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going to have you hanging round me all day。 I can chaperon myself。〃
〃Lottie；〃 her mother tried to stay her； 〃I wish you would go。 I don't
believe that Mr。 Trannel will be much of an addition。 He will be on your
poor father's hands all day； or else Ellen's； and if you went you could
help off。〃
〃Thank you； mother。 I've had quite all I want of Mr。 Trannel。 You can
tell him he needn't go； if you want to。〃
Lottie at least did not leave her mother to make her excuses to the party
when they met for starting。 Mrs。 Kenton had deferred her own till she
thought it was too late for her husband to retreat； and then bunglingly
made them； with so much iteration that it seemed to her it would have
been far less pointed； as concerned Mr。 Breckon； if she had gone。 Lottie
sunnily announced that she was going to stay with her mother； and did not
even try to account for her defection to Mr。 Trannel。
〃What's the matter with my staying； too？〃 he asked。 〃It seems to me
there are four wheels to this coach now。〃
He had addressed his misgiving more to Lottie than the rest； but with the
same sunny indifference to the consequence for others that she had put on
in stating her decision； she now discharged herself from further
responsibility by turning on her heel and leaving it with the party
generally。 In the circumstances Mr。 Trannel had no choice but to go；
and he was supported； possibly； by the hope of taking it out of Lottie
some other time。
It was more difficult for Mrs。 Kenton to get rid of the judge； but an
inscrutable frown goes far in such exigencies。 It seems to explain； and
it certainly warns； and the husband on whom it is bent never knows； even
after the longest experience； whether he had better inquire further。
Usually he decides that he had better not； and Judge Kenton went off
towards the tram with Boyne in the cloud of mystery which involved them
both as to Mrs。 Kenton's meaning。
XXIII。
Trannel attached himself as well as he could to Breckon and Ellen； and
Breckon had an opportunity not fully offered him before to note a
likeness between himself and a fellow…man whom he was aware of not
liking； though he tried to love him； as he felt it right to love all men。
He thought he had not been quite sympathetic enough with Mrs。 Kenton in
her having to stay behind； and he tried to make it up to Mr。 Trannel in
his having to come。 He invented civilities to show him； and ceded his
place next Ellen as if Trannel had a right to it。 Trannel ignored him in
keeping it； unless it was recognizing Breckon to say； 〃Oh； I hope I'm not
in your way； old fellow？〃 and then making jokes to Ellen。 Breckon could
not say the jokes were bad； though the taste of them seemed to him so。
The man had a fleering wit； which scorched whatever he turned it upon；
and yet it was wit。 〃Why don't you try him in American？〃 he asked at
the failure of Breckon and the tram conductor to understand each other in
Dutch。 He tried the conductor himself in American； and he was so
deplorably funny that it was hard for Breckon to help being 'particeps
criminus'； at least in a laugh。
He asked himself if that were really the kind of man he was； and he grew
silent and melancholy in the fear that it was a good deal the sort of
man。 To this morbid fancy Trannel seemed himself in a sort of excess；
or what he would be if he were logically ultimated。 He remembered all
the triviality of his behavior with Ellen at first； and rather sickened
at the thought of some of his early pleasantries。 She was talking gayly
now with Trannel； and Breckon wondered whether she was falling under the
charm that he felt in him； in spite of himself。
If she was； her father was not。 The judge sat on the other side of the
car； and unmistakably glowered at the fellow's attempts to make himself
amusing to Ellen。 Trannel himself was not insensible to the judge's
mood。 Now and then he said something to intensify it。 He patronized the
judge and he made fun of the tourist character in which Boyne had got
himself up； with a field…glass slung by a strap under one arm and a red
Baedeker in his hand。 He sputtered with malign laughter at a rather
gorgeous necktie which Boyne had put on for the day； and said it was not
a very good match for the Baedeker。
Boyne retorted rudely； and that amused Trannel still more。 He became
personal to Breckon； and noted the unclerical cut of his clothes。 He
said he ought to have put on his uniform for an expedition like that； in
case they got into any sort of trouble。 To Ellen alone he was
inoffensive； unless he overdid his polite attentions to her in carrying
her parasol for her； and helping her out of the tram； when they arrived；
shouldering every one else away； and making haste to separate her from
the others and then to walk on with her a little in advance。
Suddenly he dropped her； and fell back to Boyne and his father； while
Breckon hastened forward to her side。 Trannel put his arm across Boyne's
shoulders and asked him if he were mad； and then laughed at him。 〃You're
all right； Boyne； but you oughtn't to be so approachable。 You ought to
put on more dignity； and repel familiarity！〃
Boyne could only twitch away in silence that he made as haughty as he
could； but not so haughty that Trannel did not find it laughable； and he
laughed in a teasing way that made Breckon more and more serious。 He was
aware of becoming even solemn with the question of his likeness to
Trannel。 He was of Trannel's quality； and their difference was a matter
of quantity； and there was not enough difference。 In his sense of their
likeness Breckon vowed himself to a gravity of behavior evermore which he
should not probably be able to observe； but the sample he now displayed
did not escape the keen vigilance of Trannel。
〃With the exception of Miss Kenton；〃 he addressed himself to the party；
〃you're all so easy and careless that if you don't look out you'll lose
me。 Miss Kenton； I wish you would keep an eye on me。 I don't want to
get lost。〃
Ellen laughedshe could not help itand her laughing made it less
possible than before for Breckon to unbend and meet Trannel on his own
ground； to give him joke for joke； to exchange banter with him。 He might
never have been willing to do that； but now he shrank from it； in his
realization of their likeness； with an abhorrence that rendered him
rigid。
The judge was walking ahead with Boyne； and his back expressed such
severe disapproval that； between her fear that Trannel would say
something to bring her father's condemnation on him and her sense of
their inhospitable attitude towards one who was their guest； in a sort；
she said； with her gentle gayety； 〃Then you must keep near me； Mr。
Trannel。 I'll see that nothing happens。〃
〃That's very sweet of you；〃 said Trannel； soberly。 Whether he had now
vented his malicious humor and was ready to make himself agreeable； or
was somewhat quelled by the unfriendly ambient he had created； or was
wrought upon by her friendliness； he became everything that could be
wished in a companion for a day's pleasure。 He took the lead at the
station； and got them a compartment in the car