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none of that reserve I had attributed to him the night before； it
was merely caution and this is the case with most country people。
They are cautious； but not reserved； if they think they can trust
you； they keep back none of their affairs； and this is the American
character； for we are nearly all country people。 I understood him
perfectly when he said； 〃I ruther break stone than go through what I
have been through the last week！ You understand how it is。 'Tain't
as if she said anything； I wish she would； but you feel all the
while that it ain't what she expected it to be； and you feel as if
it was you that was to blame for the failure。 By George！ if any man
was to come along and make an offer for my contract I would sell out
cheap。 It's worse because my wife asked her to come； and thought
she was doin' her all kinds of a favour to let her。 They've always
been together； and when we talked of coming to Saratoga this summer；
nothing would do my wife but Julia must come with us。 Her and her
father usually take a trip off somewhere in the hot weather； but
this time he couldn't leave； president of our National Bank； and
president of the village； too。〃 He threw in the fact of these
dignities explanatorily； but with a willingness； I could see； that
it should affect me。 He went on： 〃They're kind of connections of
my first wife's。 Well； she's a nice girl； too nice； I guess； to get
along very fast。 I see girls all the way along down gettin'
acquainted on the cars and boatswe come east on the Ogdensburg
road to Rouse's Point； and then took the boat down Lake Champlain
and Lake Georgebut she always seemed to hold back。 I don't know's
she's proud either； I can't make it out。 It balls my wife all up；
too。 I tell her she's fretted off all the good her trip's goin' to
do her before she got it。〃
He laughed ruefully； and just then the band began to play the
〃Washington Post。〃
〃What tune's that？〃 he demanded。
〃'Washington Post；'〃 I said； proud of knowing it。
〃By George！ that tune goes right to a fellow's legs； don't it？〃
〃It's the new march；〃 I said。
He listened with a simple joy in it； and his pleasure strengthened
the mystic bond which had formed itself between us through the
confidences he had made me； so flatteringly corroborative of all my
guesses concerning him and his party。
CHAPTER IV
I longed to have the chance of bragging to my wife； but this chance
did not come till the concert was quite over； after I rejoined her
with my companion； and she could take leave of them all without
seeming to abandon them。 Then I judged it best to let her have the
word； for I knew by the way she ran her hand through my arm； and
began pushing me along out of earshot； that she was full of it。
〃Well； Basil； I think that is the sweetest and simplest and kindest
creature in the world； and I'm perfectly in love with her。〃
I did not believe somehow that she meant the girl； but I thought it
best merely to suggest； 〃There are two。〃
〃You know very well which I mean； and I would do anything I could
for her。 She's got a difficult problem before her； and I pity her。
The girl's very well； and she IS a beauty； and I suppose she HAS
been having a dull time； and of course you couldn't please Mrs。
Deering half so well as by doing something for her friend。 I
suppose you're feeling very proud that they're just what you
divined。〃
〃Not at all； I'm so used to divining people。 How did you know I
knew it？〃
〃I saw you talking to him； and I knew you were pumping him。〃
〃Pumping？ He asked nothing better than to flow。 He would put to
shame the provoked spontaneity of any spring in Saratoga。〃
〃Well； did he say that he was going to leave them here？〃
〃He would like to do ityes。 He was very sweet and simple and
kind； too； Isabel。 He complained bitterly of the goddess； and all
but said she sulked。〃
〃Why； I don't know；〃 said my wife。 〃I think； considering； that she
is rather amiable。 She brightened up more and more。〃
〃That was prosperity； or the hope of it； my dear。 Nothing illumines
us like the prospect of pleasant things。 She took you for society
smiling upon her； and of course she smiled back。 But it's only the
first smile of prosperity that cheers。 If it keeps on smiling it
ends by making us dissatisfied again。 When people are getting into
society they are very glad； when they have got in they seem to be
rather gloomy。 We mustn't let these things go too far。 Now that
you've got your friends in good humour； the right way is to drop
themto cut them dead when you meet them； to look the other way。
That will send them home perfectly radiant。〃
〃Nonsense！ I am going to do all I can for them。 What do you think
we can do？ They haven't the first idea how to amuse themselves
here。 It's a miracle they ever got that dress the girl is wearing。
They just made a bold dash because they saw it in a dressmaker's
window the first day； and she had to have something。 It's killingly
becoming to her； but I don't believe they know it； and they don't
begin to know how cheap it was： it was simply THROWN away。 I'm
going shopping with them in the morning。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃But now the question is； what we can do to give them some little
glimpse of social gaiety。 That's what they've come for。〃
We were passing the corner of a large enclosure which seems devoted
in Saratoga to the most distracting of its pleasures； and I said：
〃Well； we might give them a turn on the circular railway or the
switchback； or we could take them to the Punch and Judy drama； or
get their fortunes told in the seeress's tent； or let them fire in
the shooting…gallery； or buy some sweet…grass baskets of the
Indians； and there is the pop…corn and the lemonade。〃
〃I will tell you what；〃 said Mrs March； who had not been listening
to a word I said； for if she had heard me she would not have had
patience with my ironical suggestions。
〃Well； what？〃
〃Or； no； that wouldn't do； either。〃
〃I'm glad you don't approve of the notion； on second thoughts。 I
didn't like it from the beginning； and I didn't even know what it
was。〃
〃We could have them up to the house this evening； and introduce them
to some of our friends；only there isn't a young man in the whole
place；and have them stay to the charades。〃
〃What do you think；〃 I said； 〃of their having come up this morning
and tried to get rooms at our house？〃
〃Yes； they told me。〃
〃And don't you call that rather forth…putting？ It seems to me that
it was taking a mean advantage of my brags。〃
〃It was perfectly innocent in them。 But now； dearest； don't be
tiresome。 I know that you like them as well as I do； and I will
take all your little teasing affectations for granted。 The question
is； what can we do for them？〃
〃And the answer is； I don't in the least know。 There isn't any
society life at Saratoga that I can see； and if there is； we are not
in it。 How could we get any one else in？ I see that's what you're
aiming at。 Those public socialities at the big hotels they could
get into as well as we could； but they wouldn't be anywhere when
they got there； and they wouldn't know what to do。 You know what
hollow mockeries those things are。 Don't you remember that hop we
went to with the young Braceys the first summer？ If those girls
hadn't waltzed with each other they wouldn't have danced a step the
whole evening。〃
〃I know； I know；〃 sighed my wife； 〃it was terrible。 But these
people are so very unworldly that don't you think they could be
deluded into the belief that they were seeing society if we took a
little trouble？ You used to be so inventive！ You could think up
something now if you tried。〃
〃My dear； a girl knows beyond all the arts of hoodwinking whether
she's having a good time； and your little scheme of passing off one
of those hotel hops for a festivity would never work in the world。〃
〃Well； I think it is too bad！ What has become of all the easy
gaiety there used to be in the world？〃
〃It has been starched and ironed out of it； apparently。 Saratoga is
still trying to do the good old American act； with its big hotels
and its heterogeneous hops； and I don't suppose there's ever such a
thing as a society person at any of them。 That wouldn't be so bad。
But the unsociety people seem to be afraid of one another。 They
feel that there is something in the airsomething they don't and
can't understand； something alien； that judges their old…fashioned
American impulse to be sociable； and contemns it。 No； we can't do
anything for our hapless friendsI can hardly call them our
acquaintances。 We must avoid them； and keep them merely as a
pensive colour in our own vivid memories of Saratoga。 If we made
them have a good time； and sent them on their way rejoicing； I
confess that I should feel myself distinctly a loser。 As it is；
they're a strain of melancholy poetry in my life； of music in the
minor key。 I shall always associate their pathos with this hot
summer weather； and I shall think of them whenever the thermometer
registers eighty…nine。 Don't you see the advantage of that？ I
believe I can ultimately get some literature out of them。 If I can
think of a fitting