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had been rather conscious of the absence of a good topic； not feeling
at liberty to revert to Mr。 Porterfield。 She hadn't encouraged me；
when I spoke to her as we were leaving Boston； to go on with the
history of my acquaintance with this gentleman； and yet now；
unexpectedly； she appeared to implyit was doubtless one of the
disparities mentioned by Mrs。 Nettlepointthat he might be glanced
at without indelicacy。
〃I seeyou mean by letters；〃 I remarked。
〃We won't live in a good part。 I know enough to know that；〃 she went
on。
〃Well； it isn't as if there were any very bad ones；〃 I answered
reassuringly。
〃Why Mr。 Nettlepoint says it's regular mean。〃
〃And to what does he apply that expression？〃
She eyed me a moment as if I were elegant at her expense； but she
answered my question。 〃Up there in the Batignolles。 I seem to make
out it's worse than Merrimac Avenue。〃
〃Worsein what way？〃
〃Why； even less where the nice people live。〃
〃He oughtn't to say that；〃 I returned。 And I ventured to back it up。
〃Don't you call Mr。 Porterfield a nice person？〃
〃Oh it doesn't make any difference。〃 She watched me again a moment
through her veil； the texture of which gave her look a suffused
prettiness。 〃Do you know him very little？〃 she asked。
〃Mr。 Porterfield？〃
〃No； Mr。 Nettlepoint。〃
〃Ah very little。 He's very considerably my junior； you see。〃
She had a fresh pause； as if almost again for my elegance； but she
went on： 〃He's younger than me too。〃 I don't know what effect of
the comic there could have been in it； but the turn was unexpected
and it made me laugh。 Neither do I know whether Miss Mavis took
offence at my sensibility on this head； though I remember thinking at
the moment with compunction that it had brought a flush to her cheek。
At all events she got up； gathering her shawl and her books into her
arm。 〃I'm going downI'm tired。〃
〃Tired of me； I'm afraid。〃
〃No； not yet。〃
〃I'm like you；〃 I confessed。 〃I should like it to go on and on。〃
She had begun to walk along the deck to the companionway and I went
with her。 〃Well； I guess _I_ wouldn't； after all！〃
I had taken her shawl from her to carry it； but at the top of the
steps that led down to the cabins I had to give it back。 〃Your
mother would be glad if she could know；〃 I observed as we parted。
But she was proof against my graces。 〃If she could know what？〃
〃How well you're getting on。〃 I refused to be discouraged。 〃And
that good Mrs。 Allen。〃
〃Oh mother； mother！ She made me come； she pushed me off。〃 And
almost as if not to say more she went quickly below。
I paid Mrs。 Nettlepoint a morning visit after luncheon and another in
the evening； before she 〃turned in。〃 That same day； in the evening；
she said to me suddenly： 〃Do you know what I've done？ I've asked
Jasper。〃
〃Asked him what？〃
〃Why； if SHE asked him； you understand。〃
I wondered。 〃DO I understand？〃
〃If you don't it's because you 'regular' won't； as she says。 If that
girl really asked himon the balconyto sail with us。〃
〃My dear lady； do you suppose that if she did he'd tell you？〃
She had to recognise my acuteness。 〃That's just what he says。 But
he says she didn't。〃
〃And do you consider the statement valuable？〃 I asked； laughing out。
〃You had better ask your young friend herself。〃
Mrs。 Nettlepoint stared。 〃I couldn't do that。〃
On which I was the more amused that I had to explain I was only
amused。 〃What does it signify now？〃
〃I thought you thought everything signified。 You were so full；〃 she
cried； 〃of signification！〃
〃Yes； but we're further out now； and somehow in mid…ocean everything
becomes absolute。〃
〃What else CAN he do with decency？〃 Mrs。 Nettlepoint went on。 〃If；
as my son； he were never to speak to her it would be very rude and
you'd think that stranger still。 Then YOU would do what he does； and
where would be the difference？〃
〃How do you know what he does？ I haven't mentioned him for twenty…
four hours。〃
〃Why； she told me herself。 She came in this afternoon。〃
〃What an odd thing to tell you！〃 I commented。
〃Not as she says it。 She says he's full of attention； perfectly
devotedlooks after her all the time。 She seems to want me to know
it； so that I may approve him for it。〃
〃That's charming； it shows her good conscience。〃
〃Yes； or her great cleverness。〃
Something in the tone in which Mrs。 Nettlepoint said this caused me
to return in real surprise： 〃Why what do you suppose she has in her
mind？〃
〃To get hold of him； to make him go so far he can't retreat。 To
marry him perhaps。〃
〃To marry him？ And what will she do with Mr。 Porterfield？〃
〃She'll ask me just to make it all right to himor perhaps you。〃
〃Yes； as an old friend〃and for a moment I felt it awkwardly
possible。 But I put to her seriously： 〃DO you see Jasper caught
like that？〃
〃Well； he's only a boyhe's younger at least than she。〃
〃Precisely； she regards him as a child。 She remarked to me herself
today； that is； that he's so much younger。〃
Mrs。 Nettlepoint took this in。 〃Does she talk of it with you？ That
shows she has a plan； that she has thought it over！〃
I've sufficiently expressedfor the interest of my anecdotethat I
found an oddity in one of our young companions； but I was far from
judging her capable of laying a trap for the other。 Moreover my
reading of Jasper wasn't in the least that he was catchablecould be
made to do a thing if he didn't want to do it。 Of course it wasn't
impossible that he might be inclined； that he might take itor
already have taken itinto his head to go further with his mother's
charge； but to believe this I should require still more proof than
his always being with her。 He wanted at most to 〃take up with her〃
for the voyage。 〃If you've questioned him perhaps you've tried to
make him feel responsible；〃 I said to my fellow critic。
〃A little； but it's very difficult。 Interference makes him perverse。
One has to go gently。 Besides； it's too absurdthink of her age。
If she can't take care of herself！〃 cried Mrs。 Nettlepoint。
〃Yes； let us keep thinking of her age； though it's not so prodigious。
And if things get very bad you've one resource left；〃 I added。
She wondered。 〃To lock her up in her cabin？〃
〃Noto come out of yours。〃
〃Ah never； never！ If it takes that to save her she must be lost。
Besides； what good would it do？ If I were to go above she could come
below。〃
〃Yes； but you could keep Jasper with you。〃
〃COULD I？〃 Mrs。 Nettlepoint demanded in the manner of a woman who
knew her son。
In the saloon the next day； after dinner； over the red cloth of the
tables； beneath the swinging lamps and the racks of tumblers；
decanters and wine…glasses； we sat down to whist； Mrs。 Peck； to
oblige； taking a hand in the game。 She played very