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The hotel people did not keep us from going into the court of the
hotel； as I was afraid they might； and we all easily found places。
In the pauses of the music I pointed out such notables and
characters as I saw about us； and tried to possess her of as much of
the Saratoga world as I knew。 It was largely there in that bold
evidence it loves； and in that social solitude to which the Saratoga
of the hotels condemns the denizens of her world。 I do not mean
that the Saratoga crowd is at all a fast…looking crowd。 There are
sporting people and gamblers； but the great mass of the frequenters
are plain； honest Americans； out upon a holiday from all parts of
the country； and of an innocence too inveterate to have grasped the
fact that there is no fashion in Saratoga now but the fashion of the
ladies' dresses。 These； I must say； are of the newest and
prettiest； the dressing of the women always strikes me there。 My
companion was eager to recognise the splendours which she had heard
of； and I pointed out an old lady by the door； who sat there
displaying upon her vast person an assortment of gems and jewels
which she seemed as personally indifferent to as if she were a show…
window； and I was glad to have the girl shrink from the spectacle in
a kind of mute alarm。 I tried to make her share my pleasure in a
group of Cubansfat father； fat mother； fat daughterwho came down
the walk toward us in the halo of tropical tradition； but she had
not the taste for olives； and I saw that I failed to persuade her of
the aesthetic value of this alien element among us。 She apparently
could do almost as little with some old figures of bygone beaus
spectrally revisiting the hotel haunts of their youth； but she was
charmed with the sylvan loveliness of that incomparable court。 It
is； in fact； a park of the tall； slim Saratoga trees enclosed by the
quadrangle of the hotel； exquisitely kept； and with its acres of
greensward now showing their colour vividly in the light of the
electrics； which shone from all sides on the fountain flashing and
plashing in the midst。 I said that here was that union of the
sylvan and the urban which was always the dream of art； and which
formed the delicate charm of pastoral poetry； and although I do not
think she quite grasped the notion； I saw that she had a pleasure in
the visible fact； and that was much better。 Besides； she listened
very respectfully； and with no signs of being bored。
In the wait between the two parts of the concert I invited her to
walk around the court with me； and under the approving eye of Mrs。
March we made this expedition。 It seemed to me that I could not do
a wiser thing； both for the satisfaction of my own curiosity and for
the gratification of the autobiographical passion we all feel； than
to lead her on to speak of herself。 But she had little or nothing
to say of herself； and what she said of other things was marked by a
straightforward good sense； if not a wide intelligence。 I think we
make a mistake when we suppose that a beautiful woman must always be
vain or conscious。
I fancy that a beauty is quite as often a solid and sensible person；
with no inordinate wish to be worshipped； and this young lady struck
me as wholly unspoiled by flattery。 I decided that she was not the
type that would take the fancy of De Witt Point； and that she had
grown up without local attention for that reason； or possibly
because a certain coldness in her overawed the free spirit of rustic
love…making。 No doubt she knew that she was beautiful； and I began
to think that it was not so much disappointment at finding Saratoga
as indifferent as De Witt Point which gave her the effect of disgust
I had first noted in her the night before。 That might rather have
come from the sense of feeling herself a helpless burden on her
friends； and from that young longing for companionship which is as
far as may be from the desire of conquest； of triumph。 Finding her
now so gratefully content with the poor efforts to amuse her which
an old fellow like me could make； I perceived that the society of
other girls would suffice to make Saratoga quite another thing for
her； and I cast about in my mind to contrive this somehow。
I confess that I liked her better and better； and before the evening
was out I had quite transferred my compassion from the Deerings to
her。 It WAS forlorn and dreary for her to be attached to this good
couple； whose interests were primarily in each other； and who had
not the first of those arts which could provide her with other
company。 She willingly told about their journey to Saratoga； and
her story did not differ materially from the account Deering had
already given me； but even the outward form of adventure had fallen
from their experience since they had come to Saratoga。 They had
formed the habit of Congress Park by accident； but they had not been
to the lake； or the races； or the House of Pansa； or Mount M'Gregor；
or Hilton Park； or even the outlying springs。 It was the first time
they had been inside of the Grand Union。 〃Then you have never seen
the parlour？〃 I asked； and after the concert I boldly led the way
into the parlour； and lavished its magnificence upon them as if I
had been the host； or one of the hotel guests at the very least。 I
enjoyed the breathlessness of the Deerings so much； as we walked up
and down the vast drawing…rooms accompanied by our images in the
mirrors； that I insisted upon sitting down with them all upon some
of the richest pieces of furniture； and I was so flown with my
success as cicerone that I made them come with me to the United
States。 I showed them through the parlours there； and then led them
through to the inner verandah； which commanded another wooded court
like that of the Grand Union。 I tried to make them feel the
statelier sentiment of the older hotel； and to stir their
imaginations with a picture of the old times； when the Southern
planters used to throng the place； and all that was gay and
brilliant in fashionable society was to be seen there some time
during the summer。 I think that I failed in this； but apparently I
succeeded in giving them an evening of dazzling splendour。
〃Well； sir； this has been a great treat；〃 said Mr。 Deering； when he
bade us goodbye as well as good…night； he was going early in the
morning。
The ladies murmured their gratitude； Mrs。 Deering with an emotion
that suited her thanks； and Miss Gage with a touch of something
daughterly toward me that I thought pretty。
CHAPTER VI
〃Well； what DID you make of her； my dear？〃 Mrs。 March demanded the
instant she was beyond their hearing。 〃I must say； you didn't spare
yourself in the cause； you did bravely。 What is she like？〃
〃Really； I don't know；〃 I answered； after a moment's reflection。 〃I
should say she was almost purely potential。 She's not so much this
or that kind of girl； she's merely a radiant image of girlhood。〃
〃Now； your chicquing it； you're faking it；〃 said Mrs。 March；
borrowing the verbs severally from the art editor and the publisher
of Every Other Week。 〃You have got to tell me just how much and how
little there really is of her before I go any further with them。 Is
she stupid？〃
〃Nono； I shouldn't say stupid exactly。 She iswhat shall I say？…
…extremely plain…minded。 I suppose the goddesses were plain…minded。
I'm a little puzzled by her attitude toward her own beauty。 She
doesn't live her beauty any more than a poet lives his poetry or a
painter his painting； though I've no doubt she knows her gift is
hers just as they do。〃
〃I think I understand。 You mean she isn't conscious。〃
〃No。 Conscious isn't quite the word；〃 I said fastidiously。 〃Isn't
there some word that says less； or more； in the same direction？〃
〃No； there isn't； and I shall think you don't mean anything at all
if you keep on。 Now； tell me how she really impressed you。 Does
she know anything？ Has she read anything？ Has she any ideas？〃
〃Really； I can't say whether they were ideas or not。 She knew what
Every Other Week was； she had read the stories in it； but I'm not
sure she valued it at its true worth。 She is very plain…minded。〃
〃Don't keep repeating that！ What do you mean by plain…minded？〃
〃Well； honest； single； common…sense； coherent； arithmetical。〃
〃Horrors！ Do you mean that she is MANNISH？〃
〃No； not mannish。 And yet she gave me the notion that； when it came
to companionship； she would be just as well satisfied with a lot of
girls as young men。〃
Mrs。 March pulled her hand out of my arm； and stopped short under
one of those tall Saratoga shade…trees to dramatise her inference。
〃Then she is the slyest of all possible pusses！ Did she give you
the notion that she would be just as well satisfied with you as with
a young man！〃
〃She couldn't deceive me so far as THAT； my dear。〃
〃Very well； I shall take her in hand myself to…morrow； and find out
what she really is。〃
Mrs。 March went shopping the next forenoon with what was left of the
Deering party； Deering had taken the early train north； and she
seemed to have found the ladies livelier without him。 She formed
the impression from their more joyous behaviour that