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〃Not at all；〃 said Harry； crossing the room to Jane。 〃I think myself a very lucky fellow； at finding them all collected here together； for my especial benefit。 I met Mr。 Taylor for a moment in New York；〃 he continued； addressing Jane。
〃Did he say when he was coming for me？〃 replied Mrs。 Taylor； offering her hand to her kinsman。
〃He told me that he should be at Saratoga very shortly。〃
〃I have a letter for you in my trunk； Jane；〃 said Mrs。 Robert Hazlehurst。
〃Don't you think our invalid much better； already； Louisa？〃 asked Elinor。
〃Yes； she does credit to your nursing。〃
〃No wonder；〃 said Jane； 〃for during the last month I have been petted all the timefirst by Mrs。 Taylor； then by Aunt Agnes and Elinor。〃
〃It's very pleasant to be petted；〃 said Harry； 〃that's precisely what I came home for。 I give you my notice； Louisa； I expect a great deal from you in the next three months。〃
〃Is that the length of your holiday？〃 inquired Miss Agnes。
〃So says my master； Mr。 Henley。 I understand；〃 he added； turning to Elinor； 〃that you have all the agreeable people in the country collected here。〃
〃There are some thousands of us； agreeable and disagreeable； altogether。 They say the place has never been more crowded so early in the season。〃
〃So I'm told。 I was warned that if I came； I should have to make my bed in the cellar； or on the roof。 Are Ellsworth and Mrs。 Creighton at this house； or at the other？〃
〃They are staying at the United States。 They are here this evening； however； at the dance。〃
｛〃United States〃 = the other major hotel in Saratoga Springs； less fashionable at this time than Congress Hall｝
〃Indeed！I have half a mind to take Ellsworth by surprise。 Will they admit a gentleman in travelling costume； do you think？〃
〃I dare say they will； but here are your friends； coming to look for you。〃
At the same moment； Mr。 Ellsworth and Mrs。 Creighton joined the party。
〃How d'ye do； Ellsworth？Glad to see you； my dear fellow！〃 cried the young men； shaking each other violently by the hand。
〃How do you do； Mr。 Hazlehurst？〃 added the lady； 〃Welcome back again。 But what have you done with your sister…in…law？for I did not come to call upon you alone。 Ah； here you are； Mrs。 Hazlehurst。 My brother observed you passing through the hall； as you arrived； and we determined that it would be much pleasanter to pass half an hour with you； than to finish the dance。 We have been wishing for you every day。〃
〃Thank you。 We should have set out before； if we had not waited for Harry。 Elinor tells me half Philadelphia is here； already。〃
〃Yes； the houses have filled up very much since I first came； for I am ashamed to say how long I have been here。〃
〃Why； yes： I understood you were going to Nahant。〃
〃We ought to have been there long ago； but I could not move this obstinate brother of mine。 He has never found Saratoga so delightful； Mrs。 Hazlehurst；〃 added the lady； with an expressive smile； and a look towards Elinor。 〃I can't say； however； that I at all regret being forced to stay； for many of our friends are here； now。 Mr。 Hazlehurst； I hope you have come home more agreeable than ever。〃
〃I hope so too； Mrs。 Creighton； for it is one of our chief duties as diplomatists； 'to tell lies for the good of our country；' in an agreeable way。 But I am afraid I have not improved my opportunities。 I have been very much out of humour for the last six months； at least。〃
〃And why； pray？〃
〃Because I wanted to come home； and Mr。 Henley； my boss； insisted upon proving to me it would be the most foolish thing I could do。 He was so much in the right； that I resented it by being cross。〃
〃But now he has come himself； and brought you with him。〃
〃No thanks to him； though。 It was all Uncle Sam's doings； who wants to send us from the Equator to the North Pole。〃
〃Are you really going to Russia； Hazlehurst？〃 asked Mr。 Ellsworth。
〃Certainly； you would not have me desert； would you？〃
〃Oh； no； don't think of it； Mr。 Hazlehurst； it must be a very pleasant life！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Creighton。 〃I only wish； Frank； that you were enough of a politician to be sent as minister somewhere； I should delight in doing the honours for you； though I dare say you would rather have some one else in my place。〃
〃We will wait until I am sent as ambassador to Timbuctoo； before I answer the question。〃
〃You have grown half…a…dozen shades darker than you used to be as a youngster； Harry； or else this lamp deceives me；〃 observed Mr。 Wyllys。
〃I dare say I may have a fresh tinge of the olive。 But I am just from sea； sir； and that may have given me an additional coat。〃
〃Did you suffer much from heat； on the voyage？〃 asked Miss Wyllys。
〃Not half as much as I have since I landed。 It appeared to me Philadelphia was the warmest spot I had ever breathed in； worse than Rio。 I was delighted when Louisa proposed my coming to Saratoga to see my friends。〃
〃You will find it quite warm enough here；〃 said Mr。 Wyllys。 〃The thermometer was 92 ｛degrees｝ in the shade； yesterday。〃
〃I don't expect to be well cooled； sir； until we get to St。 Petersburgh。 After a sea…voyage； I believe one always feels the cold less； and the heat more than usual。 But where is Mrs。 Stanley？we hoped to find her with you。 Is she not staying at this house？〃
〃Yes； but she left us early； this evening； not feeling very well； you will not be able to see her until to…morrow；〃 said Miss Agnes。
〃I am sorry she is not well； how is she looking？〃
〃Particularly well； I think； she merely complained of a head…ache from riding in the sun。〃
〃Mrs。 Stanley has been very anxious for your return； but she will be as agreeably surprised as the rest of us； to find you here；〃 said Elinor。
〃Thank you。 I look upon myself as particularly fortunate； to find so many old friends collected in one spot； instead of having to run about； and hunt for each in a different place； just now that I am limited for time。〃
〃You ought to be greatly indebted to Frank and myself； for breaking our word and staying here； instead of keeping our promise and going to Nahant； as we had engaged to do；〃 said Mrs。 Creighton。
〃Certainly； I look upon it as part of my good luck； but I should have made my appearance at Nahant； if you had actually run away from me。〃
〃I shall believe you； for I make it a point of always believing what is agreeable。〃
〃As I knew Mrs。 Hazlehurst and your brother had engaged rooms here； I hoped you would join us； soon after your arrival；〃 said Mr。 Ellsworth。
〃It was much the best plan for you；〃 said Mr。 Wyllys。
Harry looked gratified by this friendly remark。
It was already late； and Mrs。 Hazlehurst； who had been conversing in a corner with Jane； complained of being fatigued by her day's journey； which broke up the party。 The Hazlehursts； like Mrs。 Creighton and her brother； were staying at the United States； and they all went off together。
When Elinor； as usual； kissed Mr。 Wyllys before retiring to her own room； she hesitated a moment； and then said：
〃I must thank you； grandpapa； for having granted my request； and received Harry as of old。 It is much better that the past should be entirely forgotten。 Self…respect seems to require that we should not show re