第55章

Andifshehadbeendisgracedbeforeeveryone，draggedfromherhomeawayacrossabigseatoliveamongstrangers，andnotknownwhereherboywasforyears，I’mnotabitsurethatshe’dhavedonebetterthanMrs。Pryor。Yes，shewouldtoo；cometothinkitout——she’dhavekeptonbelievingtheLordhadsomethingtodowithit，andthatHe’dfixitsomeway；andIknowsheandfatherwouldhaveheldhandsnomatterwhathappenedorwheretheywent。

IguessthebiggestthingthematterwithPryorswasthattheydidn’tknowhowtogoaboutlovingeachotherright；maybeitwasbecausetheydidn’tloveGod，sotheycouldn’tknowexactlywhatPROPERLOVEwas；becauseGodislove，likefathersaid。

Mrs。Pryordidn’twanttoseeMr。Pryor——Ican’tgetusedtocallingthemPaget——andshedidn’taskanythingabouthim。I

guessshewasprettymadathim。SheneverhadlikedtheEmmetcousin，andshe’dhadnothingbuttroublewithhimallthetimehehadbeeninherfamily，andthenthatawfuldisgrace，thatshealwaysTHOUGHTwasallhim，butshecouldn’tproveit，andshehadnomoney。

That’saverybadthing。Awomanshouldalwayshavesomemoney。

Sheworksashardasanyone，andusuallyshehasmorethatworriesher，soit’sonlyfairforhertohavepartofwhattheworkandworrybring。Motheralwayshasmoney。Why，shehassomuch，shecanhelpfatheroutwhenheispushedwithbills，asshedidlastfall，tostartShelleytomusicschool。It’snowaytobeforcedtolivewithaman，justtogetahome，food，andclothing。Idon’tbelievemothereverwoulddoitinallthisworld。Butthenmotherhasworkedallherlife，andsoiffatherdoesn’tdoasshewantshimto，she’dknowexactlyhowtogoabouttakingcareofherself。

AfterallMrs。Pryordidn’tneedtositbackonherdignityandlooksoabused。Hecouldn’tknockherdown，anddragherclearhere。Whydidn’tshesayrightout，inthebeginning，thathersonCOULDN’Tbeathief，thatsheknewit，andshe’dstayathomeandwaitforhimtocomeback？Shecouldhaveputapieceinthepapersayingsheknewherboywasallright，andforhimtocomeback，sotheycouldgotoworkandPROVEit。Ibetifshe’dhadonetenthofthegingermotherhas，she’dhavestoppedthewholefussinthestart。Ilookedatheralmoststeadily，tryingtofigureoutjustwhatmotherwouldhavedoneinherplace。MaybeI’mmistakenaboutexactlyhowshewouldhavesettowork，butthisIKNOW：she’dhavestucktotheLord；she’dhavelovedfather，sodearly，hejustCOULDN’Thavewantedhertodothingsthathurtheruntilitgaveherhearttrouble；andshenever，neverwouldhavegivenuponeofus，andsatholdingherheartformonths，refusingtoseeortospeaktoanyone，whileshewaitedforsomeoneelsetodosomething。Motherneverwaits。

Shealwaysthinksaminute，ifshe’sindoubtsheasksfather；ifhecan’tdecide，bothofthemaskGod；andthenyououghttoseethingsbegintofly。

ThemoreIwatchedMrs。Pryor，themoreIbegantothinkshewasalady；andjustaboutwhenIwassurethatwaswhatailedher，I

heardfathersay：“Perhapstheladywouldlikeacupoftea。“I

hadabignotiontotellhertocomeon，andIwouldshowherwherethecannisterwas，butIthoughtIbetternot。Iwantedto，though。She’dhavefeltmuchbetterifshehadgotupandworkedliketherestofus。Withalltheexcitement，andeverythinghappeningatonce，you’dhavethoughtmotherwouldbeflatonherback，butflatnothing！Everythingwaspickedupandslidback，fastasitwastorndown；shefoundtimetoflannelhernoseandbrushherhair，hercollarwasstraight，andthegoldstonepinshoneinthelight，whileherstarchedwhiteapronflutteredasshewentthroughthedoors。ShesaidafewwordstoCandaceandMrs。Freshett，Maytookoutalinenclothandbegantosetplacesforallthegrownpeople，soIknewthere’dbestrawberrypreservesandfriedham，butinallthat，wouldyoueverhavethoughtthatshe’dfindasecondtomakebiscuit，andteacakesherself？PlainaspreachingIheardhersaytoMrs。

Freshett：“IdohopeandpraythatMr。Pryorwillcomeoutofitright，sowecantakehimhome，andteachhimtobehavehimself；

butifhe’sgonethisminute，IintendtohaveanotherdecentmealforShelleytoofferheryoungman；andIdon’tcareifI

showMrs。Pryorthatwe’renothungryoverhere，ifwedolackservantstocarryinfoodonsilverplatters。“

“ThatIjestwould！“saidMrs。Freshett。“Evenifheturnsuphistoes，’tain’tYOURfuneral，thanktheLord！an’lookyhere，I’djestassoonsetthingsinabakepanan’pass’emforyou，myself。I’lldoit，ifyousaytheword。“

Motherbitherlip，andfoughtherfacetokeepitstraight，asshesaidconfidential-like：“No，I’mnotgoingtotoadytoher。

Ionlywanthertoseethatamealreallyconsistsoffoodafterall；Idon’tmindputtingmybestfootforemost，butIwon’tapeher。“

“Huccometheytofusslikethis，peaceableasMr。Stantonbe，an’

what’sShelley’sbeautothem？“

“Ishouldthinkyoucouldtell

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