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came out again as I found myself walking toward the Durrett house
reflecting that numbers of married men called on Nancy； and that what I
had in mind in regard to her was nothing that the court would have
pronounced an infringement upon the Institution。。。。 I reached her steps；
the long steps still guarded by the curved wrought…iron railings
reminiscent of Nathaniel's day； though the 〃portals〃 were gone； a modern
vestibule having replaced them； I rang the bell； the butler； flung open
the doors。 He； at any rate； did not seem surprised to see me here； he
greeted me with respectful cordiality and led me； as a favoured guest；
through the big drawing…room into the salon。
〃Mr。 Paret； Madam！〃
Nancy； rose quickly from the low chair where she sat cutting the pages of
a French novel。
〃Hugh！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I'm out if anyone calls。 Bring tea；〃 she added
to the man； who retired。 For a moment we stood gazing at each other；
questioningly。 〃Well； won't you sit down and stay awhile？〃 she asked。
I took a chair on the opposite side of the fire。
〃I just thought I'd drop in；〃 I said。
〃I am flattered；〃 said Nancy； 〃that a person so affaire should find time
to call on an old friend。 Why； I thought you never left your office
until seven o'clock。〃
〃I don't； as a rule； but to…day I wasn't particularly busy； and I thought
I'd go round to the Art Museum and look at your portrait。〃
〃More flattery！ Hugh； you're getting quite human。 What do you think of
it？〃
〃I like it。 I think it quite remarkable。〃
〃Have a cigarette！〃
I took one。
〃So you really like it；〃 she said。
〃Don't you？〃
〃Oh； I think it's a trifleromantic；〃 she replied 〃But that's Czesky。
He made me quite cross；the feminine presentation of America； the
spoiled woman who has shed responsibilities and is beginning to have a
glimpsejust a little oneof the emptiness of it all。〃
I was stirred。
〃Then why do you accept it； if it isn't you？〃 I demanded。 〃One doesn't
refuse Czesky's canvases；〃 she replied。 〃And what difference does it
make？ It amused him； and he was fairly subtle about it。 Only those who
are looking for romance； like you； are able to guess what he meant； and
they would think they saw it anyway； even if he had painted meextinct。〃
〃Extinct！〃 I repeated。
She laughed。
〃Hugh； you're a silly old goose！〃
〃That's why I came here； I think； to be told so；〃 I said。
Tea was brought in。 A sense of at…homeness stole over me；I was more at
home here in this room with Nancy； than in any other place in the world；
here； where everything was at once soothing yet stimulating； expressive
of her； even the smaller objects that caught my eye；the crystal
inkstand tipped with gold； the racks for the table books； her paper…
cutter。 Nancy's was a discriminating luxury。 And her talk！ The
lightness with which she touched life； the unexplored depths of her；
guessed at but never fathomed！ Did she feel a little the need of me as I
felt the need of her？
〃Why； I believe you're incurably romantic； Hugh；〃 she said laughingly；
when the men had left the room。 〃Here you are； what they call a paragon
of success； a future senator； Ambassador to England。 I hear of those
remarkable things you have doneeven in New York the other day a man was
asking me if I knew Mr。 Paret； and spoke of you as one of the coming men。
I suppose you will be moving there； soon。 A practical success！ It
always surprises me when I think of it； I find it difficult to remember
what a dreamer you were and here you turn out to be still a dreamer！
Have you discovered； too； the emptiness of it all？〃 she inquired
provokingly。 〃I must say you don't look it〃she gave me a critical；
quizzical glance〃you look quite prosperous and contented； as though you
enjoyed your power。〃
I laughed uneasily。
〃And then；〃 she continued； 〃and then one day when your luncheon has
disagreed with youyou walk into a gallery and see a portrait ofof an
old friend for whom in youth； when you were a dreamer； you professed a
sentimental attachment； and you exclaim that the artist is a discerning
man who has discovered the secret that she has guarded so closely。 She's
sorry that she ever tried to console herself with baubles it's what
you've suspected all along。 But you'll just run around to see for
yourselfto be sure of it。〃 And she handed me my tea。 〃Come now；
confess。 Where are your witsI hear you don't lack them in court。〃
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃if that amuses you〃
〃It does amuse me；〃 said Nancy； twining her fingers across her knee and
regarding me smilingly； with parted lips； 〃it amuses me a lotit's so
characteristic。〃
〃But it's not true； it's unjust；〃 I protested vigorously； smiling； too；
because the attack was so characteristic of her。
〃What then？〃 she demanded。
〃Well； in the first place； my luncheon didn't disagree with me。 It never
does。〃
She laughed。 〃But the sentimentcome nowthe sentiment？ Do you
perceive any hint of emptinessdespair？〃
Our chairs were very close； and she leaned forward a little。
〃Emptiness or no emptiness；〃 I said a little tremulously； 〃I know that I
haven't been so contented； so happy for a long time。〃
She sat very still； but turned her gaze on the fire。
〃You really wouldn't want to find that； Hugh；〃 she said in another voice；
at which I exclaimed。 〃No； I'm not being sentimental。 But； to be
serious； I really shouldn't care to think that of you。 I'd like to think
of you as a frienda good friendalthough we don't see very much of one
another。〃
〃But that's why I came； Nancy；〃 I explained。 〃It wasn't just an impulse…
…that is； I've been thinking of you a great deal； all along。 I miss you；
I miss the way you look at thingsyour point of view。 I can't see any
reason why we shouldn't see something of each othernow〃
She continued to stare into the fire。
〃No；〃 she said at length； 〃I suppose there isn't any reason。〃 Her mood
seemed suddenly to change as she bent over and extinguished the flame
under the kettle。 〃After all；〃 she added gaily； 〃we live in a tolerant
age； we've reached the years of discretion； and we're both too
conventional to do anything sillyeven if we wanted towhich we don't。
We're neither of us likely to quarrel with the world as it is； I think；
and we might as well make fun of it together。 We'll begin with our
friends。 What do you think of Mr。 Scherer's palace？〃
〃I hear you're building it for him。〃
〃I told him to get Eyre；〃 said Nancy； laughingly； 〃I was afraid he'd
repeat the Gallatin Park monstrosity on a larger scale； and Eyre's the
only man in this country who understands the French。 It's been rather
amusing；〃 she went on； 〃I've had to fight Hilda； and she's no mean
antagonist。 How she hates me！ She wanted a monstrosity； of course； a
modernized German rock…grotto sort of an affair； I can imagine。 She's
been so funny when I've met her at dinner。 'I understand you take a
great interest in the house； Mrs。 Durrett。' Can't you hear her？〃
〃Well； you did get ahead of her；〃 I said。
〃I had to。 I couldn't let our first citizen build a modern Rhine castle；
could I？ I have some public spirit left。 And besides； I expect to build
on Gran