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conditions。 In dealing with them； acquiescence is the best of
palliations and silence the sovereign specific。
I have been the reporter； as you have seen； of my own conversation
and that of the other Teacups。 I have told some of the circumstances
of their personal history； and interested； as I hope； here and there
a reader in the fate of different members of our company。 Here are
our pretty Delilah and our Doctor provided for。 We may take it for
granted that it will not be very long that the young couple will have
to wait； for； as I have told you all； the Doctor is certainly getting
into business； and bids fair to have a thriving practice before he
saddles his nose with an eyeglass and begins to think of a pair of
spectacles。 So that part of our little domestic drama is over； and
we can only wish the pair that is to be all manner of blessings
consistent with a reasonable amount of health in the community on
whose ailings must depend their prosperity。
All our thoughts are now concentrated on the relation existing betwen
Number Five and the Tutor。 That there is some profound instinctive
impulse which is drawing them closer together no one who watches them
can for a moment doubt。 There are two principles of attraction which
bring different natures together： that in which the two natures
closely resemble each other； and that in which one is complementary
of the other。 In the first case； they coalesce； as do two drops of
water or of mercury； and become intimately blended as soon as they
touch； in the other； they rush together as an acid and an alkali
unite； predestined from eternity to find all they most needed in each
other。 What is the condition of things in the growing intimacy of
Number Five and the Tutor？ He is many years her junior； as we know。
Both of them look that fact squarely in the face。 The presumption is
against the union of two persons under these circumstances。
Presumptions are strong obstacles against any result we wish to
attain； but half our work in life is to overcome them。 A great many
results look in the distance like six…foot walls； and when we get
nearer prove to be only five…foot hurdles； to be leaped over or
knocked down。 Twenty years from now she may be a vigorous and active
old woman； and he a middle…aged； half…worn…out invalid； like so many
overworked scholars。 Everything depends on the number of drops of
the elixir vitae which Nature mingled in the nourishment she
administered to the embryo before it tasted its mother's milk。 Think
of Cleopatra； the bewitching old mischief…maker； think of Ninon de
L'Enclos； whose own son fell desperately in love with her； not
knowing the relation in which she stood to him； think of Dr。
Johnson's friend； Mrs。 Thrale； afterward Mrs。 Piozzi； who at the age
of eighty was full enough of life to be making love ardently and
persistently to Conway； the handsome young actor。 I can readily
believe that Number Five will outlive the Tutor； even if he is
fortunate enough rather in winning his way into the fortress through
gates that open to him of their own accord。 If he fails in his
siege； I do really believe he will die early； not of a broken heart；
exactly； but of a heart starved； with the food it was craving close
to it； but unattainable。 I have； therefore； a deep interest in
knowing how Number Five and the Tutor are getting along together。 Is
there any danger of one or the other growing tired of the intimacy；
and becoming willing to get rid of it； like a garment which has
shrunk and grown too tight？ Is it likely that some other attraction
may come into disturb the existing relation？ The problem is to my
mind not only interesting； but exceptionally curious。 You remember
the story of Cymon and Iphigenia as Dryden tells it。 The poor youth
has the capacity of loving； but it lies hidden in his undeveloped
nature。 All at once he comes upon the sleeping beauty； and is
awakened by her charms to a hitherto unfelt consciousness。 With the
advent of the new passion all his dormant faculties start into life；
and the seeming simpleton becomes the bright and intelligent lover。
The case of Number Five is as different from that of Cymon as it
could well be。 All her faculties are wide awake； but one emotional
side of her nature has never been called into active exercise。 Why
has she never been in love with any one of her suitors？ Because she
liked too many of them。 Do you happen to remember a poem printed
among these papers； entitled 〃I Like You and I Love You〃
No one of the poems which have been placed in the urn； that is； in
the silver sugar…bowl；has had any name attached to it； but you
could guess pretty nearly who was the author of some of them；
certainly of the one just； referred to。 Number Five was attracted to
the Tutor from the first time he spoke to her。 She dreamed about him
that night； and nothing idealizes and renders fascinating one in whom
we have already an interest like dreaming of him or of her。 Many a
calm suitor has been made passionate by a dream； many a passionate
lover has been made wild and half beside himself by a dream； and now
and then an infatuated but hapless lover； waking from a dream of
bliss to a cold reality of wretchedness； has helped himself to
eternity before he was summoned to the table。
Since Number Five had dreamed about the Tutor； he had been more in
her waking thoughts than she was willing to acknowledge。 These
thoughts were vague； it is true；emotions； perhaps； rather than
worded trains of ideas； but she was conscious of a pleasing
excitement as his name or his image floated across her consciousness；
she sometimes sighed as she looked over the last passage they had
read from the same book； and sometimes when they were together they
were silent too long；too long！ What were they thinking of？
And so it was all as plain sailing for Number Five and the young
Tutor as it had been for Delilah and the young Doctor； was it？ Do
you think so？ Then you do not understand Number Five。 Many a woman
has as many atmospheric rings about her as the planet Saturn。 Three
are easily to be recognized。 First； there is the wide ring of
attraction which draws into itself all that once cross its outer
border。 These revolve about her without ever coming any nearer。
Next is the inner ring of attraction。 Those who come within its
irresistible influence are drawn so close that it seems as if they
must become one with her sooner or later。 But within this ring is
another；an atmospheric girdle； one of repulsion； which love； no
matter how enterprising； no matter how prevailing or how insinuating；
has never passed； and； if we judge of what is to be by what has been；
never will。 Perhaps Nature loved Number Five so well that she
grudged her to any mortal man； and gave her this inner girdle of
repulsion to guard her from all who would know her too nearly and
love her too well。 Sometimes two vessels at sea keep each other
com