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amusements； but they're all rather mild。〃 I kept talking to the
man； but really addressing myself to the women。 〃There's something
nearly every evening： prestidigitating； or elocutioning； or a
little concert； or charades； or impromptu theatricals； or something
of that sort。 I can't say there's dancing； though really； I
suppose； if any one wanted to dance there would be dancing。〃
I was aware that the women listened intelligently； even if the man
did not。 The wife drew a long breath； and said； 〃It must be very
pleasant。〃
The girl saidrather more hungrily； I fancied〃Yes； indeed。〃
I don't know why their interest should have prompted me to go on and
paint the lily a little； but I certainly did so。 I did not stop
till the music began again； and I had to stop。 By the time the
piece was finished I had begun to have my misgivings； and I profited
by the brief interval of silence to say to the young girl； 〃I
wouldn't have you think we are a whirl of gaiety exactly。〃
〃Oh no；〃 she answered pathetically； as if she were quite past
expecting that or anything like it。
We were silent again。 At the end of the next piece they all rose；
and the wife said timidly to me； 〃Well； good…evening；〃 as if she
might be venturing too far； and her husband came to her rescue with
〃Well； good…evening； sir。〃 The young girl merely bowed。
I did not stay much longer； for I was eager to get home and tell my
wife about my adventure； which seemed to me of a very rare and
thrilling kind。 I believed that if I could present it to her duly；
it would interest her as much as it had interested me。 But somehow；
as I went on with it in the lamplight of her room； it seemed to lose
colour and specific character。
〃You are always making up these romances about young girls being off
and disappointed of a good time ever since we saw that poor little
Kitty Ellison with her cousins at Niagara；〃 said Mrs。 March。 〃You
seem to have it on the brain。〃
〃Because it's the most tragical thing in the world； and the
commonest in our transition state；〃 I retorted。 I was somewhat
exasperated to have my romance treated as so stale a situation；
though I was conscious now that it did want perfect novelty。 〃It's
precisely for that reason that I like to break my heart over it。 I
see it every summer； and it keeps me in a passion of pity。
Something ought to be done about it。〃
〃Well； don't YOU try to do anything； Basil； unless you write to the
newspapers。〃
〃I suppose；〃 I said； 〃that if the newspapers could be got to take
hold of it； perhaps something might be done。〃 The notion amused me；
I went on to play with it； and imagined Saratoga； by a joint effort
of the leading journals； recolonised with the social life that once
made it the paradise of young people。
〃I have been writing to the children；〃 said my wife； 〃and telling
them to stay on at York Harbour if the Herricks want them so much。
They would hate it here。 You say the girl looked cross。 I can't
exactly imagine a cross goddess。〃
〃There were lots of cross goddesses；〃 I said rather crossly myself；
for I saw that； after having trodden my romance in the dust； she was
willing I should pick it up again and shake it off； and I wished to
show her that I was not to be so lightly appeased。
〃Perhaps I was thinking of angels；〃 she murmured。
〃I distinctly didn't say she was an angel；〃 I returned。
〃Now； come； Basil； I see you're keeping something back。 What did
you try to do for those people？ Did you tell them where you were
stopping？〃
〃Yes； I did。 They asked me； and I told them。〃
〃Did you brag the place up？〃
〃On the contrary； I understated its merits。〃
〃Oh； very well； then；〃 she said； quite as if I had confessed my
guilt； 〃they will come here； and you will have your romance on your
hands for the rest of the month。 I'm thankful we're going away the
first of August。〃
CHAPTER III
The next afternoon； while we were sitting in the park waiting for
the Troy band to begin playing； and I was wondering just when they
would reach the 〃Washington Post March；〃 which I like because I can
always be sure of it； my unknown friends came strolling our way。
The man looked bewildered and bored； with something of desperation
in his troubled eye； and his wife looked tired and disheartened。
The young girl； still in white duck； wore the same air of passive
injury I had noted in her the night before。 Their faces all three
lighted up at sight of me； but they faded again at the cold and
meagre response I made to their smiles under correction of my wife's
fears of them。 I own it was base of me； but I had begun to feel
myself that it might be too large a contract to attempt their
consolation； and； in fact； after one is fifty scarcely any romance
will keep overnight。
My wife glanced from them to me； and read my cowardly mind； but she
waited till they passed； as they did after an involuntary faltering
in front of us； and were keeping on down the path； looking at the
benches； which were filled on either hand。 She said； 〃Weren't those
your friends？〃
〃They were the persons of my romance。〃
〃No matter。 Go after them instantly and bring them back here； poor
things。 We can make room for them。〃
I rose。 〃Isn't this a little too idyllic？ Aren't you rather
overdoing it？〃
〃Don't speak to me； Basil！ I never heard of anything so atrocious。
Go on your knees to them if they refuse！ They can sit here with me；
and you and he can stand。 Fly！〃
I knew she was punishing me for her own reluctance； but I flew； in
that sense of the term； and easily overhauled them in the tangle of
people coming and going in the path； and the nursemaids pushing
their perambulators in either direction。 Hat in hand I delivered my
message。 I could see that it gave the women great pleasure and the
man some doubt。 His mouth fell open a little； their cheeks flushed
and their eyes shone。
〃I don't know as we better；〃 the wife hesitated； 〃I'm afraid we'll
crowd you。〃 And she looked wistfully toward my wife。 The young
girl looked at her。
〃Not at all！〃 I cried。 〃There's an abundance of room。 My wife's
keeping the places for you；〃in fact； I saw her putting her arm out
along the bench； and explaining to a couple who had halted in front
of her that the seats were taken〃and she'll be disappointed。〃
〃Well；〃 the woman consented； with a little sigh of triumph that
touched me； and reanimated all my interest in her and in her friend。
She said； with a sort of shy； instinctive politeness； 〃I don't know
as you and Mr。 Deering got acquainted last night。〃
〃My name is March；〃 I said； and I shook the hand of Mr。 Deering。 It
was rather thick。
〃And thisis our friend；〃 Mrs。 Peering went on； in presentation of
me to the young lady； 〃Miss Gage； that's come with us。〃
I was delighted that I had guessed their relative qualities so
perfectly； and when we arrived at Mrs。 March I glibly presented
them。 My wife was all that I could have wished her to be of
sympathetic and intelligent。 She did not overdo it by shaking
hands； but she made places for the ladies； smiling cordially； and
Mrs。 Deering made Miss Gage take the seat between them。 Her hus