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girlish type of goddess； she was by no means lank。 Yet it was in
this shape that I had always thought of him； perhaps through an
obscure association with his fellow…villager； Deering。 I had
fancied him saturnine of spirit； slovenly of dress； and lounging of
habit； upon no authority that I could allege； and I was wholly
unprepared for the neat； small figure of a man； very precise of
manner and scrupulous of aspect； who said； 〃How do you do； sir？ I
hope I see you well； sir；〃 when his daughter presented us to each
other； the morning after the eventful day described； and he shook my
hand with his very small； dry hand。
I could not make out from their manner with each other whether they
had been speaking of the great matter in hand or not。 I am rather
at a loss about people of that Philistine make as to what their
procedure will be in circumstances where I know just what people of
my own sort of sophistication would do。 These would come straight
at the trouble； but I fancy that with the other sort the convention
is a preliminary reserve。 I found Mr。 Gage disposed to prolong；
with me at least； a discussion of the weather； and the aspects of
Saratoga； the events of his journey from De Witt Point； and the
hardship of having to ride all the way to Mooer's Junction in a
stage…coach。 I felt more and more； while we bandied these
futilities； as if Mr。 Gage had an overdue note of mine； and was
waiting for me； since I could not pay it； to make some proposition
toward its renewal； and he did really tire me out at last； so that I
said； 〃Well； Mr。 Gage； I suppose Miss Gage has told you something of
the tremendous situation that has developed itself here？〃
I thought I had better give the affair such smiling character as a
jocose treatment might impart； and the dry little man twinkled up
responsively so far as manner was concerned。 〃Well； yes； yes。
There has been some talk of it between us；〃 and again he left the
word to me。
〃Mrs。 March urged your daughter to send for you at once because that
was the right and fit thing to do； and because we felt that the
affair had now quite transcended our powers； such as they were； and
nobody could really cope with it but yourself。 I hope you were not
unduly alarmed by the summons？〃
〃Not at all。 She said in the despatch that she was not sick。 I had
been anticipating a short visit to Saratoga for some days； and my
business was in a shape so that I could leave。〃
〃Oh！〃 I said vaguely； 〃I am very glad。 Mrs。 March felt； as I did；
that circumstances had given us a certain obligation in regard to
Miss Gage； and we were anxious to discharge it faithfully and to the
utmost。 We should have written to you； summoned you； before； if we
could have supposedor been sure； but you know these things go on
so obscurely； and we acted at the very first possible moment。 I
wish you to understand that。 We talked it over a great deal； and I
hope you will believe that we studied throughoutthat we were most
solicitous from beginning to end for Miss Gage's happiness； and that
if we could have foreseen or imaginedif we could have taken any
stepsI trust you will believe〃 I was furious at myself for
being so confoundedly apologetic； for I was thinking all the time of
the bother and affliction we had had with the girl； and there sat
that little wooden image accepting my self…inculpations； and
apparently demanding more of me； but I could not help going on in
the same strain： 〃We felt especially bound in the matter； from the
fact that Mr。 Kendricks was a personal friend of ours； whom we are
very fond of； and we both are very anxious that you should not
suppose that we promoted； or that we were not most vigilantthat we
were for a moment forgetful of your rights in such an affair〃
I stopped； and Mr。 Gage passed his hand across his little meagre；
smiling mouth。
〃Then he is not a connection of yours； Mr。 March？〃
〃Bless me； no！〃 I said in great relief； 〃we are not so swell as
that。〃 And I tried to give him some notion of Kendricks's local
quality； repeating a list of agglutinated New York surnames to which
his was more or less affiliated。 They always amuse me； those names；
which more than any in the world give the notion of social
straining； but I doubt if they affected the imagination of Mr。 Gage；
either in this way or in the way I meanly meant them to affect him。
〃And what did you say his business was？〃 he asked； with that
implication of a previous statement on your part which some people
think it so clever to make when they question you。
I always hate it； and I avenged myself by answering simply； 〃Bless
my soul； he has no business！〃 and letting him take up the word now
or not； as he liked。
〃Then he is a man of independent means？〃
I could not resist answering； 〃Independent means？ Kendricks has no
means whatever。〃 But having dealt this blow； I could add； 〃I
believe his mother has some money。 They are people who live
comfortably〃
〃Then he has no profession？〃 asked Mr。 Gage； with a little more
stringency in his smile。
〃I don't know whether you will call it a profession。 He is a
writer。〃
〃Ah！〃 Mr。 Gage softly breathed。 〃Does he write for yourpaper？〃
I noted that as to the literary technicalities he seemed not to be
much more ignorant than Kendricks's own family； and I said；
tolerantly； 〃Yes； he writes for our magazine。〃
〃Magazineyes； I beg your pardon；〃 he interrupted。
〃And for any others where he can place his material。〃
This apparently did not convey any very luminous idea to Mr。 Gage's
mind； and he asked after a moment； 〃What kind of things does he
write？〃
〃Oh； stories； sketches； poems； reviews； essaysalmost anything； in
fact。〃
The light left his face； and I perceived that I had carried my
revenge too far； at least for Kendricks's advantage； and I
determined to take a new departure at the first chance。 The chance
did not come immediately。
〃And can a man support a wife by that kind of writing？〃 asked Mr。
Gage。
I laughed uneasily。 〃Some people do。 It depends upon how much of
it he can sell。 It depends upon how handsomely a wife wishes to be
supported。 The result isn't usually beyond the dreams of avarice；〃
I said； with a desperate levity。
〃Excuse me；〃 returned the little man。 〃Do you live in that way？ By
your writings？〃
〃No；〃 I said with some state； which I tried to subdue； 〃I am the
editor of Every Other Week； and part owner。 Mr。 Kendricks is merely
a contributor。〃
〃Ah；〃 he breathed again。 〃And if he were successful in selling his
writings； how much would he probably make in a year？〃
〃In a year？〃 I repeated； to gain time。 〃Mr。 Kendricks is
comparatively a beginner。 Say fifteen hundredtwo thousand
twenty…five hundred。〃
〃And that would not go very far in New York。〃
〃No； that would not go far in New York。〃 I was beginning to find a
certain pleasure in dealing so frankly with this hard little man。 I
liked to see him suffer； and I could see that he did suffer； he
suffered as a father must who learns that from a pecuniary point of
view his daughter is imprudently in love。 Why should we always
regard such a sufferer as a comic figure？ He is； if we think of it
rightly； a most serious； even tragical figure； and at all events a
most respectable figure。 He loves her； and his heart is torn
between the wish to indulge her and the wish to do what will be
finally best for her。 Why should our sympathies； in such a case； be
all for the foolish young lovers？ They ought in great measure to be
for the father； too。 Something like a sense of this smote me； and I
was ashamed in my pleasure。
〃Then I should say； Mr。 March； that this seems a most undesirable
engagement for my daughter。 What should you say？ I ask you to make
the case your own。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 I answered； 〃I would much rather not make the case my
own； Mr。 Gage； and I must decline to have you consult me。 I think
that in this matter I have done all that I was called upon to do。 I
have told you what I know of Mr。 Kendricks's circumstances and
connections。 As to his character； I can truly say that he is one of
the best men I ever knew。 I believe in his absolute purity of
heart； and he is the most unselfish； the most generous〃
Mr。 Gage waved the facts aside with his hand。 〃I don't undervalue
those things。 If I could be master； no one should have my girl
without them。 But they do not constitute a livelihood。 From what
you tell me of Mr。 Kendricks's prospects； I am not prepared to say
that I think the outlook is brilliant。 If he has counted upon my
supplying a deficiency〃
〃Oh； excuse me； Mr。 Gage！ Your insinuation〃
〃Excuse ME！〃 he retorted。 〃I am making no insinuation。 I merely
wish to say that； while my means are such as to enable me to live in
comfort at De Witt Point； I am well aware that much more would be
needed in New York to enable my daughter to live in the same
comfort。 I'm not willing she should live in less。 I think it is my
duty to say that I am not at all a rich man； and if there has been
any supposition that I am so； it is a mistake that cannot be
corrected too soon。〃
This time I could not resent his insinuation； for since he had begun
to