Commentary on Chapter 25 of The Blue Castle
“I may go home tomorrow,” said Valancy, “but I’m not going back to Deerwood.”
“Not going——”
“You’ll find the key on the woodshed nail,” interrupted Valancy, politely and unmistakably.”
I love the “unmistakably” here. Valancy is direct with everyone now after a lifetime of being cowed, even with those she likes.
“The dog will be in the barn and the cat in the cellar. Don’t forget to feed her till your cousin comes.”
As always, Valancy loves cats.
“Yes, there is something you can do for me,” she said, evenly and distinctly. “Will you marry me?”
The crowd cheered. The crowd hollered.
I just can’t explain to you how much I love this.
“For a moment Barney was silent. There was no particular expression on his face. Then he gave an odd laugh.
“Come, now! I knew luck was just waiting around the corner for me. All the signs have been pointing that way today.”
On a first read he seems mostly just shocked and a bit flippant, but on a second read I think he definitely already has a crush on her.
“Wait.” Valancy lifted her hand. “I’m in earnest—but I want to get my breath after that question. Of course, with my bringing up, I realise perfectly well that this is one of the things ‘a lady should not do.’”
Even today, I think it is relatively unconventional for a woman to do this. Again, I love this.
“Valancy tried to say “I love you” but could not. She had to take refuge in a pretended flippancy. “I’m crazy about you.”
I love her and I love this book.
“Yes. You know Dr. Trent’s reputation in regard to heart disease. I haven’t long to live—perhaps only a few months—a few weeks. I want to live them. I can’t go back to Deerwood—you know what my life was like there. And”—she managed it this time—“I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That’s all.”
I love the “That’s all” at the end. I can write a book about the “That’s all” at the end.
“You care that much for me, Valancy?” said Barney incredulously, looking away from the star and into her eyes—her strange, mysterious eyes.”
My poor boy with horrible self-worth. And I do believe that Barney is not conventionally attractive either. Also I love Valancy’s eyes, sorry.
“I care—that much,” said Valancy in a low voice. She was trembling. He had called her by her name for the first time. It was sweeter than another man’s caress could have been just to hear him say her name like that.”
Awww. I am grinning.
“And we are never to pretend anything to each other.”
“We won’t,” said Valancy. “You won’t even have to pretend you like me. If you marry me I know you’re only doing it out of pity.”
“And we’ll never tell a lie to each other about anything—a big lie or a petty lie.”
Their traumas.
“I suppose I haven’t any right to make conditions. But I’m going to make one. You are never to refer to my heart or my liability to sudden death. You are never to urge me to be careful. You are to forget—absolutely forget—that I’m not perfectly healthy.”
She wants to have sex. Maybe she also wants to climb trees but it is mostly sex.
“I have written a letter to my mother—here it is—you are to keep it. I have explained everything in it. If I drop dead suddenly—as I likely will do——”
“It will exonerate me in the eyes of your kindred from the suspicion of having poisoned you,” said Barney with a grin.”
I love how both of them are witty without it being overdone or unbelievable. They are witty like normal people sometimes are.
“Exactly.” Valancy laughed gaily. “Dear me, I’m glad this is over. It has been—a bit of an ordeal. You see, I’m not in the habit of going about asking men to marry me. It is so nice of you not to refuse me—or offer to be a brother!”
Valancy wants to have sex with Barney before she dies. Yes, there is also her wanting to live on his island instead of in Deerwood, but she is sexually propositioning Barney, essentially. And he accepts it. He doesn’t want to be her “brother”.
“Will you marry me as I stand?” demanded Barney. A passing car, full of tourists, honked loudly—it seemed derisively. Valancy looked at him. Blue homespun shirt, nondescript hat, muddy overalls. Unshaved!
“Yes,” she said.”
This matters because Valancy actually cares about him being unshaved. But she loves him enough to overlook it.
“Barney put his hands over the gate and took her little, cold ones gently in his.
“Valancy,” he said, trying to speak lightly, “of course I’m not in love with you—never thought of such a thing as being in love. But, do you know, I’ve always thought you were a bit of a dear.”
The height of romance. Bu aşk değil de ne be?
