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Gage？〃
〃No；〃 he said； 〃but I think I could invent it。〃 And he dashed down
an extremely probable marquis； while Miss Gage clapped her hands for
joy。
〃Oh； how glorious！ how splendid！〃
I asked； 〃Will you ever give me away the longest day you live？〃
〃Never；〃 she promised； and I added the name of a South American
doctor； one of those doctors who seem to be always becoming the
presidents of their republics； and ordering all their patients of
opposite politics to be shot in the plaza。
Kendricks entered a younger son of an English duke； and I
contributed the hyphenated surname of a New York swell； and between
us we soon had all the dances on Miss Gage's card taken by the most
distinguished people。 We really studied probability in the forgery；
and we were proud of the air of reality it wore in the carefully
differenced handwritings； with national traits nicely accented in
each。
CHAPTER XVI
The fun of it all was that Mrs。 March was not deceived for an
instant。 〃Oh； nonsense！〃 she said； when she glanced at our pretty
deception； which we presented with perhaps too perfect seriousness。
〃Then you danced only the first dance？〃
〃No； no！〃 Miss Gage protested。 〃I danced every dance as long as I
stayed。〃 She laughed with her handkerchief to her mouth and her
eyes shining above。
〃Yes； I can testify to that； Mrs。 March；〃 said Kendricks； and he
laughed wildly； too。 I must say their laughter throughout was far
beyond the mirthfulness of the facts。 They both protested that they
had had the best time in the world； and the gayest time； that I had
been a mirror of chaperons； and followed them round with my eyes
wherever they went like a family portrait； and that they were the
most exemplary young couple at the hop in their behaviour。 Mrs。
March asked them all about it； and she joined in their fun with a
hilarity which I knew from long experience boded me no good。
When Kendricks had gone away； and Miss Gage had left us for the
night with an embrace； whose fondness I wondered at； from Mrs。
March； an awful silence fell upon us in the deserted parlour where
she had waited up。
I knew that when she broke the silence she would begin with； 〃Well；
my dear！〃 and this was what she did。 She added； 〃I hope you're
convinced NOW！〃
I did not even pretend not to understand。 〃You mean that they are
in love？ I suppose that their we…ing and us…ing so much would
indicate something of the kind。〃
〃It isn't that alone； everything indicates it。 She would hardly let
go of him with her eyes。 I wish；〃 sighed Mrs。 March； and she let
her head droop upon her hand a moment； 〃I could be as sure of him as
I am of her。〃
''Wouldn't that double the difficulty？〃 I ventured to suggest；
though till she spoke I had not doubted that it was the case。
〃I should make you speak to him if I were sure of him； but as it is
I shall speak to her； and the sooner the better。〃
〃To…night？〃 I quaked。
〃No； I shall let the poor thing have her sleep to…night。 But the
first thing in the morning I shall speak； and I want you to send her
up to me as soon as she's had her breakfast。 Tell her I'm not well；
and shall not be down； I shall not close my eyes the whole night。
And now；〃 she added； 〃I want you to tell me everything that happened
this evening。 Don't omit a word； or a look； or a motion。 I wish to
proceed intelligently。〃
I hope I was accurate in the history of the hop which I gave Mrs。
March； I am sure I was full。 I think my account may be justly
described as having a creative truthfulness； if no other merit。 I
had really no wish to conceal anything except the fact that I had
not； in my utter helplessness； even tried to get Miss Gage any other
partners。 But in the larger interest of the present situation； Mrs。
March seemed to have lost the sense of my dereliction in this
respect。 She merely asked； 〃And it was after you went back to the
parlour； just before you came home； that you wrote those names on
her card？〃
〃Kendricks wrote half of them；〃 I said。
〃I dare say。 Well； it was very amusing； and if the circumstances
were different； I could have entered into the spirit of it too。 But
you see yourself； Basil； that we can't let this affair go any
further without dealing frankly with her。 YOU can't speak to her；
and _I_ MUST。 Don't you see？〃
I said that I saw； but I had suddenly a wild wish that it were
practicable for me to speak to Miss Gage。 I should have liked to
have a peep into a girl's heart at just such a moment； when it must
be quivering with the unconfessed sense of love； and the confident
hope of being loved； but while as yet nothing was assured； nothing
was ascertained。 If it would not have been shocking； if it would
not have been sacrilegious； it would have been infinitely
interesting； and from an aesthetic point of view infinitely
important。 I thought that I should have been willing to undergo all
the embarrassment of such an inquiry for the sake of its precious
results； if it had been at all possible； but I acquiesced that it
would not be possible。 I felt that I was getting off pretty lightly
not to have it brought home to me again that I was the cause of all
this trouble； and that if it had not been for me there would have
been； as far as Mrs。 March was concerned； no Miss Gage； and no love…
affair of hers to deal with。 I debated in my mind a moment whether
I had better urge her to let me speak to Kendricks after all； but I
forbore； and in the morning I waited about in much perturbation；
after I had sent Miss Gage to her； until I could know the result of
their interview。 When I saw the girl come away from her room； which
she did rather trippingly； I went to her； and found her by no means
the wreck I had expected the ordeal to leave her。
〃Did you meet Miss Gage？〃 she asked。
〃Yes；〃 I returned； with tremulous expectation。
〃Well； don't you think she looks perfectly divine in that gown？
It's one of Mme。 Cody's； and we got it for thirty dollars。 It would
have been fifty in New York； and it was； here； earlier in the
season。 I shall always come here for some of my things； as soon as
the season's a little past they simply FLING them away。 Well； my
dear！〃
〃Well； what？〃
〃I didn't speak to her after all。〃
〃You didn't！ Don't you think she's in love with him； then？〃
〃Dead。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well； I couldn't somehow seem to approach the subject as I had
expected to。 She was so happy； and so good； and so perfectly
obedient； that I couldn't get anything to take hold of。 You see； I
didn't know but she might be a little rebellious； or resentful of my
interference； but in the little gingerly attempts I did make she was
so submissive； don't you understand？ And she was very modest about
Mr。 Kendricks' attentions； and so self…depreciatory that； well〃
〃Look here； Isabel；〃 I broke in； 〃this is pretty shameless of you。
You pretend to be in the greatest kind of fidge about this girl； and
you make me lie awake all night thinking what you're going to say to
her； and now you as much as tell me you were so fascinated with the
modest way she was in love that you couldn't say anything to her
against being in love on our hands in any sort of way。 Do you call
this business？〃
〃Well； I don't care if I DID encourage her〃
〃Oh； you even encouraged her！〃
〃I DIDN'T encourage her。 I merely praised Mr。 Kendricks； and said
how much you thought of him as a writer。〃
〃Oh！ then you gave the subject a literary cast。 I see！ Do you
think Miss Gage was able to follow you？〃
〃That doesn't matter。〃
〃And what do you propose to do now？〃
〃I propose to do nothing。 I think that I have done all my duty
requires； and that now I can leave the whole affair to you。 It was
your affair in the beginning。 I don't see why I should worry myself
about it。〃
〃It seems to me that this is a very strange position for a lady to
take who was not going to close an eye last night in view of a
situation which has not changed in the least； except for the worse。
Don't you think you are rather culpably light…hearted all of a
sudden？〃
〃I am light…hearted； but if there is any culpability it is yours；
Basil。〃
I reflected； but I failed to find any novelty in the fact。 〃Very
well； then； what do you propose that I should do？〃
〃I leave that entirely to your own conscience。〃
〃And if my conscience has no suggestion to make？〃
〃That's your affair。〃
I reflected again； and then I said； more than anything to make her
uncomfortable； I'm afraid： 〃I feel perfectly easy in my conscience；
personally； but I have a social duty in the matter； and I hope I
shall perform it with more fidelity and courage than you have shown。
I shall speak to Kendricks。〃
She said： 〃That is just what you ought to do。 I'm quite
surprised。〃 After this touch of irony she added earnestly； 〃And I
do hope； my dear； you will use judgment in speaking to him； and
tact。 You mustn't go at it bluntly。 Remember that Mr。 Kendricks is
not at all to blame。 He began to show her attention to oblige us；
and if she has fallen in love with him it is our fault。〃
〃I shall handle him without gloves；〃 I said。 〃I shall tell him he
had better go away。〃
I was