"I can't believe it," Annie broke out, but she was greatly troubled. "What
do you think, Ellen; that there's any danger of his carrying the day
against Mr. Peck?"
"There's a great deal of dissatisfaction with Mr. Peck already, you know,
and I guess Ralph's right about the rest of it."
"Well, I'm glad I've taken a pew. I'm with you for Mr. Peck, Ralph, heart
and soul."
"As Brother Brandreth says about the Social Union. Well, that's right. I
shall count upon you. And speaking of the Social Union, I haven't seen you,
Annie, since that night at Mrs. Munger's. I suppose you don't expect me to
say anything in self-defence?"
"No, Ralph, and you needn't; _I've_ defended you
sufficiently--justified you."
"That won't do," said Putney. "Ellen and I have thought that all out, and
we find that I--or something that stood for me--was to blame, whoever else
was to blame, too; we won't mention the hospitable Mrs. Munger. When Dr.
Morrell had to go away Brother Peck took hold with me, and he suggested
good resolutions. I told him I'd tried 'em, and they never did me the least
good; but his sort really seemed to work. I don't know whether they would
work again; Ellen thinks they would. _I_think we sha'n't ever need
anything again; but that's what I always think when I come out of it--like
a man with chills and fever."
"It was Dr. Morrell who asked Mr. Peck to come," said Mrs. Putney; "and it
turned out for the best. Ralph got well quicker than he ever did before. Of
course, Annie," she explained, "it must seem strange to you hearing us talk
of it as if it were a disease; but that's just like what it is--a raging
disease; and I can't feel differently about anything that happens in it,
though I do blame people for it." Annie followed with tender interest the
loving pride that exonerated and idealised Putney in the words of the
woman who had suffered so much with him, and must suffer. "I couldn't help
speaking as I did to Mrs. Munger."
"She deserved it every word," said Annie. "I wonder you didn't say more."
"Oh, hold on!" Putney interposed. "We'll allow that the local influences
were malarial, but I guess we can't excuse the invalid altogether. That's
Brother Peck's view; and I must say I found it decidedly tonic; it helped
to brace me up."