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           ButAnnewasthinkingtoherself:Iwonderwhatyouranswerwouldhavebeenifthechildwasyours,Archbishop?

           Aboutthreehourslater,astheafternoonsunwasslidingsadlydowntheskytowardMountBartleFrere’smistybulk,DocSmithcameoutofthebedroom.

           "Well,it’sover,"hesaidwithsomesatisfaction."Meggie’sgotalongroadaheadofher,butshe’llbeallright,Godwilling.Andthebabyisaskinny,cranky,five-poundgirlwithawhoppinggreatheadandatempertomatchthemostpoisonousredhairI’veeverseenonanewbornbaby.Youcould’tkillthatlittlemitewithanaxe,andIknow,becauseInearlytried."

           Jubilant,Luddiebrokeoutthebottleofchampagnehehadbeensaving,andthefiveofthemstoodwiththeirglassesbrimming;priest,doctor,midwife,farmerandcrippletoastedthehealthandwell-beingofthemotherandherscreaming,crotchetybaby.ItwasthefirstofJune,thefirstdayoftheAustralianwinter.

           Anursehadarrivedtotakeoverfromthemidwife,andwouldstayuntilMeggiewaspronouncedoutofalldanger.Thedoctorandthemidwifeleft,whileAnne,LuddieandtheArchbishopwenttoseeMeggie.

           ShelookedsotinyandwastedinthedoublebedthatArchbishopRalphwasobligedtostoreawayanother,separatepaininthebackofhismind,tobetakenoutlater,inspectedandendured.Meggie,mytornandbeatenMeggie…Ishallloveyoualways,butIcannotgiveyouwhatLukeO’Neilldid,howevergrudgingly.