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its attractions； for Beaumont was constantly at his hostess's side。
He detached himself one day to the extent of going to New
York to talk over the Tennessee Central with Mr。 Westgate；
but he was absent only forty…eight hours； during which；
with Mr。 Westgate's assistance； he completely settled this piece
of business。 〃They certainly do things quickly in New York；〃
he observed to his cousin； and he added that Mr。 Westgate
had seemed very uneasy lest his wife should miss her visitor
he had been in such an awful hurry to send him back to her。
〃I'm afraid you'll never come up to an American husband；
if that's what the wives expect；〃 he said to Lord Lambeth。
Mrs。 Westgate； however； was not to enjoy much longer the entertainment
with which an indulgent husband had desired to keep her provided。
On the 21st of August Lord Lambeth received a telegram from his mother；
requesting him to return immediately to England； his father had been
taken ill； and it was his filial duty to come to him。
The young Englishman was visibly annoyed。 〃What the deuce does it mean？〃
he asked of his kinsman。 〃What am I to do？〃
Percy Beaumont was annoyed as well； he had deemed it his duty；
as I have narrated； to write to the duchess； but he had not expected
that this distinguished woman would act so promptly upon his hint。
〃It means；〃 he said； 〃that your father is laid up。
I don't suppose it's anything serious； but you have no option。
Take the first steamer； but don't be alarmed。
Lord Lambeth made his farewells； but the few last words that he exchanged
with Bessie Alden are the only ones that have a place in our record。
〃Of course I needn't assure you；〃 he said； 〃that if you should come to England
next year； I expect to be the first person that you inform of it。〃
Bessie Alden looked at him a little； and she smiled。
〃Oh； if we come to London；〃 she answered； 〃I should think you
would hear of it。〃
Percy Beaumont returned with his cousin； and his sense of duty
compelled him； one windless afternoon； in mid…Atlantic； to say
to Lord Lambeth that he suspected that the duchess's telegram was
in part the result of something he himself had written to her。
〃I wrote to heras I explicitly notified you I had promised to do
that you were extremely interested in a little American girl。〃
Lord Lambeth was extremely angry； and he indulged for some
moments in the simple language of indignation。 But I have said
that he was a reasonable young man； and I can give no better
proof of it than the fact that he remarked to his companion
at the end of half an hour； 〃You were quite right； after all。
I am very much interested in her。 Only； to be fair；〃
he added； 〃you should have told my mother also that she
is notseriouslyinterested in me。〃
Percy Beaumont gave a little laugh。 〃There is nothing
so charming as modesty in a young man in your position。
That speech is a capital proof that you are sweet on her。〃
〃She is not interestedshe is not！〃 Lord Lambeth repeated。
〃My dear fellow；〃 said his companion； 〃you are very far gone。〃
PART II
In point of fact； as Percy Beaumont would have said；
Mrs。 Westgate disembarked on the 18th of May on
the British coast。 She was accompanied by her sister；
but she was not attended by any other member of her family。
To the deprivation of her husband's society Mrs。 Westgate was；
however； habituated； she had made half a dozen journeys
to Europe without him； and she now accounted for his absence；
to interrogative friends on this side of the Atlantic；
by allusion to the regrettable but conspicuous fact that in
America there was no leisure class。 The two ladies came up
to London and alighted at Jones's Hotel； where Mrs。 Westgate；
who had made on former occasions the most agreeable impression
at this establishment； received an obsequious greeting。
Bessie Alden had felt much excited about coming to England；
she had expected the 〃associations〃 would be very charming；
that it would be an infinite pleasure to rest her eyes upon
the things she had read about in the poets and historians。
She was very fond of the poets and historians； of the picturesque；
of the past； of retrospect； of mementos and reverberations
of greatness； so that on coming into the English world；
where strangeness and familiarity would go hand in hand；
she was prepared for a multitude of fresh emotions。
They began very promptlythese tender； fluttering sensations；
they began with the sight of the beautiful English landscape；
whose dark richness was quickened and brightened by the season；
with the carpeted fields and flowering hedgerows； as she
looked at them from the window of the train； with the spires
of the rural churches peeping above the rook…haunted treetops；
with the oak…studded parks； the ancient homes； the cloudy light；
the speech； the manners； the thousand differences。
Mrs。 Westgate's impressions had； of course； much less novelty
and keenness； and she gave but a wandering attention to her
sister's ejaculations and rhapsodies。
〃You know my enjoyment of England is not so intellectual as Bessie's；〃 she
said to several of her friends in the course of her visit to this country。
〃And yet if it is not intellectual； I can't say it is physical。
I don't think I can quite say what it is； my enjoyment of England。〃
When once it was settled that the two ladies should come abroad and should
spend a few weeks in England on their way to the Continent； they of course
exchanged a good many allusions to their London acquaintance。
〃It will certainly be much nicer having friends there；〃
Bessie Alden had said one day as she sat on the sunny deck
of the steamer at her sister's feet on a large blue rug。
〃Whom do you mean by friends？〃 Mrs。 Westgate asked。
〃All those English gentlemen whom you have known and entertained。
Captain Littledale； for instance。 And Lord Lambeth and Mr。 Beaumont；〃
added Bessie Alden。
〃Do you expect them to give us a very grand reception？〃
Bessie reflected a moment； she was addicted； as we know；
to reflection。 〃Well； yes。〃
〃My poor； sweet child；〃 murmured her sister。
〃What have I said that is so silly？〃 asked Bessie。
〃You are a little too simple； just a little。 It is very becoming；
but it pleases people at your expense。〃
〃I am certainly too simple to understand you；〃 said Bessie。
〃Shall I tell you a story？〃 asked her sister。
〃If you would be so good。 That is what they do to amuse simple people。〃
Mrs。 Westgate consulted her memory； while her companion sat gazing
at the shining sea。 〃Did you ever hear of the Duke of Green…Erin？〃
〃I think not；〃 said Bessie。
〃Well； it's no matter；〃 her sister went on。
〃It's a proof of my simplicity。〃
〃My story is meant to illustrate that of some other people；〃
said Mrs。 Westgate。 〃The Duke of Green…Erin is what they call in
England a great swell； and some five years ago he came to America。