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Iguessitwon’ttakeagreatmanytofetchyou。"
"Allright，"saidLapham，andpaidandwentout。
"Idon’tknowbutISHALLwantsomeofit，"hesaid，withajoylesslaugh。
Irenecamecloseruptohimandtookhisarm。Helaidhisheavypawonherglovedfingers。Afterawhileshesaid，"IwantyoushouldletmegouptoLaphamto—morrow。"
"ToLapham？Why，to—morrow’sSunday，Irene！Youcan’tgoto—morrow。"
"Well，Monday，then。Icanlivethroughonedayhere。"
"Well，"saidthefatherpassively。Hemadenopretenceofaskingherwhyshewishedtogo，noranyattempttodissuadeher。
"Givemethatbottle，"shesaid，whenheopenedthedoorathomeforher，andsheranuptoherownroom。
ThenextmorningIrenecametobreakfastwithhermother；
theColonelandPenelopedidnotappear，andMrs。Laphamlookedsleep—brokenandcareworn。
Thegirlglancedather。"Don’tyoufretaboutme，mamma，"shesaid。"Ishallgetalong。"Sheseemedherselfassteadyandstrongasrock。
"Idon’tliketoseeyoukeepingupso，Irene，"
repliedhermother。"It’llbealltheworseforyouwhenyoudobreak。Bettergivewayalittleatthestart"
"Ishan’tbreak，andI’vegivenwayallI’mgoingto。
I’mgoingtoLaphamto—morrow，——Iwantyoushouldgowithme，mamma，——andIguessIcankeepuponedayhere。
Allaboutitis，Idon’twantyoushouldsayanything，orLOOKanything。And，whateverIdo，Idon’twantyoushouldtrytostopme。And，thefirstthing，I’mgoingtotakeherbreakfastuptoher。Don’t！"shecried，interceptingtheprotestonhermother’slips。"IshallnotletithurtPen，ifIcanhelpit。She’sneverdoneathingnorthoughtathingtowrongme。Ihadtoflyoutatherlastnight；butthat’sallovernow，andIknowjustwhatI’vegottobear。"
Shehadherwayunmolested。ShecarriedPenelope’sbreakfasttoher，andomittednocareorattentionthatcouldmakethesacrificecomplete，withanheroicpretencethatshewasperformingnounusualservice。
Theydidnotspeak，beyondhersaying，inacleardrynote，"Here’syourbreakfast，Pen，"andhersister’sanswering，hoarselyandtremulously，"Oh，thankyou，Irene。"And，thoughtwoorthreetimestheyturnedtheirfacestowardeachotherwhileIreneremainedintheroom，mechanicallyputtingitsconfusiontorights，theireyesdidnotmeet。
ThenIrenedescendedupontheotherrooms，whichshesetinorder，andsomeofwhichshefiercelysweptanddusted。
Shemadethebeds；andshesentthetwoservantsawaytochurchassoonastheyhadeatentheirbreakfast，tellingthemthatshewouldwashtheirdishes。
Throughoutthemorningherfatherandmotherheardherabouttheworkofgettingdinner，withcertainsilenceswhichrepresentedthemomentswhenshestoppedandstoodstock—still，andthen，readjustingherburden，forcedherselfforwardunderitagain。
Theysataloneinthefamilyroom，outofwhichtheirtwogirlsseemedtohavedied。LaphamcouldnotreadhisSundaypapers，andshehadnohearttogotochurch，asshewouldhavedoneearlierinlifewhenintrouble。
JustthenshewasobscurelyfeelingthatthechurchwassomehowtoblameforthatcounselofMr。Sewell’sonwhichtheyhadacted。
"Ishouldliketoknow，"shesaid，havingbroughtthematterup，"whetherhewouldhavethoughtitwassuchalightmatterifithadbeenhisownchildren。
Doyousupposehe’dhavebeensoreadytoactonhisownadviceifitHADbeen？"
"Hetoldustherightthingtodo，Persis，——theonlything。
Wecouldn’tletitgoon，"urgedherhusbandgently。
"Well，itmakesmedespisePen！Irene’sshowingtwicethecharacterthatsheis，thisveryminute。"
Themothersaidthissothatthefathermightdefendherdaughtertoher。Hedidnotfail。"Irene’sgottheeasiestpart，thewayIlookatit。Andyou’llseethatPen’llknowhowtobehavewhenthetimecomes。"
"Whatdoyouwantsheshoulddo？"
"Ihaven’tgotsofarasthatyet。WhatarewegoingtodoaboutIrene？"
"WhatdoyouwantPenshoulddo，"repeatedMrs。Lapham，"whenitcomestoit？"
"Well，Idon’twantsheshouldtakehim，forONEthing，"
saidLapham。
ThisseemedtosatisfyMrs。Laphamastoherhusband，andshesaidindefenceofCorey，"Why，Idon’tseewhatHE’Sdone。It’sallbeenourdoing。"
"Nevermindthatnow。WhataboutIrene？"
"Shesaysshe’sgoingtoLaphamto—morrow。Shefeelsthatshe’sgottogetawaysomewhere。It’snaturalsheshould。"
"Yes，andIpresumeitwillbeaboutthebestthingFORher。
Shallyougowithher？"
"Yes。"
"Well。"Hecomfortlesslytookupanewspaperagain，andsherosewithasigh，andwenttoherroomtopacksomethingsforthemorrow’sjourney。
Afterdinner，whenIrenehadclearedawaythelasttraceofitinkitchenanddining—roomwithunsparingpunctilio，shecamedownstairs，dressedtogoout，andbadeherfathercometowalkwithheragain。Itwasarepetitionoftheaimlessnessofthelastnight’swanderings。
Theycameback，andshegotteaforthem，andafterthattheyheardherstirringaboutinherownroom，asifshewerebusyaboutmanythings；buttheydidnotdaretolookinuponher，evenafterallthenoiseshadceased，andtheyknewshehadgonetobed。
"Yes；it’sathingshe’sgottofightoutbyherself，"
saidMrsLapham。
"Iguessshe’llgetalong，"saidLapham。"ButIdon’twantyoushouldmisjudgePeneither。She’sallrighttoo。
Sheain’ttoblame。"
"Yes，Iknow。ButIcan’tworkroundtoitallatonce。
Ishan’tmisjudgeher，butyoucan’texpectmetogetoveritrightaway。"
"Mamma，"saidIrene，whenshewashurryingtheirdeparturethenextmorning，"whatdidshetellhimwhenheaskedher？"
"Tellhim？"echoedthemother；andafterawhilesheadded，"Shedidn’ttellhimanything。"
"Didshesayanything，aboutme？"
"Shesaidhemustn’tcomehereanymore。"
Ireneturnedandwentintohersister’sroom。
"Good—bye，Pen，"shesaid，kissingherwithaneffectofnotseeingortouchingher。"Iwantyoushouldtellhimallaboutit。Ifhe’shalfaman，hewon’tgiveuptillheknowswhyyouwon’thavehim；andhehasarighttoknow。"
"Itwouldn’tmakeanydifference。Icouldn’thavehimafter————"
"That’sforyoutosay。Butifyoudon’ttellhimaboutme，Iwill。"
"’Rene！""Yes！Youneedn’tsayIcaredforhim。
Butyoucansaythatyouallthoughthe——caredfor——me。"
"OIrene————"
"Don’t！"Ireneescapedfromthearmsthattriedtocastthemselvesabouther。"Youareallright，Pen。Youhaven’tdoneanything。You’vehelpedmeallyoucould。
ButIcan’t——yet。"
ShewentoutoftheroomandsummonedMrs。Laphamwithasharp"Now，mamma！"andwentonputtingthelastthingsintohertrunks。
TheColonelwenttothestationwiththem，andputthemonthetrain。HegotthemalittlecompartmenttothemselvesinthePullmancar；andashestoodleaningwithhisliftedhandsagainstthesidesofthedoorway，hetriedtosaysome
