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seemed to have found the ladies livelier without him。 She formed
the impression from their more joyous behaviour that he kept his
wife from spending as much money as she would naturally have done；
and that； while he was not perhaps exactly selfish； he was forgetful
of her youth； of the difference in years between them； and of her
capacity for pleasures which he could not care for。 She said that
Mrs。 Deering and Miss Gage now acted like two girls together； and；
if anything； Miss Gage seemed the elder of the two。
〃And what did you decide about her？〃 I inquired。
〃Well； I helped her buy a hat and a jacket at one of those nice
shops just below the hotel where they're stopping； and we've started
an evening dress for her。 She can't wear that white duck morning；
noon； and night。〃
〃But her characterher nature？〃
〃Oh！ Well； she is rather plain…minded； as you call it。 I think she
shows out her real feelings too much for a woman。〃
〃Why do you prefer dissimulation in your sex； my dear？〃
〃I don't call it dissimulation。 But of course a girl ought to hide
her feelings。 Don't you think it would have been better for her not
to have looked so obviously out of humour when you first saw her the
other night？〃
〃She wouldn't have interested me so much； then； and she probably
wouldn't have had your acquaintance now。〃
〃Oh； I don't mean to say that even that kind of girl won't get on；
if she gives her mind to it； but I think I should prefer a little
less plain…mindedness； as you call it； if I were a man。〃
I did not know exactly what to say to this； and I let Mrs。 March go
on。
〃It's so in the smallest thing。 If you're choosing a thing for her；
and she likes another； she lets you feel it at once。 I don't mean
that she's rude about it； but she seems to set herself so square
across the way； and you come up with a kind of bump against her。 I
don't think that's very feminine。 That's what I mean by mannish。
You always know where to find her。〃
I don't know why this criticism should have amused me so much； but I
began to laugh quite uncontrollably； and I laughed on and on。 Mrs。
March kept her temper with me admirably。 When I was quiet again；
she said …
〃Mrs。 Deering is a person that wins your heart at once； she has that
appealing quality。 You can see that she's cowed by her husband；
though he means to be kind to her； and yet you may be sure she gets
round him； and has her own way all the time。 I know it was her idea
to have him go home and leave them here； and of course she made him
think it was his。 She saw that as long as he was here； and anxious
to get back to his 'stock；' there was no hope of giving Miss Gage
the sort of chance she came for； and so she determined to manage it。
At the same time； you can see that she is true as steel； and would
abhor anything like deceit worse than the pest。〃
〃I see； and that is why you dislike Miss Gage？〃
〃Dislike her？ No； I don't dislike her； but she is disappointing。
If she were a plain girl her plain…mindedness would be all right； it
would be amusing； she would turn it to account and make it seem
humorous。 But it doesn't seem to go with her beauty； it takes away
from thatI don't know how to express it exactly。〃
〃You mean that she has no charm。〃
〃No； I don't mean that at all。 She has a great deal of charm of a
certain kind； but it's a very peculiar kind。 After all； the truth
is the truth； Basil； isn't it？〃
〃It is sometimes； my dear；〃 I assented。
〃And the truth has its charm； even when it's too blunt。〃
〃Ah； I'm not so sure of that。〃
〃Yesyes； it has。 You mustn't say so； Basil； or I shall lose all
my faith in you。 If I couldn't trust you； I don't know what I
should do。〃
〃What are you after now； Isabel？〃
〃I am not after anything。 I want you to go round to all the hotels
and see if there is not some young man you know at one of them。
There surely must be。〃
〃Would one young man be enough？〃
〃If he were attentive enough； he would be。 One young man is as good
as a thousand if the girl is the right kind。〃
〃But you have just been implying that Miss Gage is cold and selfish
and greedy。 Shall I go round exploring hotel registers for a victim
to such a divinity as that？〃
〃No； you needn't go till I have had a talk with her。 I am not sure
she is worth it； I am not sure that I want to do a single thing for
her。〃
CHAPTER VII
The next day； after another forenoon's shopping with her friends；
Mrs。 March announced： 〃Well； now； it has all come out； Basil； and I
wonder you didn't get the secret at once from your Mr。 Deering。
Have you been supposing that Miss Gage was a poor girl whom the
Deerings had done the favour of bringing with them？〃
〃Why； what of it？〃 I asked provisionally。
〃She is very well off。 Her father is not only the president； as
they call it； of the village； but he's the president of the bank。〃
〃Yes； I told you that Deering told me so〃
〃But he is very queer。 He has kept her very close from the other
young people； and Mrs。 Deering is the only girl friend she's ever
had； and she's grown up without having been anywhere without him。
They had to plead with him to let her come with themor Mrs。
Deering had；but when he once consented； he consented handsomely。
He gave her a lot of money； and told them he wanted her to have the
best time that money could buy； and of course you can understand how
such a man would think that money would buy a good time anywhere。
But the Deerings didn't know how to go about it。 She confessed as
much when we were talking the girl over。 I could see that she stood
in awe of her somehow from the beginning； and that she felt more
than the usual responsibility for her。 That was the reason she was
so eager to get her husband off home； as long as he was with them
she would have to work everything through him； and that would be
double labour； because he is so hopelessly villaginous； don't you
know； that he never could rise to the conception of anything else。
He took them to a cheap； second…class hotel； and he was afraid to go
with them anywhere because he never was sure that it was the right
thing to do； and he was too proud to ask； and they had to keep
prodding him all the time。〃
〃That's delightful！〃
〃Oh； I dare say you think so； but if you knew how it wounded a
woman's self…respect you would feel differently； or you wouldn't；
rather。 But now； thank goodness； they've got him off their hands；
and they can begin to breathe freely。 That is； Mrs。 Deering could；
if she hadn't her heart in her mouth all the time； wondering what
she can do for the girl； and bullying herself with the notion that
she is to blame if she doesn't have a good time。 You can understand
just how it was with them always。 Mrs。 Deering is one of those meek
little things that a great； splendid； lonely creature like Miss Gage
would take to in a small place； and perfectly crush under the weight
of her confidence； and she would want to make her husband live up to
her ideal of the girl； and would be miserable because he wouldn't or
couldn't。〃
〃I believe the good Deering didn't even think her handsome。〃
〃That's it。 And he thought anything that was good enough for his
wife was good enough for Miss Gage； and he'd be stubborn about doing
things on her account； even to please his wife。〃
〃Such conduct is imaginable of the good Deering。 I don't think he
liked her。〃
〃Nor she him。 Mrs。 Deering helplessly hinted as much。 She said he
didn't like to have her worrying so much about Miss Gage's not
having a good time； and she couldn't make him feel as she did about
it； and she was half glad for his own sake that he had to go home。〃
〃Did she say that？〃
〃Not exactly； but you could see that she meant it。 Do you think it
would do for them to change from their hotel； and go to the Grand
Union or the States or Congress Hall？〃
〃Have you been putting them up to that； Isabel？〃
〃I knew you would suspect me； and I wouldn't have asked for your
opinion if I had cared anything for it； really。 What would be the
harm of their doing it？〃
〃None whatever； if you really want my worthless opinion。 But what
could they do there？〃
〃They could see something if they couldn't do anything； and as soon
as Miss Gage has got her new gowns I'm going to tell them you
thought they could do it。 It was their own idea； at any rate。〃
''Miss Gage's？〃
〃Mrs。 Deering's。 She has the courage of aI don't know what。 She
sees that it's a desperate case； and she wouldn't stop at anything。〃
〃Now that her husband has gone home。〃
〃Well； which hotel shall they go to？〃
〃Oh； that requires reflection。〃
〃Very well； then； when you've reflected I want you to go to the
hotel you've chosen； and introduce yourself to the clerk； and tell
him your wife has two friends coming； and you want something very
pleasant for them。 Tell him all about yourself and Every Other
Week。〃
〃He'll think I want them deadheaded。〃
〃No matter； if your conscience is clear； and don't be so shamefully
modest as you always are； but speak up boldly。 Now； will you？
Promise me you will！〃
〃I will try； as the good little boy says。 But； Isabel； we don't
know these