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was silent while the girl submitted to be twirled about for my
inspection like a statue on a revolving pedestal。 Kendricks；
however； had no such restrictions upon him； and I could see him
start with delight in the splendid vision before he spoke。
〃ISN'T it a poem？〃 demanded Mrs。 March。 〃Isn't it a perfect LYRIC？〃
〃Why should you have allowed her to be transported altogether into
the ideal？ Wasn't she far enough from us before？〃 he asked； and I
found myself wishing that he would be either less or more
articulate。 He ought to have been mute with passion； or else he
ought to have been frankly voluble about the girl's gown； and gone
on about it longer。 But he simply left the matter there； and though
I kept him carefully under my eye； I could not see that he was
concealing any further emotion。 She； on her part； neither blushed
nor frowned at his compliment； she did nothing by look or gesture to
provoke more praise； she took it very much as the beautiful evening
might； so undeniably fine； so perfect in its way。
She and the evening were equally fitted for the event to which they
seemed equally dedicated。 The dancing was to be out of doors on a
vast planking； or platform； set up in the heart of that bosky court
which the hotel incloses。 Around this platform drooped the slim；
tall Saratogan trees； and over it hung the Saratogan sky； of a
nocturnal blue very rare in our latitude； with the stars faint in
its depths； and by and by a white moon that permitted itself a
modest competition with the electric lights effulgent everywhere。
There was a great crowd of people in the portico； the vestibule； and
the inner piazzas； and on the lawn around the platform； where 〃the
trodden weed〃 sent up the sweet scent of bruised grass in the cool
night air。 My foolish old heart bounded with a pulse of youth at
the thought of all the gay and tender possibilities of such a scene。
But the young people under my care seemed in no haste to mingle in
it。 We oldsters are always fancying youth impatient； but there is
no time of life which has so much patience。 It behaves as if it had
eternity before itan eternity of youthinstead of a few days and
years； and then the frosty poll。 We who are young no longer think
we would do so and so if we were young； as women think they would do
so and so if they were men； but if we were really young again； we
should not do at all what we think。 We should not hurry to
experience our emotions； we should not press forward to discharge
our duties or repair our mistakes； we should not seize the occasion
to make a friend or reconcile an enemy； we should let weeks and
months go by in the realisation of a passion； and trust all sorts of
contingencies and accidents to help us out with its confession。 The
thoughts of youth are very long； and its conclusions are deliberate
and delayed； and often withheld altogether。 It is age which is
tremulously eager in these matters； and cannot wait with the fine
patience of nature in her growing moods。
As soon； even； as I was in the hotel I was impatient to press
through to the place where the dancing was； and where I already
heard the band playing。 I knew very well that when we got there I
should have to sit down somewhere on the edge of the platform with
the other frumps and fogies； and begin taking cold in my dress…coat；
and want to doze off without being able to； while my young people
were waltzing together； or else promenading up and down ignoring me；
or recognising me by the offer of a fan； and the question whether I
was not simply melting； I have seen how the poor chaperon fares at
such times。 But they； secure of their fun； were by no means
desirous to have it over； or even to have it begin。 They dawdled
through the thronged hotel office； where other irresponsible pairs
were coming and going under the admiring eyes of the hotel loungers；
and they wandered up and down the waste parlours； and sat on tete…a…
tetes just to try them； apparently； and Miss Gage verified in the
mirrors the beauty which was reflected in all eyes。 They amused
themselves with the extent of the richly…carpeted and upholstered
desolation around them； where only a few lonely and aging women
lurked about on sofas and ottomans； and they fell to playing with
their compassion for the plebeian spectators at the long verandah
windows trying to penetrate with their forbidden eyes to the hop
going on in the court far beyond the intermediary desert of the
parlours。
When they signified at last that they were ready for me to lead them
on to the dance； I would so much rather have gone to bed that there
are no words for the comparison。 Then； when we got to the place；
which I should never have been able to reach in the world if it had
not been for the young energy and inspiration of Kendricks； and they
had put me in a certain seat with Miss Gage's wraps beside me where
they could find me； they went off and danced for hours and hours。
For hours and hours？ For ages and ages！ while I withered away amid
mouldering mothers； and saw my charges through the dreadful half…
dreams of such a state whirling in the waltz； hopping in the polka；
sliding in the galop； and then endlessly walking up and down between
the dances； and eating and drinking the chill refreshments that it
made my teeth chatter to think of。 I suppose they decently came to
me from time to time； though they seemed to be always dancing； for I
could afterward remember Miss Gage taking a wrap from me now and
then； and quickly coming back to shed it upon my lap again。 I got
so chilled that if they had not been unmistakably women's wraps I
should have bundled them all about my shoulders； which I could
almost hear creak with rheumatism。 I must have fallen into a sort
of drowse at last； for I was having a dispute with some sort of
authority； which turned out to be Mrs。 March； and upbraiding her
with the fact that there were no women's wraps which would also do
for a man； when the young people stood arm in arm before me； and
Miss Gage said that she was tired to death now； and they were going。
But it appeared that they were only going as far as the parlours for
the present； for when they re…entered the hotel； they turned into
them； and sat down there quite as if that had been the
understanding。 When I arrived with the wraps； I was reminded of
something； and I said； 〃Have you two been dancing together the whole
evening？〃
They looked at each other as if for the first time they now realised
the fact； and Kendricks said； 〃Why； of course we have！ We didn't
know anybody。〃
〃Very well； then；〃 I said； 〃you have got me into a scrape。〃
〃Oh； poor Mr。 March！〃 cried the girl。 〃How have we done it？〃
〃Why； Mrs。 March said that Mr。 Kendricks would be sure to know
numbers of people； and I must get you other partners； for it
wouldn't do for you to dance the whole evening together。〃
She threw herself back in the chair she had taken； and laughed as if
this were the best joke in the world。
He said hardily； 〃You see it HAS done。〃
〃And if it wouldn't do；〃 she gasped； 〃why didn't you bring me the
other partners？〃
〃Because I didn't know any；〃 I said； and this seemed to amuse them
both so much that I was afraid they would never get their breath。
She looked by and by at her dancing…card； and as soon as she could
wipe the tears from her eyes she said； 〃No； there is no other name
there〃； and this seemed even a better joke than the other from the
way they joined in laughing at it。
〃Well； now；〃 I said； when they were quiet again； 〃this won't do； my
young friends。 It's all very well for you； and you seem to like it；
but I am responsible for your having passed a proper evening under
my chaperonage； and something has got to be done to prove it。〃 They
saw the reasonableness of this； and they immediately became sober。
〃Kendricks；〃 I asked； 〃can't you think of something？〃
No； he said； he couldn't； and then he began to laugh again。
I applied to her in the same terms； but she only answered； 〃Oh；
don't ask ME；〃 and she went off laughing too。
〃Very well； then；〃 I said； 〃I shall have to do something desperate；
and I shall expect you both to bear me out in it； and I don't want
any miserable subterfuges when it comes to the point with Mrs。
March。 Will you let me have your dancing…card Miss Gage？〃 She
detached it； and handed it to me。 〃It's very fortunate that Mr。
Kendricks wrote his name for the first dance only； and didn't go on
and fill it up。〃
〃Why； we didn't think it was worth while！〃 she innocently explained。
〃And that's what makes it so perfectly providential； as Mrs。 March
says。 Now then；〃 I went on； as I wrote in the name of a rising
young politician； who happened just then to have been announced as
arriving in Saratoga to join some other leaders in arranging the
slate of his party for the convention to meet a month later； 〃we
will begin with a good American。〃
I handed the card to Kendricks。 〃Do you happen to remember the name
of the young French nobleman who danced the third dance with Miss
Gage？〃
〃No；〃 he said； 〃but I think I could invent it。〃 And he dashed down
an extremely probable marquis； while Miss Gage clappe