Read Online The Road Through the Wall by Shirley Jackson - Free Book Online

disgusting.”
    â€œWho wrote them?” Mrs. Merriam asked quickly.
    Mrs. Roberts shrugged. “The Donald girl,” she said.
    â€œI’m not surprised.” Mrs. Merriam set her sewing aside and leaned forward earnestly. “I don’t know what you think of that girl,” she said, “but I think she has more to do with these things than anyone knows.”
    â€œThere’s no real harm in Virginia,” Mrs. Desmond said.
    â€œWell, I know her,” Mrs. Merriam said, and tossed her head angrily. “I’d be the last person to defend Harriet—I think her conduct was absolutely
disgusting
—but I’d be inclined to think that nothing at all would have happened if certain young ladies around this neighborhood weren’t a good deal too
mature
for their own good.”
    â€œWell, Helen Williams—” Mrs. Roberts said.
    Mrs. Desmond snipped off a long length of blue embroidery thread and held it out to Caroline. “Here you are, darling,” she said. Then she said to Mrs. Merriam, “I don’t know very much about Helen, of
course
, but I think that kind of person is very often more sinned against than sinning.”
    â€œI don’t think she’s done anything really
bad
,” Mrs. Merriam said, shocked.
    â€œIt’s just that she’s so much older, mentally, Marguerite, than the other girls,” Mrs. Roberts said. “It’s a shame they’ve gotten to know her so well.”
    â€œWell,
Harriet
won’t know her any longer,” Mrs. Merriam said.
    â€œI don’t think it’s entirely wise,” Mrs. Desmond murmured, “to keep girls apart. As soon as they know someone is bad for them—”
    â€œI didn’t even mention it to Artie,” Mrs. Roberts said.
    â€œWell, a boy. . . .” Mrs. Merriam stood up. “How about some tea?”
    â€œOh, don’t bother,” Mrs. Desmond said.
    â€œReally,” Mrs. Roberts added.
    â€œNo trouble,” Mrs. Merriam said, as though she had not planned anything. “It’s all ready.”
    She went into the kitchen, and Mrs. Roberts said, “I think she’s a little hard on Harriet sometimes.”
    â€œI suppose she takes it very seriously,” Mrs. Desmond agreed.
    â€œYou know,” Mrs. Merriam said, coming busily in from the kitchen with a full tray which had obviously been sitting out there waiting, “You know, it seems strange to have only the three of us this week.”
    â€œSylvia Donald had to take Virginia to the dentist,” Mrs. Roberts said. “I don’t know
what
happened to Dinah.”
    â€œProbably that poor woman had another spell,” Mrs. Desmond said. “It must be a terrible thing to have to take care of an invalid like that.”
    â€œWorse than children,” Mrs. Roberts said heartily. She threw her sewing aside and came over to Mrs. Merriam’s tea tray, which she inspected critically. “Those
wonderful
sandwiches, Josephine.”
    â€œNext week you’ll all come to my house,” Mrs. Desmond said. “Aren’t you
nice
?” as Mrs. Merriam presented a slim glass of milk to Caroline.
    â€œThe sweet child,” Mrs. Merriam said. “She sits there so quietly and never says a word.”
    â€œOne thing about you,” Mrs. Roberts said enthusiastically to Mrs. Merriam. “You always have the most
wonderful
sandwiches.”
    â€œThey’re
only
cream cheese with a little sherry,” Mrs. Merriam said. “I’ll write it down for you.”
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    â€œAre you
sure
you’ll be all right, sweetie?” Mrs. Ransom-Jones asked earnestly. “I can very easily—”
    â€œNot at all,” her sister said. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll be fine.”
    â€œBut I just feel so sort of
guilty
,” Mrs. Ransom-Jones said. “You so much worse and