”Mydearchild，”shecried，”howcouldIstayaway？WehavespokenofyouandStephenSOoftenthismorning。Weknowhowlonelyyoumustbe，andMalcolmandIdecidedweMUSTruninonyouafterlunch。Didn’twe，Malcolm？”Mr。MalcolmCorcoranDunn，herson，wasablondyoungman，witharatherindolentmanner。”Sure，Mater！”hesaid，calmly。”Howd’yedo，Caroline？’Lo，Steve！”
Thequartetteshookhands。Mrs。Dunnsankcreakinglyintoachairandgazedabouttheroom。Malcolmstrolledtothewindowandlookedout。Stephenfollowedandstoodbesidehim。”Mydear，”saidMrs。Dunn，addressingCaroline，”howareyougettingon？Howareyournerves？Isallthedreadful’settling’
over？””Verynearly，thankgoodness。””That’samercy。Ishouldcertainlyhavebeenhereyesterdaytohelpyouinsuperintendingandarrangingandsoon，butIwassufferingfromoneofmy’hearts，’andyouknowwhatTHEYare。”
EveryonewhoknewMrs。CorcoranDunnwasacquaintedwithher”hearts。”Theattackscame，soshewasaccustomedtoexplain，fromanimpairedvalve，and”someday”——sheusuallycompletedthesentencewithupturnedeyesandaresignedupwardwaveofthehand。
Hersonturnedfromthewindow。”Isay，Mother，”heexplained，wearily，”Idowishyouwouldn’tspeakofyourvitalorgansintheplural。Anyonewouldimagineyouwereasortoffreak，likethetwo-headedboyatthecircus。It’spositivelydistressing。”