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lashes； and he harboured no respect whatever for any individual or
institution； sacred or profane； he possessed； however； a shrewd sense of
his own value； as many innocent and unsuspecting souls discovered as
early as our freshman year； and his method of putting down the
presumptuous was both effective and unique。 If he liked you； there could
be no mistake about it。
One evening when I was engaged in composing a theme for Mr。 Cheyne on no
less a subject than the interpretation of the work of William Wordsworth；
I found myself unexpectedly sprawling on the floor； in my descent kicking
the table so vigorously as to send the ink…well a foot or two toward the
ceiling。 This； be it known； was a typical proof of Jerry's esteem。 For
he had entered noiselessly； jerking the back of my chair； which chanced
to be tilted； and stood with his hands in his pockets； surveying the ruin
he had wrought； watching the ink as it trickled on the carpet。 Then he
picked up the book。
〃Poetry； you darned old grind！〃 he exclaimed disgustedly。 〃Say； Parry； I
don't know what's got into you； but I want you to come home with me for
the Easter holidays。 It'll do you good。 We'll be on the Hudson； you
know； and we'll manage to make life bearable somehow。〃
I forgot my irritation； in sheer surprise。
〃Why； that's mighty good of you； Jerry〃 I began； struggling to my feet。
〃Oh； rot！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I shouldn't ask you if I didn't want you。〃
There was no denying the truth of this； and after he had gone I sat for a
long time with my pen in my mouth； reflecting as to whether or not I
should go。 For I had the instinct that here was another cross…roads；
that more depended on my decision than I cared to admit。 But even then I
knew what I should do。 Ridiculous not toI told myself。 How could a
week or ten days with Jerry possibly affect my newborn； resolve？
Yet the prospect； now； of a visit to the Kymes' was by no means so
glowing as it once would have been。 For I had seen visions； I had
dreamed dreams； beheld a delectable country of my very own。 A year ago
nay； even a month agohow such an invitation would have glittered！。。。 I
returned at length to my theme； over which； before Jerry's arrival； I had
been working feverishly。 But now the glamour had gone from it。
Presently Tom came in。
〃Anyone been here？〃 he demanded。
〃Jerry；〃 I told him。
〃What did he want？〃
〃He wanted me to go home with him at Easter。〃
〃You're going； of course。〃
〃I don't know。 I haven't decided。〃
〃You'd be a fool not to；〃 was Tom's comment。 It voiced； succinctly； a
prevailing opinion。
It was the conclusion I arrived at in my own mind。 But just why I had
been chosen for the honour； especially at such a time； was a riddle。
Jerry's invitations were charily given； and valued accordingly； and more
than once； at our table； I had felt a twinge of envy when Conybear or
someone else had remarked； with the proper nonchalance； in answer to a
question； that they were going to Weathersfield。 Such was the name of
the Kyme place。。。。
I shall never forget the impression made on me by the decorous luxury of
that big house； standing amidst its old trees； halfway up the gentle
slope that rose steadily from the historic highway where poor Andre was
captured。 I can see now the heavy stone pillars of its portico vignetted
in a flush of tenderest green； the tulips just beginning to flame forth
their Easter colours in the well…kept beds； the stately； well…groomed
evergreens； the vivid lawns； the clipped hedges。 And like an
overwhelming wave of emotion that swept all before it； the impressiveness
of wealth took possession of me。 For here was a kind of wealth I had
never known； that did not exist in the West； nor even in the still
Puritan environs of Boston where I had visited。 It took itself for
granted； proclaimed itself complacently to have solved all problems。 By
ignoring them； perhaps。 But I was too young to guess this。 It was order
personified； gaining effect at every turn by a multitude of details too
trivial to mention were it not for the fact that they entered deeply into
my consciousness； until they came to represent； collectively； the very
flower of achievement。 It was a wealth that accepted tribute calmly； as
of inherent right。 Law and tradition defended its sanctity more
effectively than troops。 Literature descended from her high altar to
lend it dignity； and the long； silent library displayed row upon row of
the masters； appropriately clad in morocco or calf；Smollett； Macaulay；
Gibbon； Richardson； Fielding； Scott； Dickens； Irving and Thackeray； as
though each had striven for a tablet here。 Art had denied herself that
her canvases might be hung on these walls； and even the Church； on that
first Sunday of my visit； forgot the blood of her martyrs that she might
adorn an appropriate niche in the setting。 The clergyman； at one of the
dinner parties； gravely asked a blessing as upon an Institution that
included and absorbed all other institutions in its being。。。。
The note of that house was a tempered gaiety。 Guests arrived from New
York； spent the night and departed again without disturbing the even
tenor of its ways。 Unobtrusive servants ministered to their wants；and
to mine。。。。
Conybear was there； and two classmates from Boston； and we were treated
with the amiable tolerance accorded to college youths and intimates of
the son of the house。 One night there was a dance in our honour。 Nor
have I forgotten Jerry's sister； Nathalie； whom I had met at Class Days；
a slim and willowy； exotic young lady of the Botticelli type； with a
crown of burnished hair； yet more suggestive of a hothouse than of
spring。 She spoke English with a French accent。 Capricious； impulsive；
she captured my interest because she put a high value on her favour； she
drove me over the hills； informing me at length that I was sympathique
different from the rest； in short； she emphasized and intensified what I
may call the Weathersfield environment； stirred up in me new and vague
aspirations that troubled yet excited me。
Then there was Mrs。 Kyme； a pretty； light…hearted lady； still young； who
seemed to have no intention of growing older； who romped and played songs
for us on the piano。 The daughter of an old but now impecunious
Westchester family； she had been born to adorn the position she held； she
was adapted by nature to wring from it the utmost of the joys it offered。
From her； rather than from her husband； both of the children seemed to
have inherited。 I used to watch Mr。 Grosvenor Kyme as he sat at the end
of the dinner…table； dark； preoccupied； taciturn； symbolical of a wealth
new to my experience； and which had about it a certain fabulous quality。
It toiled not； neither did it spin； but grew as if by magic； day and
night； until the very conception of it was overpowering。 What must it be
to have had ancestors who had been clever enough to sit still until a
congested and discontented Europe had begun to pour its thousands and
hundreds of thousands into the gateway of the western world； until that
gateway had become a metropolis？ ancestors； of course； possessing what
now sud