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we can't very well avoid it； and I confess I should like to see how
she impresses him！ Of course we shall introduce him！ But I insist
I shall just do it merely as one human being to another； and don't
you come in with any of your romantic nonsense； Basil； about her
social disappointment。 Just how much did you give the situation
away？〃
I told as well as I could remember。 〃Well； that's nothing。 He'll
never think of it； and you mustn't hint anything of the kind again。〃
I promised devoutly； and she went on …
〃It wouldn't be niceit wouldn't be delicate to let him into the
conspiracy。 That must be entirely our affair； don't you see？ And I
don't want you to take a single step without me。 I don't want you
even to discuss her with him。 Will you？ Because that will tempt
you further。〃
That afternoon Kendricks came promptly to call； like the little
gentleman he was； and he was more satisfactory about Saratoga than
he had been in the morning even。 Mrs。 March catechised him； and she
didn't leave an emotion of his unsearched by her vivid sympathy。
She ended by saying …
〃You must write a story about Saratoga。 And I have got just the
heroine for you。〃
I started； but she ignored my start。
Kendricks laughed； delighted； and asked； 〃Is she pretty？〃
〃Must a heroine be pretty？〃
〃She had better be。 Otherwise she will have to be tremendously
clever and say all sorts of brilliant things； and that puts a great
burden on the author。 If you proclaim boldly at the start that
she's a beauty； the illustrator has got to look after her； and the
author has a comparative sinecure。〃
Mrs。 March thought a moment； and then she said： 〃Well； she is a
beauty。 I don't want to make it too hard for you。〃
〃When shall I see her？〃 Kendricks demanded； and he feigned an
amusing anxiety。
〃Well； that depends upon how you behave； Mr。 Kendricks。 If you are
very； very good； perhaps I may let you see her this evening。 We
will take you to call upon her。〃
〃Is it possible？ Do you mean business？ Then she isin society？〃
〃MR。 Kendricks！〃 cried Mrs。 March； with burlesque severity。 〃Do you
think that I would offer you a heroine who was NOT in society？ You
forget that I am from Boston！〃
〃Of course； of course！ I understand that any heroine of your
acquaintance must be in society。 But I thoughtI didn't knowbut
for the momentSaratoga seems to be so tremendously mixed； and Mr。
March says there is no society here： But if she is from Boston〃
〃I didn't say she was from Boston； Mr。 Kendricks。〃
〃Oh； I beg your pardon！〃
〃She is from De Witt Point；〃 said Mrs。 March； and she apparently
enjoyed his confusion； no less than my bewilderment at the course
she was taking。
I was not going to be left behind； though； and I said： 〃I
discovered this heroine myself； Kendricks； and if there is to be any
giving away〃
〃Now； Basil！〃
〃I am going to do it。 Mrs。 March would never have cared anything
about her if it hadn't been for me。 I can't let her impose on you。
This heroine is no more in society than she is from Boston。 That is
the trouble with her。 She has come here for society； and she can't
find any。〃
〃Oh； that was what you were hinting at this morning；〃 said
Kendricks。 〃I thought it a pure figment of the imagination。〃
〃One doesn't imagine such things as that； my dear fellow。 One
imagines a heroine coming here； and having the most magnificent kind
of social careerlawn…parties； lunches； teas； dinners； picnics；
hopsand going back to De Witt Point with a dozen offers of
marriage。 That's the kind of work the imagination does。 But this
simple and appealing situationthis beautiful young girl； with her
poor little illusions； her secret hopes half hidden from herself；
her ignorant past； her visionary future〃
〃Now； _I_ am going to tell you all about her； Mr。 Kendricks；〃 Mrs。
March broke in upon me； with defiance in her eye； and she flung out
the whole fact with a rapidity of utterance that would have left far
behind any attempt of mine。 But I made no attempt to compete with
her； I contented myself with a sarcastic silence which I could see
daunted her a little at last。
〃And all that we've done； my dear fellow〃I took in irony the word
she left to me〃is to load ourselves up with these two impossible
people； to go their security to destiny； and answer for their having
a good time。 We're in luck。〃
〃Why； I don't know；〃 said Kendricks； and I could see that his fancy
was beginning to play with the situation； 〃I don't see why it isn't
a charming scheme。〃
〃Of course it is；〃 cried Mrs。 March； taking a little heart from his
courage。
〃We can't make out yet whether the girl is interesting；〃 I put in
maliciously。
〃That is what YOU say；〃 said my wife。 〃She is very shy； and of
course she wouldn't show out her real nature to you。 I found her
VERY interesting。〃
〃Now； Isabel！〃 I protested。
〃She is fascinating；〃 the perverse woman persisted。 〃She has a
fascinating dulness。〃
Kendricks laughed and I jeered at this complex characterisation。
〃You make me impatient to judge for myself；〃 he said。
〃Will you go with me to call upon them this evening？〃 asked Mrs。
March。
〃I shall be delighted。 And you can count upon me to aid and abet
you in your generous conspiracy； Mrs。 March； to the best of my
ability。 There's nothing I should like better than to help you〃
〃Throw 'dust in her beautiful eyes；'〃 I quoted。
〃Not at all；〃 said my wife。 〃But to spread a beatific haze over
everything； so that as long as she stays in Saratoga she shall see
life rose…colour。 Of course you may say that it's a kind of
deception〃
〃Not at all！〃 cried the young fellow in his turn。 〃We will make it
reality。 Then there will be no harm in it。〃
〃What a jesuitical casuist！ You had better read what Cardinal
Newman says in his Apologia about lying； young man。〃
Neither of them minded me； for just then there was a stir of drapery
round the corner of the piazza from where we were sitting； and the
next moment Mrs。 Deering and Miss Gage showed themselves。
〃We were just talking of you；〃 said Mrs。 March。 〃May I present our
friend Mr。 Kendricks； Mrs。 Deering？ And Miss Gage？〃
At sight of the young man； so well dressed and good…looking； who
bowed so prettily to her； and then bustled to place chairs for them；
a certain cloud seemed to lift from Miss Gage's beautiful face； and
to be at least partly broken on Mrs。 Deering's visage。 I began to
talk to the girl； and she answered in good spirits； and with more
apparent interest in my conversation than she had yet shown； while
Kendricks very properly devoted himself to the other ladies。 Both
his eyes were on them； but I felt that he had a third somehow upon
her； and that the smallest fact of her beauty and grace was not lost
upon him。 I knew that her rich； tender voice was doing its work；
too； through the commonplaces she vouchsafed to me。 There was a
moment when I saw him lift a questioning eyebrow upon Mrs。 March；
and saw her answer with a fleeting frown of affirmation。 I cannot
tell just how it was that； before he left us； his chair was on the
other side of Miss Gage's； and I was eliminated from the dialogue。
He did not stay too long。 There was another tableau of him on foot；
taking leave of Mrs。 March； with a high hand…shake； which had then
lately come in； and which I saw the girl note； and then bowing to
her and to Mrs。 Deering。
〃Don't forget；〃 my wife called after him； with a ready invention not
lost on his quick intelligence； 〃that you're going to the concert
with us after tea。 Eight o'clock； remember。〃
〃You may be sure I shall remember THAT；〃 he returned gaily。
CHAPTER IX
The countenances of the ladies fell instantly when he was gone。
〃Mrs。 March；〃 said Mrs。 Deering； with a nervous tremor； 〃did Mr。
March get us those rooms at the Grand Union？〃
〃Nono；〃 my wife began； and she made a little pause； as if to
gather plausibility。 〃The Grand Union was very full； and he thought
that at the States〃
〃Because；〃 said Mrs。 Deering； 〃I don't know as we shall trouble him；
after all。 Mr。 Deering isn't very well； and I guess we have got to
go home〃
〃GO HOME！〃 Mrs。 March echoed； and her voice was a tone…scene of a
toppling hope and a widespread desolation。 〃Why； you mustn't！〃
〃We must； I guess。 It had begun to be very pleasant； andI guess I
have got to go。 I can't feel easy about him。〃
〃Why； of course；〃 Mrs。 March now assented； and she waved her fan
thoughtfully before her face。 I knew what she was thinking of； and
I looked at Miss Gage； who had involuntarily taken the pose and
expression of the moment when I first saw her at the kiosk in
Congress Park。 〃And Miss Gage？〃
〃Oh yes； I must go too；〃 said the girl wistfully； forlornly。 She
had tears in her voice； tears of despair and vexation； I should have
said。
〃That's too bad；〃 said Mrs。 March； and； as she did not offer any
solution of the matter； I thought it rather heartless of her to go
on and rub it in。 〃And we were just planning some things we could
do together。〃
〃It can't be helped now；〃 returned the girl。
〃But we shall see you again before you go？〃 Mrs。 March asked of
both。
〃Wel