Chapter 36 Summary

Valancy reads the letter from Dr. Trent before she goes to sleep. When Barney enters the room, Valancy pretends to be asleep. Barney too pretends to sleep beside Valancy. Valancy has bad dreams about Barney confronting her about not being ill and tricking him into marrying her. When Valancy wakes the next morning, Barney and the canoe are gone. Valancy goes to see Dr. Trent.

Chapter 36 Analysis

Valancy visiting Dr. Trent foreshadows her finally finding out the truth about her condition. Valancy is also presuming what Barney is thinking, but Barney might be thinking something totally different that Valancy is. Since Valancy is now looking at her life, once again, from a different vantage point, she has lost some of her self-esteem, which is causing her to think the worst.