CHAPTER XXXVIII
關燈
小
中
大
ValancywalkedquicklythroughthebackstreetsandthroughLover’sLane.Shedidnotwanttomeetanyonesheknew.Shedidn’twanttomeetevenpeopleshedidn’tknow.Shehatedtobeseen.Hermindwassoconfused,sotorn,somessy.Shefeltthatherappearancemustbethesame.Shedrewasobbingbreathofreliefassheleftthevillagebehindandfoundherselfonthe“upback”road.Therewaslittlefearofmeetinganyonesheknewhere.Thecarsthatfledbyherwithraucousshriekswerefilledwithstrangers.Oneofthemwaspackedwithyoungpeoplewhowhirledpasthersinginguproariously:
“Mywifehasthefever,Othen,
Mywifehasthefever,Othen,
Mywifehasthefever,
Oh,Ihopeitwon’tleaveher,
ForIwanttobesingleagain.”
Valancyflinchedasifoneofthemhadleanedfromthecarandcutheracrossthefacewithawhip.
Shehadmadeacovenantwithdeathanddeathhadcheatedher.Nowlifestoodmockingher.ShehadtrappedBarney.Trappedhimintomarryingher.AnddivorcewassohardtogetinOntario.Soexpensive.AndBarneywaspoor.
Withlife,fearhadcomebackintoherheart.Sickeningfear.FearofwhatBarneywouldthink.Wouldsay.Fearofthefuturethatmustbelivedwithouthim.Fearofherinsulted,repudiatedclan.
Shehadhadonedraughtfromadivinecupandnowitwasdashedfromherlips.Withnokind,friendlydeathtorescueher.Shemustgoonlivingandlongingforit.Everythingwasspoiled,smirched,defaced.EventhatyearintheBlueCastle.EvenherunashamedloveforBarney.Ithadbeenbeautifulbecausedeathwaited.Nowitwasonlysordidbecausedeathwasgone.Howcouldanyonebearanunbearablething?
Shemustgobackandtellhim.Makehimbelieveshehadnotmeanttotrickhim—shemustmakehimbelievethat.Shemustsaygood-byetoherBlueCastleandreturntothebrickhouseonElmStreet.Backtoeverythingshehadthoughtleftbehindforever.Theoldbondage—theoldfears.Butthatdidnotmatter.AllthatmatterednowwasthatBarneymustsomehowbemadetobelieveshehadnotconsciouslytrickedhim.
WhenValancyreachedthepinesbythelakeshewasbroughtoutofherdazeofpainbyastartlingsight.There,parkedbythesideofold,batteredraggedLadyJane,wasanothercar.Awonderfulcar.Apurplecar.Notadark,royalpurplebutablatant,screamingpurple.ItshonelikeamirroranditsinteriorplainlyindicatedthecarcasteofVeredeVere.Onthedriver’sseatsatahaughtychauffeurinlivery.AndinthetonneausatamanwhoopenedthedoorandbouncedoutnimblyasValancycamedownthepathtothelanding-place.HestoodunderthepineswaitingforherandValancytookineverydetailofhim.
Astout,short,pudgyman,withabroad,rubicund,good-humouredface—aclean-shavenface,thoughanunparalysedlittleimpatthebackofValancy’sparalysedmindsuggestedthethought,“Suchafaceshouldhaveafringeofwhitewhiskeraroundit.”Old-fashioned,steel-rimmedspectaclesonprominentblueeyes.Apurseymouthalittleround,knobbynose.Where—where—where,gropedValancy,hadsheseenthatfacebefore?Itseemedasfamiliartoherasherown.
Thestrangerworeagreenhatandalightfawnovercoatoverasuitofaloudcheckpattern.HistiewasabrilliantgreenoflightershadeontheplumphandheoutstretchedtointerceptValancyanenormousdiamondwinkedather.Buthehadapleasant,fatherlysmile,andinhishearty,unmodulatedvoicewasaringofsomethingthatattractedher.
“Canyoutellme,Miss,ifthathouseyonderbelongstoaMr.Redfern?Andifso,howcanIgett