” “Inshort,they’venosecrets,”saidBarney.“Butwaitabit.Thewoodswillhavetheirownwayevenwiththoseobviousdandelions.Inalittlewhileallthatobtrusiveyellownessandcomplacencywillbegoneandwe’llfindheremisty,phantom-likeglobeshoveringoverthoselonggrassesinfullharmonywiththetraditionsoftheforest.” “ThatsoundsJohnFosterish,”teasedValancy. “WhathaveIdonethatdeservedaslamlikethat?”complainedBarney. OneoftheearliestsignsofspringwastherenaissanceofLadyJane.Barneyputheronroadsthatnoothercarwouldlookat,andtheywentthroughDeerwoodinmudtotheaxles.TheypassedseveralStirlings,whogroanedandreflectedthatnowspringwascometheywouldencounterthatshamelesspaireverywhere.Valancy,prowlingaboutDeerwoodshops,metUncleBenjaminonthestreetbuthedidnotrealiseuntilhehadgonetwoblocksfurtheronthatthegirlinthescarlet-collaredblanketcoat,withcheeksreddenedinthesharpAprilairandthefringeofblackhairoverlaughing,slantedeyes,wasValancy.Whenhedidrealiseit,UncleBenjaminwasindignant.WhatbusinesshadValancytolooklike—like—likeayounggirl?Thewayofthetransgressorwashard.Hadtobe.Scripturalandproper.YetValancy’spathcouldn’tbehard.Shewouldn’tlooklikethatifitwere.Therewassomethingwrong.Itwasalmostenoughtomakeamanturnmodernist. BarneyandValancyclangedontothePort,sothatitwasdarkwhentheywentthroughDeerwoodagain.AtheroldhomeValancy,seizedwithasuddenimpulse,gotout,openedthelittlegateandtiptoedaroundtothesitting-roomwindow.TheresathermotherandCousinSticklesdrearily,grimlyknitting.Bafflingandinhumanasever.IftheyhadlookedtheleastbitlonesomeValancywouldhavegonein.Buttheydidnot.Valancywouldnotdisturbthemforworlds.