Chapter 11 Summary

As the conversation goes around the dinner table, one of the uncles asks everyone to describe what the "utmost of happiness" is. When they get to Valancy, she says, "to sneeze when you want to." When Uncle Benjamin tells one of his riddles making fun of Valancy not being married, Valancy tells him that he should get some new riddles. Valancy proceeds to answer questions and make comments as she wishes, so her relatives think she has gone crazy. When the conversation turns to attacking Barney Snaith, Valancy sticks up for him and challenges each of her relatives that make a negative statement about him. An attack starts to creep up on Valancy and so she dismisses herself from the table and heads home. After she leaves, the relatives try to come up with a reason for her behavior and conclude that she...