Sunday, October 5, 2014

The Schism, parts 3715 -3718

 3715. Did Natalie know that the discussion of a uniform for Alexis would be the thing that would bring to the surface Harriet’s feelings for all to see? I don’t think so, but I do not know. I only know what the consequence was. Perhaps you imagine that Harriet began to wail aloud, or on the other hand perhaps you think she would shiver all over and begin to sob silently to herself, but that is not what happened.


 3716. Harriet’s behavior was singular and unforgettable. At the moment the crimson stripe on the leg of the yellow uniform was mentioned she was eating soup with a silver spoon.  Very large tears began to fall from her eyes, and the tears ran down her cheeks, onto her chin, and fell into her soup. No other outward sign of her grief could be seen, and she continued to eat her soup as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.


 3717. Perhaps the only thing that transpired while Harriet cried was that her soup became a little more salty, as she consumed her grief with a spoon.



3718. If Harriet had cried in a conventional way I suppose her friends would have began asking her questions in a false attempt to appear concerned, but the nature of Harriet’s tears precluded any duplicitous reaction and they all sat there silently at the card table.

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