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“Anything,” said Barney recklessly.
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“Only one thing. You are never, under any circumstances or under any
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provocation, to cast it up to me that I asked you to marry me.”
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CHAPTER XLIV
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E_xtract from letter written by Miss Olive Stirling to Mr. Cecil
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Bruce:_
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“It’s really disgusting that Doss’ crazy adventures should have turned
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out like this. It makes one feel that there is no use in behaving
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properly.
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“I’m _sure_ her mind was unbalanced when she left home. What she said
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about a dust-pile showed that. Of course I don’t think there was ever a
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thing the matter with her heart. Or perhaps Snaith or Redfern or
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whatever his name really is fed Purple Pills to her, back in that
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Mistawis hut and cured her. It would make quite a testimonial for the
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family ads, wouldn’t it?
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“He’s such an insignificent-looking creature. I mentioned this to Doss
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but all she said was, ‘I don’t like collar ad men.’
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“Well, he’s certainly no collar ad man. Though I must say there is
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something rather distinguished about him, now that he has cut his hair
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and put on decent clothes. I really think, Cecil, you should exercise
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more. It doesn’t do to get too fleshy.
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“He also claims, I believe, to be John Foster. We can believe _that_ or
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not, as we like, I suppose.
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“Old Doc Redfern has given them two millions for a wedding-present.
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Evidently the Purple Pills bring in the bacon. They’re going to spend
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the fall in Italy and the winter in Egypt and motor through Normandy in
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apple-blossom time. _Not_ in that dreadful old Lizzie, though. Redfern
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has got a wonderful new car.
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“Well, I think I’ll run away, too, and disgrace myself. It seems to
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pay.
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“Uncle Ben is a scream. Likewise Uncle James. The fuss they all make
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over Doss now is absolutely sickening. To hear Aunt Amelia talking of
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‘my son-in-law, Bernard Redfern’ and ‘my daughter, Mrs. Bernard
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Redfern.’ Mother and Father are as bad as the rest. And they can’t see
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that Valancy is just laughing at them all in her sleeve.”
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CHAPTER XLV
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Valancy and Barney turned under the mainland pines in the cool dusk of
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the September night for a farewell look at the Blue Castle. Mistawis
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was drowned in sunset lilac light, incredibly delicate and elusive. Nip
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and Tuck were cawing lazily in the old pines. Good Luck and Banjo were
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mewed and mewing in separate baskets in Barney’s new, dark-green car
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_en route_ to Cousin Georgiana’s. Cousin Georgiana was going to take
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care of them until Barney and Valancy came back. Aunt Wellington and
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Cousin Sarah and Aunt Alberta had also entreated the privilege of
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looking after them, but to Cousin Georgiana was it given. Valancy was
|
in tears.
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“Don’t cry, Moonlight. We’ll be back next summer. And now we’re off for
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a real honeymoon.”
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Valancy smiled through her tears. She was so happy that her happiness
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terrified her. But, despite the delights before her—‘the glory that was
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Greece and the grandeur that was Rome’—lure of the ageless Nile—glamour
|
of the Riviera—mosque and palace and minaret—she knew perfectly well
|
that no spot or place or home in the world could ever possess the
|
sorcery of her Blue Castle.
|
THE END
|
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLUE CASTLE ***
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