Жовті шпалери

           ItisveryseldomthatmereordinarypeoplelikeJohnandmyselfsecureancestralhallsforthesummer. 

           Acolonialmansion,ahereditaryestate,Iwouldsayahauntedhouse,andreachtheheightofromanticfelicity—butthatwouldbeaskingtoomuchoffate! 

           StillIwillproudlydeclarethatthereissomethingqueeraboutit. 

           Else,whyshoulditbeletsocheaply?Andwhyhavestoodsolonguntenanted? 

           Johnlaughsatme,ofcourse,butoneexpectsthatinmarriage. 

           Johnispracticalintheextreme.Hehasnopatiencewithfaith,anintensehorrorofsuperstition,andhescoffsopenlyatanytalkofthingsnottobefeltandseenandputdowninfigures. 

           Johnisaphysician,andPERHAPS—(Iwouldnotsayittoalivingsoul,ofcourse,butthisisdeadpaperandagreatrelieftomymind)—PERHAPSthatisonereasonIdonotgetwellfaster. 

           YouseehedoesnotbelieveIamsick! 

           Andwhatcanonedo? 

           Ifaphysicianofhighstanding,andone’sownhusband,assuresfriendsandrelativesthatthereisreallynothingthematterwithonebuttemporarynervousdepression—aslighthystericaltendency—whatisonetodo? 

           Mybrotherisalsoaphysician,andalsoofhighstanding,andhesaysthesamething.