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forgave her。 If my beard had been brown instead of grey I should
have been an adventure； but to the eye of girlhood adventure can
never wear a grey beard。 I was truly sorry for her； I could read in
the pensive droop of her averted face that I was again a
disappointment。
They all three sat； without speaking again； in the mannerless
silence of Americans。 The man was not going to feel bound in
further civility to me because I had civilly answered a question of
his。 I divined that he would be glad to withdraw from the overture
he had made； he may have thought from my readiness to meet him half
way that I might be one of those sharpers in whom Saratoga probably
abounded。 This did not offend me； it amused me； I fancied his
confusion if he could suddenly know how helplessly and irreparably
honest I was。
〃I don't know but it's a little too damp here； Rufus；〃 said the
wife。
〃I don't know but it is；〃 he answered； but none of them moved； and
none of them spoke again for some minutes。 Then the wife said
again； but this time to the friend； 〃I don't know but it's a little
too damp here； Julia；〃 and the friend answered； as the husband had …
〃I don't know but it is。〃
I had two surprises in this slight event。 I could never have
imagined that the girl had so brunette a name as Julia； or anything
less blond in sound than； say； Evadne； at the very darkest； and I
had made up my mindHeaven knows whythat her voice would be
harsh。 Perhaps I thought it unfair that she should have a sweet
voice added to all that beauty and grace of hers； but she had a
sweet voice； very tender and melodious； with a plangent note in it
that touched me and charmed me。 Beautiful and graceful as she was；
she had lacked atmosphere before； and now suddenly she had
atmosphere。 I resolved to keep as near to these people as I could；
and not to leave the place as long as they stayed； but I did not
think it well to let them feel that I was aesthetically shadowing
them； and I got up and strolled away toward the pavilion； keeping an
eye in the back of my head upon them。
I sat down in a commanding position； and watched the people
gathering for the concert； and in the drama of a group of Cubans； or
of South Americans； I almost forgot for a moment the pale idyl of my
compatriots at the kiosk。 There was a short； stout little Spanish
woman speaking in the shapely sentences which the Latin race
everywhere delights in； and around her was an increasing number of
serious Spanish men； listening as if to important things； and paying
her that respectful attention which always amuses and puzzles me。
In view of what we think their low estimate of women； I cannot make
out whether it is a personal tribute to some specific woman whom
they regard differently from all the rest of her sex； or whether
they choose to know in her for the nouce the abstract woman who is
better than woman in the concrete。 I am sure I have never seen men
of any other race abandon themselves to such a luxury of respect as
these black and grey bearded Spaniards of leaden complexion showed
this dumpy personification of womanhood； with their prominent eyes
bent in homage upon her； and their hands trembling with readiness to
seize their hats off in reverence。 It appeared presently that the
matter they were all canvassing so devoutly was the question of
where she should sit。 It seemed to be decided that she could not do
better than sit just at that point。 When she actually took a chair
the stately convocation ended； and its members； with low obeisances；
dispersed themselves in different directions。 They had probably all
been sitting with her the whole afternoon on the verandah of the
Everett House； where their race chiefly resorts in Saratoga； and
they were availing themselves of this occasion to appear to be
meeting her； after a long interval； in society。
I said to myself that of course they believed Saratoga was still
that centre of American fashion which it once was； and that they
came and went every summer； probably in the belief that they saw a
great deal of social gaiety there。 This made me think； by a natural
series of transitions； of the persons of my American idyl； and I
looked about the pavilion everywhere for them without discovering；
till the last； that they were just behind me。
I found the fact touching。 They had not wished to be in any wise
beholden to me； and had even tried to reject my friendly readiness
to know them better； but they had probably sought my vicinity in a
sense of their loneliness and helplessness； which they hoped I would
not divine； but which I divined instantly。 Still； I thought it best
not to show any consciousness of them； and we sat through the first
part of the concert without taking notice of one another。 Then the
man leaned forward and touched me on the shoulder。
〃Will you let me take your programme a minute？〃
〃Why； certainly；〃 said I。
He took it； and after a vague glance at it he passed it to his wife；
who gave it in turn to the young girl。 She studied it very briefly；
and then； after a questioning look； offered it back to me。
〃Won't you keep it？〃 I entreated。 〃I've quite done with it。〃
〃Oh； thank you；〃 she answered in her tender voice； and she and the
wife looked hard at the man； whom they seemed to unite in pushing
forward by that means。
He hemmed； and asked； 〃Have you been in Saratoga much？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 I said； 〃rather a good deal。 My wife and I have been
here three or four summers。〃
At the confession of my married state； which this statement
implicated； the women exchanged a glance； I fancied； of triumph； as
if they had been talking about me； and I had now confirmed the
ground they had taken concerning me。 Then they joined in goading
the man on again with their eyes。
〃Which hotel；〃 he asked； 〃should you say had the most going on？〃
The young girl and the wife transferred their gaze to me； with an
intensified appeal in it。 The man looked away with a certain shame…
…the shame of a man who feels that his wife has made him make an ass
of himself。 I tried to treat his question； by the quantity and
quality of my answer； as one of the most natural things in the
world； and I probably deceived them all by this effort； though I am
sure that I was most truthful and just concerning the claims of the
different hotels to be the centre of excitement。 I thought I had
earned the right to ask at the end； 〃Are you stopping at the Grand
Union？〃
〃No；〃 he said； and he mentioned one of the smaller hotels； which
depend upon the great houses for the entertainment of their guests。
〃Are you there？〃 he asked； meaning the Grand Union。
〃Oh no；〃 I said； 〃we couldn't do that sort of thing； even if we
wanted。〃 And in my turn I named the modest hotel where we were； and
said that I thought it by all odds the pleasantest place in
Saratoga。 〃But I can't say；〃 I added； 〃that there is a great deal
going on there； either。 If you want that sort of thing you will
have to go to some of the great hotels。 We have our little
amusements； but they're all rather mild。〃 I kept talking to the
man； but really addressing myself to the women。 〃There's somethin