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into the hands of Mrs。 Westgate。 It isn't perhaps for me to say it；
but you couldn't be in better hands。 Also in those of her sister；
who is staying with her。 She is very fond of Englishmen。
She thinks there is nothing like them。〃
〃Mrs。 Westgate ora her sister？〃 asked Percy Beaumont modestly；
yet in the tone of an inquiring traveler。
〃Oh； I mean my wife；〃 said Mr。 Westgate。 〃I don't suppose
my sister…in…law knows much about them。 She has always led
a very quiet life； she has lived in Boston。〃
Percy Beaumont listened with interest。 〃That； I believe；〃
he said； 〃is the mosta intellectual town？〃
〃I believe it is very intellectual。 I don't go there much；〃
responded his host。
〃I say； we ought to go there；〃 said Lord Lambeth to his companion。
〃Oh； Lord Lambeth； wait till the great heat is over；〃
Mr。 Westgate interposed。 〃Boston in this weather would be very trying；
it's not the temperature for intellectual exertion。 At Boston；
you know； you have to pass an examination at the city limits；
and when you come away they give you a kind of degree。〃
Lord Lambeth stared； blushing a little； and Percy Beaumont
stared a little alsobut only with his fine natural complexion
glancing aside after a moment to see that his companion was not looking
too credulous； for he had heard a great deal of American humor。
〃I daresay it is very jolly；〃 said the younger gentleman。
〃I daresay it is；〃 said Mr。 Westgate。 〃Only I must impress
upon you that at presenttomorrow morning； at an early hour
you will be expected at Newport。 We have a house there；
half the people in New York go there for the summer。
I am not sure that at this very moment my wife can take
you in； she has got a lot of people staying with her；
I don't know who they all are； only she may have no room。
But you can begin with the hotel； and meanwhile you can live
at my house。 In that waysimply sleeping at the hotel
you will find it tolerable。 For the rest； you must make
yourself at home at my place。 You mustn't be shy； you know；
if you are only here for a month that will be a great waste
of time。 Mrs。 Westgate won't neglect you； and you had better
not try to resist her。 I know something about that。
I expect you'll find some pretty girls on the premises。
I shall write to my wife by this afternoon's mail；
and tomorrow morning she and Miss Alden will look out for you。
Just walk right in and make yourself comfortable。
Your steamer leaves from this part of the city； and I will
immediately send out and get you a cabin。 Then； at half past
four o'clock； just call for me here； and I will go with you
and put you on board。 It's a big boat； you might get lost。
A few days hence； at the end of the week； I will come down
to Newport and see how you are getting on。〃
The two young Englishmen inaugurated the policy of not resisting Mrs。 Westgate
by submitting； with great docility and thankfulness； to her husband。
He was evidently a very good fellow； and he made an impression upon
his visitors； his hospitality seemed to recommend itself consciously
with a friendly wink； as it wereas if it hinted； judicially； that you
could not possibly make a better bargain。 Lord Lambeth and his cousin
left their entertainer to his labors and returned to their hotel；
where they spent three or four hours in their respective shower baths。
Percy Beaumont had suggested that they ought to see something of
the town； but 〃Oh； damn the town！〃 his noble kinsman had rejoined。
They returned to Mr。 Westgate's office in a carriage； with their luggage；
very punctually； but it must be reluctantly recorded that； this time；
he kept them waiting so long that they felt themselves missing
the steamer； and were deterred only by an amiable modesty from dispensing
with his attendance and starting on a hasty scramble to the wharf。
But when at last he appeared； and the carriage plunged into the
purlieus of Broadway； they jolted and jostled to such good purpose
that they reached the huge white vessel while the bell for departure
was still ringing and the absorption of passengers still active。
It was indeed； as Mr。 Westgate had said； a big boat； and his leadership
in the innumerable and interminable corridors and cabins； with which
he seemed perfectly acquainted； and of which anyone and everyone appeared
to have the entree； was very grateful to the slightly bewildered voyagers。
He showed them their staterooma spacious apartment； embellished with
gas lamps； mirrors en pied； and sculptured furnitureand then；
long after they had been intimately convinced that the steamer was in motion
and launched upon the unknown stream that they were about to navigate；
he bade them a sociable farewell。
〃Well； goodbye； Lord Lambeth；〃 he said； 〃goodbye； Mr。 Percy Beaumont。
I hope you'll have a good time。 Just let them do what they want with you。
I'll come down by…and…by and look after you。〃
The young Englishmen emerged from their cabin and amused
themselves with wandering about the immense labyrinthine steamer；
which struck them as an extraordinary mixture of a ship and a hotel。
It was densely crowded with passengers； the larger number
of whom appeared to be ladies and very young children；
and in the big saloons； ornamented in white and gold；
which followed each other in surprising succession；
beneath the swinging gaslight； and among the small side
passages where the Negro domestics of both sexes assembled
with an air of philosophic leisure； everyone was moving
to and fro and exchanging loud and familiar observations。
Eventually； at the instance of a discriminating black；
our young men went and had some 〃supper〃 in a wonderful
place arranged like a theater； where； in a gilded gallery；
upon which little boxes appeared to open； a large orchestra
was playing operatic selections； and； below； people were
handing about bills of fare； as if they had been programs。
All this was sufficiently curious； but the agreeable thing； later；
was to sit out on one of the great white decks of the steamer；
in the warm breezy darkness； and； in the vague starlight；
to make out the line of low； mysterious coast。 The young
Englishmen tried American cigarsthose of Mr。 Westgate
and talked together as they usually talked； with many
odd silences； lapses of logic； and incongruities of transition；
like people who have grown old together and learned to
supply each other's missing phrases； or； more especially；
like people thoroughly conscious of a common point of view；
so that a style of conversation superficially lacking in finish
might suffice for reference to a fund of associations in the light
of which everything was all right。
〃We really seem to be going out to sea；〃 Percy Beaumont observed。
〃Upon my word； we are going back to England。 He has shipped us off again。
I call that 'real mean。'〃
〃I suppose it's all right；〃 said Lord Lambeth。 〃I want to see those
pretty girls at Newport。 You know； he told us th