The
minister's wife bent her hooded head lower. She had heard about Mrs.
Sloane, and felt as if she were confronted by a woman from Revelation
and there was a flash of scarlet in the room.
"Go in and tell her we are coming," said Barney. And Mrs. Sloane
slipped out of the room cautiously, opening the door only a little
way. Her voice was heard, and suddenly Rebecca's rang out shrill in
response, although they could not distinguish the words. Mrs. Sloane
looked out. "She says she won't be married," she whispered.
"You let me see her," said Barney, and he took a stride forward, but
Mrs. Sloane held the door against him.
"You can't," she whispered again. "I'll talk to her some more. I can
talk her over, if anybody can."
Barney fell back, and again the door was shut and the voices were
heard. This time Rebecca's arose into a wail, and they heard her cry
out, "I won't, I won't! Go away, and stop talking to me! I won't! Go
away!"
William turned around, and hid his face against the corner of the
mantel-shelf. Barney went up and clapped him roughly on the shoulder.
"Can't you go in there and make her listen to reason?" he said.
But just then Mrs. Sloane opened the door again. "You can walk right
in now," she announced, smiling, her thin mouth sending the lines of
her whole face into smirking upward curves.
The whole company edged forward solemnly.
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