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house in Paris； and Jessie was； of course； to accompany herto
accompany her into that very circle of the best English and the
best French society which contained in it the elements most
adverse to George's hopes。 Between this time and that she had no
special engagement； and she had only settled to write and warn
her aunt of her return to London a day or two before she left The
Glen Tower。
Under these circumstances； the first； the all…important necessity
was to prevail on her to prolong her stay beyond the allotted six
weeks by ten days。 After the caution to be silent impressed on me
（and most naturally； poor boy） in George's letter； I felt that I
could only appeal to her on the ordinary ground of hospitality。
Would this be sufficient to effect the object？
I was sure that the hours of the morning and the afternoon had；
thus far； been fully and happily occupied by her various
amusements indoors and out。 She was no more weary of her days now
than she had been when she first came among us。 But I was by no
means so certain that she was not tired of her evenings。 I had
latterly noticed symptoms of weariness after the lamps were lit；
and a suspicious regularity in retiring to bed the moment the
clock struck ten。 If I could provide her with a new amusement for
the long evenings； I might leave the days to take care of
themselves； and might then make sure （seeing that she had no
special engagement in London until the middle of November） of her
being sincerely thankful and ready to prolong her stay。
How was this to be done？ The piano and the novels had both failed
to attract her。 What other amusement was there to offer？
It was useless； at present； to ask myself such questions as
these。 I was too much agitated to think collectedly on the most
trifling subjects。 I was even too restless to stay in my own
room。 My son's letter had given me so fresh an interest in Jessie
that I was now as impatient to see her as if we were about to
meet for the first time。 I wanted to look at her with my new
eyes； to listen to her with my new ears； to study her secretly
with my new purposes； and my new hopes and fears。 To my dismay
（for I wanted the very weather itself to favor George's
interests）； it was raining heavily that morning。 I knew；
therefore； that I should probably find her in her own
sitting…room。 When I knocked at her door； with George's letter
crumpled up in my hand； with George's hopes in full possession of
my heart； it is no exaggeration to say that my nerves were almost
as much fluttered； and my ideas almost as much confused； as they
were on a certain memorable day in the far past； when I rose； in
brand…new wig and gown； to set my future prospects at the bar on
the hazard of my first speech。
When I entered the room I found Jessie leaning back languidly in
her largest arm…chair； watching the raindrops dripping down the
window…pane。 The unfortunate box of novels was open by her side；
and the books were lying； for the most part； strewed about on the
ground at her feet。 One volume lay open； back upward； on her lap；
and her hands were crossed over it listlessly。 To my great
dismay； she was yawningpalpably and widely yawningwhen I came
in。
No sooner did I find myself in her presence than an irresistible
anxiety to make some secret discovery of the real state of her
feelings toward George took possession of me。 After the customary
condolences on the imprisonment to which she was subjected by the
weather； I said； in as careless a manner as it was possible to
assume：
〃I have heard from my son this morning。 He talks of being ordered
home； and tells me I may expect to see him before the end of the
year。〃
I was too cautious to mention the exact date of his return； for
in that case she might have detected my motive for asking her to
prolong her visit。
〃Oh； indeed？〃 she said。 〃How very nice。 How glad you must be。〃
I watched her narrowly。 The clear； dark blue eyes met mine as
openly as ever。 The smooth； round cheeks kept their fresh color
quite unchanged。 The full； good…humored； smiling lips never
trembled or altered their expression in the slightest degree。 Her
light checked silk dress； with its pretty trimming of
cherry…colored ribbon； lay quite still over the bosom beneath it。
For all the information I could get from her look and manner； we
might as well have been a hundred miles apart from each other。 Is
the best woman in the world little better than a fathomless abyss
of duplicity on certain occasions； and where certain feelings of
her own are concerned？ I would rather not think that； and yet I
don't know how to account otherwise for the masterly manner in
which Miss Jessie contrived to baffle me。
I was afraidliterally afraidto broach the subject of
prolonging her sojourn with us on a rainy day； so I changed the
topic； in despair； to the novels that were scattered about her。
〃Can you find nothing there；〃 I asked； 〃to amuse you this wet
morning？〃
〃There are two or three good novels；〃 she said； carelessly； 〃but
I read them before I left London。〃
〃And the others won't even do for a dull day in the country？〃 I
went on。
〃They might do for some people；〃 she answered； 〃but not for me。
I'm rather peculiar； perhaps； in my tastes。 I'm sick to death of
novels with an earnest purpose。 I'm sick to death of outbursts of
eloquence； and large…minded philanthropy； and graphic
descriptions； and unsparing anatomy of the human heart； and all
that sort of thing。 Good gracious me！ isn't it the original
intention or purpose； or whatever you call it； of a work of
fiction； to set out distinctly by telling a story？ And how many
of these books； I should like to know； do that？ Why； so far as
telling a story is concerned； the greater part of them might as
well be sermons as novels。 Oh； dear me！ what I want is something
that seizes hold of my interest； and makes me forget when it is
time to dress for dinnersomething that keeps me reading；
reading； reading； in a breathless state to find out the end。 You
know what I meanat least you ought。 Why； there was that little
chance story you told me yesterday in the gardendon't you
remember？about your strange client； whom you never saw again： I
declare it was much more interesting than half these novels；
_because_ it was a story。 Tell me another about your young days；
when you were seeing the world； and meeting with all sorts of
remarkable people。 Or； nodon't tell it nowkeep it till the
evening； when we all want something to stir us up。 You old people
might amuse us young ones out of your own resources oftener than
you do。 It was very kind of you to get me these books； but； with
all respect to them； I would rather have the rummaging of your
memory than the rummaging of this box。 What's the matter？ Are you
afraid I have found out the window in your bosom already？〃
I had half risen from my chair at her last words； and I felt that
my face must have flushed at the same moment。 She had started an
idea in my mindthe very idea of which I had been in search when
I was pondering over the best means of amusing her in the long
autumn evenings。
I parried her questions by the best excuses I could offer；
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