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〃I shall handle him without gloves；〃 I said。 〃I shall tell him he
had better go away。〃
I was joking； but she said seriously； 〃Yes； he must go away。 And I
don't envy you having to tell him。 I suppose you will bungle it； of
course。〃
〃Well； then； you must advise me；〃 I said； and we really began to
consider the question。 We could hardly exaggerate the difficulty
and delicacy of the duty before me。 We recognised that before I
made any explicit demand of him I must first ascertain the nature of
the whole ground and then be governed by the facts。 It would be
simple enough if I had merely to say that we thought the girl's
affections were becoming engaged； and then appeal to his eager
generosity； his delicate magnanimity； but there were possible
complications on his side which must be regarded。 I was to
ascertain； we concluded； the exact nature of the situation before I
ventured to say anything openly。 I was to make my approaches by a
series of ambushes before I unmasked my purpose； and perhaps I must
not unmask it at all。 As I set off on my mission； which must begin
with finding Kendricks at his hotel； Mrs。 March said she pitied me。
She called me back to ask whether I thought I had really better do
anything。 Then； as I showed signs of weakening； she drove me from
her with； 〃Yes； yes！ You must！ You must！〃
CHAPTER XVII
It was still so early that I had my doubts whether I should find
Kendricks up after the last night's revelry； but he met me half…way
between our hotel and his。 He said he was coming to see how Mrs。
March was bearing Miss Gage's immense success at the ball； but
perhaps this was not his sole motive。 He asked frankly how the
young lady was； and whether I thought Mrs。 March would consider a
lunch at a restaurant by the lake a good notion。 When I said I had
very little doubt she would； and proposed taking a turn in the park
before I went back with him； he looked at his watch and laughed； and
said he supposed it WAS rather early yet； and came very willingly
with me。
We had the pretty place almost to ourselves at that hour。 There
were a half…dozen or so nursemaids； pushing their perambulators
about； or standing the vehicles across the walk in front of the
benches where they sat； in the simple belief of all people who have
to do with babies that the rest of the world may be fitly
discommoded in their behalf。 But they did not actively molest us；
and they scarcely circumscribed our choice of seats。 We were by no
means driven to the little kiosk in the lake for them； and I should
rather say that we were fatefully led there； so apt were the
associations of the place to my purpose。 Nothing could have been
more natural than that I should say； as we sat down there； 〃This was
where I first saw Miss Gage with her friends〃； and it was by a
perfectly natural transition that I should go on to speak； in a
semi…humorous strain； of the responsibility which Mrs。 March and
myself had incurred by letting our sympathy for her run away with
us。 I said I supposed that if we had not been willing from the
first to try to realise for her some of the expectations we imagined
she had in coming to Saratoga； she never would have fallen to our
charge； that people really brought a great many more things upon
themselves than they were willing to own； and that fate was perhaps
more the fulfilment of our tacit ambitions than our overt acts。
This bit of philosophy； which I confess I thought fine； did not seem
to impress Kendricks。 He merely said that it must be great fun to
have the chance of baffling the malice of circumstance in a case
like that； and I perceived that he felt nothing complex in the
situation。 In fact； I doubt whether youth perceives anything
complex in life。 To the young； life is a very plain case。 To be
sure； they are much more alarmed than their elders at getting
tangled up in its web at times； but that is because they have not
had our experience in getting untangled； and think they are never
going to get out alive。 When they do； they think that it is the
only tangle they are ever going to be in； and do not know that they
are simply going on from one to another as long as there is enough
of them left to be caught in a mesh。 To Kendricks we Marches were
simply two amiable people； who had fancied doing a pleasant thing
for a beautiful girl that accident had thrown it in our power to
befriend； and were by no means the trembling arbiters of her destiny
we felt ourselves to be。 The difference between his objective sense
and my subjective sense was the difference between his twenty…seven
years and my fifty…two； and while this remained I saw that it would
be useless to try to get on common ground with him； or to give him
our point of view。 If I were to speak to him at all； it must be
with authority； with the right of one who stood in the place of the
girl's parents； and had her happiness at heart。 That is； it was
something like that； but my words say it too bluntly。 I found
myself beginning； 〃I have rather had a notion that her father might
come on； and take the enterprise off our hands；〃 though； to tell the
truth； I had never imagined such a thing； which came into my head at
that moment through an association with the thought of parents。
〃Have you any idea what sort of man he is？〃 asked Kendricks。
〃Oh； some little local magnate； president of the village and
president of the village bank； I fancy the chief figure in the
place； but probably as ignorant of our world as a Cherokee。〃
〃Well； I don't know；〃 said the young fellow。 〃Do you think that
follows because he doesn't live in it？〃 I could see that he did not
quite like what I had said。 〃I suppose ours is rather a small
world。〃
〃The smallest of all worlds；〃 I answered。 〃And in the eyes of Papa
Gage； if they could once be focused upon it； our world would shrivel
to an atom。〃
〃Do you think；〃 he asked； with a manifest anxiety； 〃that it would in
hers？〃
〃No； she is not the American people； and her father is； as I fancy
him。 I make out from the vague hints that Brother Deering （as
Fulkerson would call him） dropped when he talked about him that Papa
Gage is a shrewd； practical； home…keeping business man； with an eye
single to the main chance； lavish； but not generous； Philistine to
the backbone； blindly devoted to his daughter； and contemptuous of
all the myriad mysteries of civilisation that he doesn't understand。
I don't know why I should be authorised to imagine him personally
long and lank； with possibly a tobacco habit of some sort。 His
natural history； upon no better authority； is that of a hard…headed
farmer； who found out that farming could never be more than a
livelihood； and came into the village； and began to lend money； and
get gain； till he was in a position to help found the De Witt Point
National Bank； and then； by weight of his moneyed solidity； imposed
himself upon the free and independent voters of the villagea
majority of them under mortgage to himand became its president。
It isn't a pleasant type； but it's ideally American。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Kendricks ruefully。
〃But his daughter；〃 I continued； 〃is probably altogether different。
There is something fine about herreally fine。 Our world wouldn't
shrivel in her eye； it would probably swell up and fill the
universe；〃 I added by an impulse that came from nowhere irresistibly
upon me： 〃that is； if she could see YOU in it。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 he asked with a start。
〃Oh； now I must tell you what I mean；〃 I said desperately。 〃It's
you that have complicated this case so dreadfully for us。 Can't you
think why？〃
〃No； I can't；〃 he said； but he had to say that。
His fine； sensitive face flamed at once so fire…red that it could
only turn pale for a change when I plunged on： 〃I'm afraid we've
trifled with her happiness〃； and this formulation of the case
disgusted me so much that I laughed wildly； and added； 〃unless we've
trifled with yours； too。〃
〃I don't know why you call it trifling with happiness；〃 he returned
with dignity； but without offence。 〃If you will leave her out of
the question； I will say that you have given me the greatest
happiness of my life in introducing me to Miss Gage。〃
〃Now；〃 I demanded； 〃may I ask what YOU mean？ You know I wouldn't if
I didn't feel bound for her sake； and if you hadn't said just what
you have said。 You needn't answer me unless you like！ It's
pleasant to know that you've not been bored； and Mrs。 March and I
are infinitely obliged to you for helping us out。〃
Kendricks made as if he were going to say something； and then he did
not。 He hung his head lower and lower in the silence which I had to
break for him〃I hope I haven't been intrusive； my dear fellow。
This is something I felt bound to speak of。 You know we couldn't
let it go on。 Mrs。 March and I have blamed ourselves a good deal；
and we couldn't let it go on。 But I'm afraid I haven't been as
delicate with you〃
〃Oh！ delicate！〃 He lifted his head and flashed a face of generous
self…reproach upon me。 〃It's _I_ that haven't been delicate with
YOU。 I've been monstrously indelicate。 But I never meant to be；
andandI was coming to see you jus