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to parlor lectures expressive of the vague but profound ferment in
women's souls； from these her presence in intellectual clubs was a simple
and natural transition。 She met and talked with interesting people； and
now and then she got introduced to literary people。 Once； in a book…
store； she stood next to a gentleman leaning over the same counter； whom
a salesman addressed by the name of a popular author； and she remained
staring at him breathless till he left the place。 When she bragged of
the prodigious experience at home； her husband defied her to say how it
differed from meeting the lecturers who had been their guests in
Tuskingum； and she answered that none of them compared with this author；
and； besides； a lion in his own haunts was very different from a lion
going round the country on exhibition。 Kenton thought that was pretty
good； and owned that she had got him there。
He laughed at her； to the children； but all the same she believed that
she was living in an atmosphere of culture； and with every breath she was
sensible of an intellectual expansion。 She found herself in the
enjoyment of so wide and varied a sympathy with interests hitherto
strange to her experience that she could not easily make people believe
she had never been to Europe。 Nearly every one she met had been several
times； and took it for granted that she knew the Continent as well as
they themselves。
She denied it with increasing shame； she tried to make Kenton understand
how she felt； and she might have gone further if she had not seen how
homesick he was for Tuskingum。 She did her best to coax him and scold
him into a share of the pleasure they were all beginning to have in New
York。 She made him own that Ellen herself was beginning to be gayer； she
convinced him that his business was not suffering in his absence and that
he was the better from the complete rest he was having。 She defied him；
to say； then； what was the matter with him； and she bitterly reproached
herself； in the event； for not having known that it was not homesickness
alone that was the trouble。 When he was not going about with her； or
doing something to amuse the children； he went upon long； lonely walks；
and came home silent and fagged。 He had given up smoking； and he did not
care to sit about in the office of the hotel where other old fellows
passed the time over their papers and cigars； in the heat of the glowing
grates。 They looked too much like himself； with their air of
unrecognized consequence； and of personal loss in an alien environment。
He knew from their dress and bearing that they were country people； and
it wounded him in a tender place to realize that they had each left
behind him in his own town an authority and a respect which they could
not enjoy in New York。 Nobody called them judge； or general； or doctor；
or squire； nobody cared who they were； or what they thought； Kenton did
not care himself； but when he missed one of them he envied him； for then
he knew that he had gone back to the soft； warm keeping of his own
neighborhood； and resumed the intelligent regard of a community he had
grown up with。 There were men in New York whom Kenton had met in former
years； and whom he had sometimes fancied looking up； but he did not let
them know he was in town； and then he was hurt that they ignored him。
He kept away from places where he was likely to meet them； he thought
that it must have come to them that he was spending the winter in New
York； and as bitterly as his nature would suffer he resented the
indifference of the Ohio Society to the presence of an Ohio man of his
local distinction。 He had not the habit of clubs； and when one of the
pleasant younger fellows whom he met in the hotel offered to put him up
at one； he shrank from the courtesy shyly and almost dryly。 He had
outlived the period of active curiosity； and he did not explore the city
as he world once have done。 He had no resorts out of the hotel； except
the basements of the secondhand book…dealers。 He haunted these； and
picked up copies of war histories and biographies； which； as fast as he
read them； he sent off to his son at Tuskingum； and had him put them away
with the documents for the life of his regiment。 His wife could see；
with compassion if not sympathy； that he was fondly strengthening by
these means the ties that bound him to his home； and she silently
proposed to go back to it with him whenever he should say the word。
He had a mechanical fidelity； however； to their agreement that they
should stay till spring； and he made no sign of going； as the winter wore
away to its end； except to write out to Tuskingum minute instructions for
getting the garden ready。 He varied his visits to the book…stalls by
conferences with seedsmen at their stores； and his wife could see that he
had as keen a satisfaction in despatching a rare find from one as from
the other。
She forbore to make him realize that the situation had not changed； and
that they would be taking their daughter back to the trouble the girl
herself had wished to escape。 She was trusting； with no definite hope；
for some chance of making him feel this； while Kenton was waiting with a
kind of passionate patience for the term of his exile； when he came in
one day in April from one of his long walks； and said he had been up to
the Park to see the blackbirds。 But he complained of being tired； and he
lay down on his bed。 He did not get up for dinner； and then it was six
weeks before he left his room。
He could not remember that he had ever been sick so long before； and he
was so awed by his suffering； which was severe but not serious； that when
his doctor said he thought a voyage to Europe would be good for him he
submitted too meekly for Mrs。 Kenton。 Her heart smote her for her guilty
joy in his sentence； and she punished herself by asking if it would not
do him more good to get back to the comfort and quiet of their own house。
She went to the length of saying that she believed his attack had been
brought on more by homesickness than anything else。 But the doctor
agreed rather with her wish than her word； and held out that his
melancholy was not the cause but the effect of his disorder。 Then she
took courage and began getting ready to go。 She did not flag even in the
dark hours when Kenton got back his courage with his returning strength；
and scoffed at the notion of Europe； and insisted that as soon as they
were in Tuskingum he should be all right again。
She felt the ingratitude； not to say the perfidy； of his behavior； and
she fortified herself indignantly against it； but it was not her constant
purpose； or the doctor's inflexible opinion； that prevailed with Kenton
at last a letter came one day for Ellen which she showed to her mother；
and which her mother； with her distress obscurely relieved by a sense of
its powerful instrumentality； brought to the girl's father。 It was from
that fellow； as they always called him； and it asked of the girl a
hearing upon a certain point in which； it had just come to his knowledge；
she had misjudged him。 He made no claim upon her； and only urged his
wish to right himself with he