"Don’tbeafraid．Ijustmeanttobeofhelp．Youdrive．Here’sthekey．Iwon’tevein,ifyouprefer.”Lavernesmiledherthanks．
“Thereshouldn’tbeanyproblemifshewasintrolofthewheels”shethought，sotheygotintothedshestartedtheengine．
"Becareful,"warnedDimitri．"Twoofthedersaredead,sothecaroftenstalls，that’swhyIdidn’twantyoutodrivealoraosay，inLaverne’shands，thecarstartedoutassmoothlyasifitwereabrandnewoseemedtohavealifeofitsownahatthisyoungwomanatthewheelwaslighterthanitsmistress，Megginn，andhadbetterandnimblerdrivingteiques．
"Wow!Yourdrivingisreallyimpressive!Youworkwondersevenwiththisalmostunserviceableoldcar.”
"There’snothingtoitreally．I’musedtotakingcareofsickpeopleandItreatthiscarasifitatientneedingtender,gentlecare.”
"You’reahen?"
"No.”Fromtheirrandomversatithedrive,DimitrigottoknowthatLavernelivedwithandtookcareofablind,paralyzedoldmother,aninvalidfatheraardedbrother．Theamazingthingwastheywerenobloodretionsofhers．Hemarveledathislumeetingagaianoodheartedyoungwoman．Hervoicewassweet,herwordsthoughfewwerecise,fullyexpressingherbrave,stoiccharacter．
"You’resokindandgenerous，Laverne．Aren’ttoomanypeoplelikeyouaroundanymoreinthisworld.”
"Notreally．TheybroughtmeupaheleastIcoulddowastoteheiroldage．It’snothingtabout.”Thecarcruisedaroundtheblocksasthenightgotdarker,butnotraarkwastobefound．Lavernebeganwaboutherparentsathomeneedientionandsobecamemoreandmitated．
Thenightbefore，theJohnsonssataroundtheirdiningtable，enjoyingasumptuousmealofprimeribs,cmchowder,bakedpotatoes,boiledonion,creamedandFrenchrollswithbutter．Mark,whoseappetitewasenormous,felltoravenouslyandfinishedhissharequickly．Lavernesmiled，cuthalfofhersandputitonhispte，gdtoseehimenjoyinghisfoodsomuch．Mr．Johnson，meanwhile，hadcuthisportionintosmallpiedfromtimetotimefedorselstohiswife．Shecouldmuch，butwasinanexcellentmoodanddrankquiteabitofwine．Mr．Johnsonstaredattheredwineinhiscup,onwhichthewaveringdlelightflickeredlikeanimageofparadise.Drinkinghiswialkedandjokedwithhisfamilyatthediningtable,fullofanamiableatmosphereofhappiness．Littledidtheyknowitwastobetheirstmealtogether．AfterdinnerLavernehelpedtheoldcouplesettledowiredlingallday，theyoenjoyasweetslumberiledarkheyfelttirednotbecauseofover-exertion，butfrombeinguretdextendtheirlimbs．Markclearedawaythetableanddumpedeverythinginthesink,hishugeshadowfluctuatinginthedlelightashemovedabout，andthendisappearedfromviewwheuptohisroom．Lavernesthedlesandthehousewasagaincloakedindarkness，litonlybytheluminousmoonlight．Shemadeherwaysoftlyupthestairsinthesemidarkness,carefultoavoidthecreakyspotsonthewoodensteps,preferringnottointerruptthepeadquietbroughtbythemoonlight．Shehadhadaharddaytoo，andwishedonlytorexihtubaobed．
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