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was。〃
〃We could have them up to the house this evening； and introduce them
to some of our friends；only there isn't a young man in the whole
place；and have them stay to the charades。〃
〃What do you think；〃 I said； 〃of their having come up this morning
and tried to get rooms at our house？〃
〃Yes； they told me。〃
〃And don't you call that rather forth…putting？ It seems to me that
it was taking a mean advantage of my brags。〃
〃It was perfectly innocent in them。 But now； dearest； don't be
tiresome。 I know that you like them as well as I do； and I will
take all your little teasing affectations for granted。 The question
is； what can we do for them？〃
〃And the answer is； I don't in the least know。 There isn't any
society life at Saratoga that I can see； and if there is； we are not
in it。 How could we get any one else in？ I see that's what you're
aiming at。 Those public socialities at the big hotels they could
get into as well as we could； but they wouldn't be anywhere when
they got there； and they wouldn't know what to do。 You know what
hollow mockeries those things are。 Don't you remember that hop we
went to with the young Braceys the first summer？ If those girls
hadn't waltzed with each other they wouldn't have danced a step the
whole evening。〃
〃I know； I know；〃 sighed my wife； 〃it was terrible。 But these
people are so very unworldly that don't you think they could be
deluded into the belief that they were seeing society if we took a
little trouble？ You used to be so inventive！ You could think up
something now if you tried。〃
〃My dear； a girl knows beyond all the arts of hoodwinking whether
she's having a good time； and your little scheme of passing off one
of those hotel hops for a festivity would never work in the world。〃
〃Well； I think it is too bad！ What has become of all the easy
gaiety there used to be in the world？〃
〃It has been starched and ironed out of it； apparently。 Saratoga is
still trying to do the good old American act； with its big hotels
and its heterogeneous hops； and I don't suppose there's ever such a
thing as a society person at any of them。 That wouldn't be so bad。
But the unsociety people seem to be afraid of one another。 They
feel that there is something in the airsomething they don't and
can't understand； something alien； that judges their old…fashioned
American impulse to be sociable； and contemns it。 No； we can't do
anything for our hapless friendsI can hardly call them our
acquaintances。 We must avoid them； and keep them merely as a
pensive colour in our own vivid memories of Saratoga。 If we made
them have a good time； and sent them on their way rejoicing； I
confess that I should feel myself distinctly a loser。 As it is；
they're a strain of melancholy poetry in my life； of music in the
minor key。 I shall always associate their pathos with this hot
summer weather； and I shall think of them whenever the thermometer
registers eighty…nine。 Don't you see the advantage of that？ I
believe I can ultimately get some literature out of them。 If I can
think of a fitting fable for them Fulkerson will feature it in Every
Other Week。 He'll get out a Saratoga number； and come up here and
strike the hotels and springs for ad's。〃
〃Well；〃 said Mrs。 March； 〃I wish I had never seen them； and it's all
your fault； Basil。 Of course； when you played upon my sympathies so
about them； I couldn't help feeling interested in them。 We are a
couple of romantic old geese； my dear。〃
〃Not at all； or at least I'm not。 I simply used these people
conjecturally to give myself an agreeable pang。 I didn't want to
know anything more about them than I imagined； and I certainly
didn't dream of doing anything for them。 You'll spoil everything if
you turn them from fiction into fact； and try to manipulate their
destiny。 Let them alone； they will work it out for themselves。〃
〃You know I can't let them alone now；〃 she lamented。 〃I am not one
of those who can give themselves an agreeable pang with the
unhappiness of their fellow…creatures。 I'm not satisfied to study
them； I want to relieve them。〃
She went on to praise herself to my disadvantage； as I notice wives
will with their husbands； and I did not attempt to deny her this
source of consolation。 But when she ended by saying； 〃I believe I
shall send you alone；〃 and explained that she had promised Mrs。
Deering we would come to their hotel for them after tea； and go with
them to hear the music at the United States and the Grand Union； I
protested。 I said that I always felt too sneaking when I was
prowling round those hotels listening to their proprietary concerts；
and I was aware of looking so sneaking that I expected every moment
to be ordered off their piazzas。 As for convoying a party of three
strangers about alone； I should certainly not do it。
〃Not if I've a headache？〃
〃Not if you've a headache。〃
〃Oh； very well； then。〃
〃What are you two quarrelling about？〃 cried a gay voice behind us；
and we looked round into the laughing eyes of Miss Dale。 She was
the one cottager we knew in Saratoga； but when we were with her we
felt that we knew everybody； so hospitable was the sense of world
which her kindness exhaled。
〃It was Mrs。 March who was quarrelling；〃 I said。 〃I was only trying
to convince her that she was wrong； and of course one has to lift
one's voice。 I hope I hadn't the effect of halloaing。〃
〃Well； I merely heard you above the steam harmonicon at the
switchback；〃 said Miss Dale。 〃I don't know whether you call THAT
holloaing。〃
〃Oh； Miss Dale；〃 said my wife； 〃we are in such a fatal〃
〃Pickle；〃 I suggested； and she instantly adopted the word in her
extremity。
〃pickle with some people that Providence has thrown in our way；
and that we want to do something for〃； and in a labyrinth of
parentheses that no man could have found his way into or out of； she
possessed Miss Dale of the whole romantic fact。 〃It was Mr。 March；
of course； who first discovered them；〃 she concluded； in plaintive
accusation。
〃Poor Mr。 March！〃 cried Miss Dale。 〃Well； it is a pathetic case；
but it isn't the only one； if that's any comfort。 Saratoga is
reeking with just such forlornities the whole summer long； but I can
quite understand how you feel about it； Mrs。 March。〃 We came to a
corner； and she said abruptly： 〃Excuse my interrupting your
quarrel！ Not quite so LOUD； Mr。 March！〃 and she flashed back a
mocking look at me as she skurried off down the street with
astonishing rapidity。
〃How perfectly heartless！〃 cried my wife。 〃I certainly thought she
would suggest somethingoffer to do something。〃
〃I relied upon her； too；〃 I said； 〃but now I have my doubts whether
she was really going down that street till she saw that it was the
best way to escape。 We're certainly in trouble； my dear； if people
avoid us in this manner。〃
CHAPTER V
〃I am doing it entirely on Mrs。 Deering's I account；〃 said my wife
that evening after tea； as we walked down the side…street that
descended from our place to Broadway。 〃She has that girl on her
hands； and I know she must be at her wits' end。〃
〃And I do it entirely on Deering's account；〃