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peace is gone。 I shall have to watch them every instant。〃
〃Beginning at this instant。 Why not wait till you can see them？〃
〃Oh； you can't joke it away； my dear。 If I find they are really
interested in each other I shall have to speak。 I am responsible。〃
〃The young lady；〃 I said； more to gain time than anything else；
〃seems quite capable of taking care of herself。〃
〃That makes it all the worse。 Do you think I care for her only？
It's Kendricks too that I care for。 I don't know that I care for
her at all。〃
〃Oh； then I think we may fairly leave Kendricks to his own devices；
and I'm not alarmed for Miss Gage either； though I do care for her a
great deal。〃
〃I don't understand how you can be so heartless about it； Basil；〃
said Mrs。 March； plaintively。 〃She is a young girl； and she has
never seen anything of the world； and of course if he keeps on
paying her attention in this way she can't help thinking that he is
interested in her。 Men never can see such things as women do。 They
think that； until a man has actually asked a girl to marry him； he
hasn't done anything to warrant her in supposing that he is in love
with her； or that she has any right to be in love with him。〃
〃That is true； we can't imagine that she would be so indelicate。〃
〃I see that you're determined to tease； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 March；
and she took up her book with an air of offence and dismissal。 〃If
you won't talk seriously； I hope you will think seriously； and try
to realise what we've got in for。 Such a girl couldn't imagine that
we had simply got Mr Kendricks to go about with her from a romantic
wish to make her have a good time； and that he was doing it to
oblige us； and wasn't at all interested in her。〃
〃It does look a little preposterous； even to the outsider；〃 I
admitted。
〃I am glad you are beginning to see it in that light； my dear； and
if you can think of anything to do by morning I shall be humbly
thankful。 _I_ don't expect to。〃
〃Perhaps I shall dream of something；〃 I said more lightly than I
felt。 〃How would it do for you to have a little talk with hera
little motherly talkand hint round； and warn her not to let her
feelings run away with her in Kendricks's direction？〃 Mrs。 March
faced her book down in her lap； and listened as if there might be
some reason in the nonsense I was talking。 〃You might say that he
was a society man； and was in great request； and then intimate that
there was a prior attachment； or that he was the kind of man who
would never marry； but was really cold…hearted with all his
sweetness； and merely had a passion for studying character。〃
〃Do you think that would do； Basil？〃 she asked。
〃Well； I thought perhaps you might think so。〃
〃I'm afraid it wouldn't；〃 she sighed。
〃All that we can do now is to watch them； and act promptly； if we
see that they are really in love； either of them。〃
〃I don't believe；〃 I said； 〃that I should know that they were in
love even if I saw it。 I have forgotten the outward signs； if I
ever knew them。 Should he give her flowers？ He's done it from the
start； he's brought her boxes of Huyler candy； and lent her books；
but I dare say he's been merely complying with our wishes in doing
it。 I doubt if lovers sigh nowadays。 I didn't sigh myself； even in
my time； and I don't believe any passion could make Kendricks
neglect his dress。 He keeps his eyes on her all the time； but that
may be merely an effort to divine her character。 I don't believe I
should know； indeed I don't。〃
〃I shall；〃 said Mrs。 March。
CHAPTER XIV
We were to go the next day to the races； and I woke with more
anxiety about the weather than about the lovers； or potential
lovers。 But after realising that the day was beautiful； on that
large scale of loveliness which seems characteristic of the summer
days at Saratoga； where they have them almost the size of the summer
days I knew when I was a boy； I was sensible of a secondary worry in
my mind； which presently related itself to Kendricks and Miss Gage。
It was a haze of trouble merely； however； such as burns off； like a
morning fog； when the sun gets higher； and it was chiefly on my
wife's account。
I suppose that the great difference between her conscience and one
originating outside of New England （if any conscience can originate
outside of New England） is that it cannot leave the moral government
of the universe in the hands of divine Providence。 I was willing to
leave so many things which I could not control to the Deity； who
probably could that she accused me of fatalism； and I was held to be
little better than one of the wicked because I would not forecast
the effects of what I did in the lives of others。 I insisted that
others were also probably in the hands of the somma sapienza e il
primo amore； and that I was so little aware of the influence of
other lives upon my own； even where there had been a direct and
strenuous effort to affect me； that I could not readily believe
others had swerved from the line of their destiny because of me。
Especially I protested that I could not hold myself guilty of
misfortunes I had not intended； even though my faulty conduct had
caused them。 As to this business of Kendricks and Miss Gage； I
denied in the dispute I now began tacitly to hold with Mrs。 March's
conscience that my conduct had been faulty。 I said that there was
no earthly harm in my having been interested by the girl's
forlornness when I first saw her； that I did not do wrong to
interest Mrs。 March in her； that she did not sin in going shopping
with Miss Gage and Mrs。 Deering； that we had not sinned； either of
us； in rejoicing that Kendricks had come to Saratoga； or in letting
Mrs。 Deering go home to her sick husband and leave Miss Gage on our
hands； that we were not wicked in permitting the young fellow to
help us make her have a good time。 In this colloquy I did all the
reasoning； and Mrs。 March's conscience was completely silenced； but
it rose triumphant in my miserable soul when I met Miss Gage at
breakfast； looking radiantly happy； and disposed to fellowship me in
an unusual confidence because； as I clearly perceived； of our last
night's adventure。 I said to myself bitterly that happiness did not
become her style； and I hoped that she would get away with her
confounded rapture before Mrs。 March came down。 I resolved not to
tell Mrs。 March if it fell out so； but at the same time； as a sort
of atonement； I decided to begin keeping the sharpest kind of watch
upon Miss Gage for the outward signs and tokens of love。
She said； 〃When you began to talk that way last night； Mr。 March； it
almost took my breath； and if you hadn't gone so far； and mentioned
about the sunset through the sleety trees； I never should have
suspected you。〃
〃Ah； that's the trouble with men； Miss Gage。〃 And when I said 〃men〃
I fancied she flushed a little。 〃We never know when to stop； we
always overdo it； if it were not for that we should be as perfect as
women。 Perhaps you'll give me another chance； though。〃
〃No； we shall be on our guard after this。〃 She corrected herself
and said； 〃I shall always be looking out for you now；〃 and she
cert