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St。 Augustine。 They passed the summer months in the mountains； and early
in the autumn they went back to the hotel in the Boston suburbs； where
Mrs。 Lander considered it essential to make some sojourn before going to
a Boston hotel for November and December； and getting ready to go down to
Florida in January。 She would not on any account have gone directly to
the city from the mountains； for people who did that were sure to lose
the good of their summer； and to feel the loss all the winter； if they
did not actually come down with a fever。
She was by no means aware that she was a selfish or foolish person。 She
made Mr。 Lander subscribe statedly to worthy objects in Boston； which she
still regarded as home； because they had not dwelt any where else since
they ceased to live there； and she took lavishly of tickets for all the
charitable entertainments in the hotels where they stayed。 Few if any
guests at hotels enjoyed so much honor from porters； bell…boys； waiters；
chambermaids and bootblacks as the Landers； for they gave richly in fees
for every conceivable service which could be rendered them； they went out
of their way to invent debts of gratitude to menials who had done nothing
for them。 He would make the boy who sold papers at the dining…room door
keep the change； when he had been charged a profit of a hundred per cent。
already； and she would let no driver who had plundered them according to
the carriage tariff escape without something for himself。
A sense of their munificence penetrated the clerks and proprietors with a
just esteem for guests who always wanted the best of everything； and
questioned no bill for extras。 Mrs。 Lander； in fact； who ruled these
expenditures； had no knowledge of the value of things； and made her
husband pay whatever was asked。 Yet when they lived under their own roof
they had lived simply； and Lander had got his money in an old…fashioned
business way； and not in some delirious speculation such as leaves a man
reckless of money afterwards。 He had been first of all a tailor； and
then he had gone into boys' and youths' clothing in a small way； and
finally he had mastered this business and come out at the top； with his
hands full。 He invested his money so prosperously that the income for
two elderly people； who had no children； and only a few outlying
relations on his side； was far beyond their wants； or even their whims。
She as a woman； who in spite of her bulk and the jellylike majesty with
which she shook in her smoothly casing brown silks； as she entered hotel
dining…rooms； and the severity with which she frowned over her fan down
the length of the hotel drawing…rooms； betrayed more than her husband the
commonness of their origin。 She could not help talking； and her accent
and her diction gave her away for a middle…class New England person of
village birth and unfashionable sojourn in Boston。 He； on the contrary；
lurked about the hotels where they passed their days in a silence so
dignified that when his verbs and nominatives seemed not to agree； you
accused your own hearing。 He was correctly dressed； as an elderly man
should be； in the yesterday of the fashions； and he wore with
impressiveness a silk hat whenever such a hat could be worn。 A pair of
drab cloth gaiters did much to identify him with an old school of
gentlemen； not very definite in time or place。 He had a full gray beard
cut close； and he was in the habit of pursing his mouth a great deal。
But he meant nothing by it； and his wife meant nothing by her frowning。
They had no wish to subdue or overawe any one； or to pass for persons of
social distinction。 They really did not know what society was； and they
were rather afraid of it than otherwise as they caught sight of it in
their journeys and sojourns。 They led a life of public seclusion； and
dwelling forever amidst crowds； they were all in all to each other； and
nothing to the rest of the world； just as they had been when they resided
（as they would have said） on Pinckney street。 In their own house they
had never entertained； though they sometimes had company； in the style of
the country town where Mrs。 Lander grew up。 As soon as she was released
to the grandeur of hotel life； she expanded to the full measure of its
responsibilities and privileges； but still without seeking to make it the
basis of approach to society。 Among the people who surrounded her； she
had not so much acquaintance as her husband even； who talked so little
that he needed none。 She sometimes envied his ease in getting on with
people when he chose； and his boldness in speaking to fellow guests and
fellow travellers； if he really wanted anything。 She wanted something of
them all the time； she wanted their conversation and their companionship；
but in her ignorance of the social arts she was thrown mainly upon the
compassion of the chambermaids。 She kept these talking as long as she
could detain them in her rooms； and often fed them candy （which she ate
herself with childish greed） to bribe them to further delays。 If she was
staying some days in a hotel； she sent for the house…keeper； and made all
she could of her as a listener； and as soon as she settled herself for a
week； she asked who was the best doctor in the place。 With doctors she
had no reserves； and she poured out upon them the history of her diseases
and symptoms in an inexhaustible flow of statement； conjecture and
misgiving； which was by no means affected by her profound and
inexpugnable ignorance of the principles of health。 From time to time
she forgot which side her liver was on； but she had been doctored （as she
called it） for all her organs； and she was willing to be doctored for any
one of them that happened to be in the place where she fancied a present
discomfort。 She was not insensible to the claims which her husband's
disorders had upon science； and she liked to end the tale of her own
sufferings with some such appeal as： 〃I wish you could do something for
Mr。 Landa； too； docta。〃 She made him take a little of each medicine that
was left for her； but in her presence he always denied that there was
anything the matter with him； though he was apt to follow the doctor out
of the room； and get a prescription from him for some ailment which he
professed not to believe in himself； but wanted to quiet Mrs。 Lander's
mind about。
He rose early； both from long habit； and from the scant sleep of an
elderly man； he could not lie in bed； but his wife always had her
breakfast there and remained so long that the chambermaid had done up
most of the other rooms and had leisure for talk with her。 As soon as he
was awake； he stole softly out and was the first in the dining…room for
breakfast。 He owned to casual acquaintance in moments of expansion that
breakfast was his best meal； but he did what he could to make it his
worst by beginning with oranges and oatmeal； going forward to beefsteak
and fried potatoes； and closing with griddle cakes and syrup； washed down
with a cup of cocoa； which his wife decided to be wholesomer than coffee。
By the time he had finished such a repast； he crept out of the dining…
room in a state of tension li