CHAPTER XXXIX

Shemustwriteanote.Theimpinthebackofhermindlaughed.Ineverystoryshehadeverreadwhenarunawaywifedecampedfromhomesheleftanote,generallyonthepin-cushion.Itwasnotaveryoriginalidea.Butonehadtoleavesomethingintelligible.Whatwastheretodobutwriteanote?Shelookedvaguelyaboutherforsomethingtowritewith.Ink?Therewasnone.ValancyhadneverwrittenanythingsinceshehadcometotheBlueCastle,savememorandaofhouseholdnecessariesforBarney.Apencilsufficedforthem,butnowthepencilwasnottobefound.ValancyabsentlycrossedtothedoorofBluebeard’sChamberandtriedit.Shevaguelyexpectedtofinditlocked,butitopenedunresistingly.Shehadnevertrieditbefore,anddidnotknowwhetherBarneyhabituallykeptitlockedornot.Ifhedid,hemusthavebeenbadlyupsettoleaveitunlocked.Shedidnotrealisethatshewasdoingsomethinghehadtoldhernottodo.Shewasonlylookingforsomethingtowritewith.Allherfacultieswereconcentratedondecidingjustwhatshewouldsayandhowshewouldsayit.Therewasnottheslightestcuriosityinherasshewentintothelean-to. Therewerenobeautifulwomenhangingbytheirhaironthewalls.Itseemedaveryharmlessapartment,withacommonplacelittlesheet-ironstoveinthemiddleofit,itspipestickingoutthroughtheroof.Atoneendwasatableorcountercrowdedwithodd-lookingutensils.UsednodoubtbyBarneyinhissmellyoperations.Chemicalexperiments,probably,shereflecteddully.Attheotherendwasabigwritingdeskandswivel-chair.Thesidewallswerelinedwithbooks. Valancywentblindlytothedesk.Thereshestoodmotionlessforafewminutes,lookingdownatsomethingthatlayonit.Abundleofgalley-proofs.ThepageontopborethetitleWildHoney,andunderthetitlewerethewords“byJohnFoster.” Th