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〃Oh； the taint doesn't show itself at once
'If nature put not forth her power
About the opening of the flower；
Who is it that would live an hour？'
and she is a flower； beautiful； exquisite〃
〃Yes； and she had a mother as well as this father of hers。 Why
shouldn't she be like her mother？〃
I laughed。 〃That is true！ I wonder why we always leave the mother
out of the count when we sum up the hereditary tendencies？ I
suppose the mother is as much a parent as the father。〃
〃Quite。 And there is no reason why this girl shouldn't have her
mother's nature。〃
〃We don't actually KNOW anything against her father's nature yet；〃 I
suggested； 〃but if her mother lived a starved and stunted life with
him； it may account for that effect of disappointed greed which I
fancied in her when I first saw her。〃
〃I don't call it greed in a young girl to want to see something of
the world。〃
〃What do you call it？〃
Kendricks and the girl were stopping at the gate of the pavilion；
and looking round at us。 〃Ah； he's got enough for one day！ He's
going to leave her to us now。〃
When we came up he said； 〃I'm going to run off a moment； I'm going
up to the book…store there；〃 and he pointed toward one that had
spread across the sidewalk just below the Congress Hall verandah；
with banks and shelves of novels； and a cry of bargains in them on
signs sticking up from their rows。 〃I want to see if they have the
Last Days of Pompeii。〃
〃We will find the ladies inside the park；〃 I said。 〃I will go with
you〃
〃Mr。 March wants to see if they have the last number of Every Other
Week；〃 my wife mocked after us。 This was； indeed； commonly a foible
of mine。 I had newly become one of the owners of the periodical as
well as the editor； and I was all the time looking out for it at the
news…stands and book…stores； and judging their enterprise by its
presence or absence。 But this time I had another motive； though I
did not allege it。
〃I suppose it's for Miss Gage？〃 I ventured to say； by way of
prefacing what I wished to say。 〃Kendricks； I'm afraid we're
abusing your good nature。 I know you're up here to look about； and
you're letting us use all your time。 You mustn't do it。 Women have
no conscience about these things； and you can't expect a woman who
has a young lady on her hands to spare you。 I give you the hint。
Don't count upon Mrs。 March in this matter。〃
〃Oh； I think you are very good to allow me to bother round；〃 said
the young fellow； with that indefatigable politeness of his。 He
added vaguely； 〃It's very interesting。〃
〃Seeing it through such a fresh mind？〃 I suggested。 〃Well； I'll own
that I don't think you could have found a much fresher one。 Has she
read the Last Days of Pompeii？〃
〃She thought she had at first； but it was the Fall of Granada。〃
〃How delightful！ Don't you wish we could read books with that
utterly unliterary sense of them？〃
〃Don't you think women generally do？〃 he asked evasively。
〃I daresay they do at De Witt Point。〃
He did not answer； I saw that he was not willing to talk the young
lady over； and I could not help praising his taste to myself at the
cost of my own。 His delicacy forbade him the indulgence which my
own protested against in vain。 He showed his taste again in buying
a cheap copy of the book； which he meant to give her； and of course
he had to be all the more attentive to her because of my deprecating
his self…devotion。
CHAPTER XI
In the intimacy that grew up between my wife and Miss Gage I found
myself less and less included。 It seemed to me at times that I
might have gone away from Saratoga and not been seriously missed by
any one； but perhaps this was not taking sufficient account of my
value as a spectator； by whom Mrs。 March could verify her own
impressions。
The girl had never known a mother's care； and it was affecting to
see how willing she was to be mothered by the chance kindness of a
stranger。 She probably felt more and more her ignorance of the
world as it unfolded itself to her in terms so altogether strange to
the life of De Witt Point。 I was not sure that she would have been
so grateful for the efforts made for her enjoyment if they had
failed； but as the case stood she was certainly grateful； my wife
said that； and I saw it。 She seemed to have written home about us
to her father； for she read my wife part of a letter from him
conveying his 〃respects；〃 and asking her to thank us for him。 She
came to me with the cheque it enclosed； and asked me to get it
cashed for her； it was for a handsome amount。 But she continued to
go about at our cost； quite unconsciously； till one day she happened
to witness a contest of civility between Kendricks and myself as to
which should pay the carriage we were dismissing。 That night she
came to Mrs。 March； and； with many blushes； asked to be allowed to
pay for the past and future her full share of the expense of our
joint pleasures。 She said that she had never thought of it before；
and she felt so much ashamed。 She could not be consoled till she
was promised that she should be indulged for the future； and that I
should be obliged to average the outlay already made and let her pay
a fourth。 When she had gained her point； Mrs。 March said that she
seemed a little scared； and said； 〃I haven't offended you； Mrs。
March； have I？ Because if it isn't right for me to pay〃
〃It's quite right； my dear；〃 said my wife； 〃and it's very nice of
you to think of it。〃
〃You know；〃 the girl explained； 〃I've never been out a great deal at
home even； and it's always the custom there for the gentlemen to pay
for a rideor danceor anything； but this is different。〃
Mrs March said 〃Yes；〃 and； in the interest of civilisation； she did
a little missionary work。 She told her that in Boston the young
ladies paid for their tickets to the Harvard assemblies； and
preferred to do it； because it left them without even a tacit
obligation。
Miss Gage said she had never heard of such a thing before； but she
could see how much better it was。
I do not think she got on with the Last Days of Pompeii very
rapidly； its immediate interest was superseded by other things。 But
she always had the book about with her； and I fancied that she tried
to read it in those moments of relaxation from our pleasuring when
she might better have been day…dreaming； though I dare say she did
enough of that too。
What amused me in the affair was the celerity with which it took
itself out of our hands。 In an incredibly short time we had no
longer the trouble of thinking what we should do for Miss Gage； that
was provided for by the forethought of Kendricks； and our concern
was how each could make the other go with the young people on their
excursions and expeditions。 We had seen and done all the things
that they were doing； and it presently bored us to chaperon them。
After a good deal of talking we arrived at a rough division of duty；
and I went with them walking and eating and drinking； and for
anything involving late hours； and Mrs。 March presided at such
things as carriage exercise； concerts； and shopping。
There are not many public entertainments at Saratoga； except such as
the hotels supply； but a series of Salvation Army meetings did duty
as amusements； and there was one theatrical performancea
performance of East Lynne entirely by people of colour。 The
sentiments and incidents of the heart…breaking melodrama； as the
coloured mind interpreted them； were of very curious effect。 It was
as if the version were dyed with the same pigment that darkened the
players' skins： it all came out negro。 Yet they had tried to make
it white； I could perceive how they aimed not at the imitation of
our nature； but at the imitation of our convention； it was like the
play of children in that。 I should have said that nothing could be
more false than the motives and emotions of the drama as the author
imagined them； but I had to own that their rendition by these
sincere souls was yet more artificial。 There was nothing
traditional； nothing archaic； nothing autochthonic in their poor
art。 If the scene could at any moment have resolved myself into a
walk…round； with an interspersion of spirituals； it would have had
the charm of these； it would have consoled and edified； but as it
was I have seldom been so bored。 I began to make some sad
reflections； as that our American society； in its endeavour for the
effect of European society； was of no truer ideal than these
coloured comedians； and I accused myself of a final absurdity in
having come there with these young people； who； according to our
good native usage； could have come perfectly well without me。 At
the end of the first act I broke into their talk with my conclusion
that we must not count the histrionic talent among the gifts of the
African race just yet。 We could concede them music； I supposed； and
there seemed to be hope for them； from what they had some of them
done； in the region of the plastic arts； but apparently the stage
was not for them； and this was all the stranger because they were so
imitative。 Perhaps； I said； it was an excess of self…consciousness
which prevented their givi