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came and went every summer； probably in the belief that they saw a
great deal of social gaiety there。 This made me think； by a natural
series of transitions； of the persons of my American idyl； and I
looked about the pavilion everywhere for them without discovering；
till the last； that they were just behind me。
I found the fact touching。 They had not wished to be in any wise
beholden to me； and had even tried to reject my friendly readiness
to know them better； but they had probably sought my vicinity in a
sense of their loneliness and helplessness； which they hoped I would
not divine； but which I divined instantly。 Still； I thought it best
not to show any consciousness of them； and we sat through the first
part of the concert without taking notice of one another。 Then the
man leaned forward and touched me on the shoulder。
〃Will you let me take your programme a minute？〃
〃Why； certainly；〃 said I。
He took it； and after a vague glance at it he passed it to his wife；
who gave it in turn to the young girl。 She studied it very briefly；
and then； after a questioning look； offered it back to me。
〃Won't you keep it？〃 I entreated。 〃I've quite done with it。〃
〃Oh； thank you；〃 she answered in her tender voice； and she and the
wife looked hard at the man； whom they seemed to unite in pushing
forward by that means。
He hemmed； and asked； 〃Have you been in Saratoga much？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 I said； 〃rather a good deal。 My wife and I have been
here three or four summers。〃
At the confession of my married state； which this statement
implicated； the women exchanged a glance； I fancied； of triumph； as
if they had been talking about me； and I had now confirmed the
ground they had taken concerning me。 Then they joined in goading
the man on again with their eyes。
〃Which hotel；〃 he asked； 〃should you say had the most going on？〃
The young girl and the wife transferred their gaze to me； with an
intensified appeal in it。 The man looked away with a certain shame…
…the shame of a man who feels that his wife has made him make an ass
of himself。 I tried to treat his question； by the quantity and
quality of my answer； as one of the most natural things in the
world； and I probably deceived them all by this effort； though I am
sure that I was most truthful and just concerning the claims of the
different hotels to be the centre of excitement。 I thought I had
earned the right to ask at the end； 〃Are you stopping at the Grand
Union？〃
〃No；〃 he said； and he mentioned one of the smaller hotels； which
depend upon the great houses for the entertainment of their guests。
〃Are you there？〃 he asked； meaning the Grand Union。
〃Oh no；〃 I said； 〃we couldn't do that sort of thing； even if we
wanted。〃 And in my turn I named the modest hotel where we were； and
said that I thought it by all odds the pleasantest place in
Saratoga。 〃But I can't say；〃 I added； 〃that there is a great deal
going on there； either。 If you want that sort of thing you will
have to go to some of the great hotels。 We have our little
amusements； but they're all rather mild。〃 I kept talking to the
man； but really addressing myself to the women。 〃There's something
nearly every evening： prestidigitating； or elocutioning； or a
little concert； or charades； or impromptu theatricals； or something
of that sort。 I can't say there's dancing； though really； I
suppose； if any one wanted to dance there would be dancing。〃
I was aware that the women listened intelligently； even if the man
did not。 The wife drew a long breath； and said； 〃It must be very
pleasant。〃
The girl saidrather more hungrily； I fancied〃Yes； indeed。〃
I don't know why their interest should have prompted me to go on and
paint the lily a little； but I certainly did so。 I did not stop
till the music began again； and I had to stop。 By the time the
piece was finished I had begun to have my misgivings； and I profited
by the brief interval of silence to say to the young girl； 〃I
wouldn't have you think we are a whirl of gaiety exactly。〃
〃Oh no；〃 she answered pathetically； as if she were quite past
expecting that or anything like it。
We were silent again。 At the end of the next piece they all rose；
and the wife said timidly to me； 〃Well； good…evening；〃 as if she
might be venturing too far； and her husband came to her rescue with
〃Well； good…evening； sir。〃 The young girl merely bowed。
I did not stay much longer； for I was eager to get home and tell my
wife about my adventure； which seemed to me of a very rare and
thrilling kind。 I believed that if I could present it to her duly；
it would interest her as much as it had interested me。 But somehow；
as I went on with it in the lamplight of her room； it seemed to lose
colour and specific character。
〃You are always making up these romances about young girls being off
and disappointed of a good time ever since we saw that poor little
Kitty Ellison with her cousins at Niagara；〃 said Mrs。 March。 〃You
seem to have it on the brain。〃
〃Because it's the most tragical thing in the world； and the
commonest in our transition state；〃 I retorted。 I was somewhat
exasperated to have my romance treated as so stale a situation；
though I was conscious now that it did want perfect novelty。 〃It's
precisely for that reason that I like to break my heart over it。 I
see it every summer； and it keeps me in a passion of pity。
Something ought to be done about it。〃
〃Well； don't YOU try to do anything； Basil； unless you write to the
newspapers。〃
〃I suppose；〃 I said； 〃that if the newspapers could be got to take
hold of it； perhaps something might be done。〃 The notion amused me；
I went on to play with it； and imagined Saratoga； by a joint effort
of the leading journals； recolonised with the social life that once
made it the paradise of young people。
〃I have been writing to the children；〃 said my wife； 〃and telling
them to stay on at York Harbour if the Herricks want them so much。
They would hate it here。 You say the girl looked cross。 I can't
exactly imagine a cross goddess。〃
〃There were lots of cross goddesses；〃 I said rather crossly myself；
for I saw that； after having trodden my romance in the dust； she was
willing I should pick it up again and shake it off； and I wished to
show her that I was not to be so lightly appeased。
〃Perhaps I was thinking of angels；〃 she murmured。
〃I distinctly didn't say she was an angel；〃 I returned。
〃Now； come； Basil； I see you're keeping something back。 What did
you try to do for those people？ Did you tell them where you were
stopping？〃
〃Yes； I did。 They asked me； and I told them。〃
〃Did you brag the place up？〃
〃On the contrary； I understated its merits。〃
〃Oh； very well； then；〃 she said； quite as if I had confessed my
guilt； 〃they will come here； and you will have your romance on your
hands for the rest of the month。 I'm thankful we're going away the
first of August。〃
CHAPTER III
The next afternoon； while we were sitting in the park waiting for
the Troy band to begin playing； and I was wondering just when they
would reach the 〃Washington Post March；〃 which I like because I can
always be sure of it； my unknown friends came strolling our way。
The man looked bewildered and bored； with something of desperation
in his troubled eye； and his wife looked tired and disheartened。
The young girl； still in white duck； wore the same air of passive
injury I had noted in her the night before。 Their faces all three
lighted up at sight of me； but they faded again at the cold and
meagre response I made to their smiles under correction of my wife's
fears of them。 I own it was base of me； but I had begun to feel
myself that it might be too large a contract to attempt their
consolation； and； in fact； after one is fifty scarcely any romance
will keep overnight。
My wife glanced from them to me； and read my cowardly mind； but she
waited till they passed； as they did after an involuntary faltering
in front of us； and were keeping on down the path； looking at the
benches； which were filled on either hand。 She said； 〃Weren't those
your friends？〃
〃They were the persons of my romance。〃
〃No matter。 Go after them instantly and bring them back here； poor
things。 We can make room for them。〃
I rose。 〃Isn't this a little too idyllic？ Aren't you rather
overdoing it？〃
〃Don't speak to me； Basil！ I never heard of anything so atrocious。
Go on your knees to them if they refuse！ They can sit here with me；
and you and he can stand。 Fly！〃
I knew she was punishing me for her own reluctance； but I flew； in
that sense of the term； and easily overhauled them in the tangle of
people coming and going in the path； and the nursemaids pushing
their perambulators in either direction。 Hat in hand I delivered my
message。 I could see that it gave the women great pleasure and the
man some doubt。 His mouth fell open a little； their cheeks flushed
and their eyes shone。
〃I don't know as we better；〃 the wife hesitated； 〃I'm afraid we'll
crowd you。〃 And she looked wistfully toward my wife。 The young
girl looked at her。
〃Not at all！〃 I cried。 〃There's an abundance of room。 My wife's
keeping the places for