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〃It's a very jolly place to sit。〃
〃Very charming；〃 said the young girl。 〃I often sit here；
there are all kinds of cozy cornersas if they had been
made on purpose。〃
〃Ah！ I suppose you have had some of them made；〃 said the young man。
Miss Alden looked at him a moment。 〃Oh no； we have had nothing made。
It's pure nature。〃
〃I should think you would have a few little benchesrustic seats
and that sort of thing。 It might be so jolly to sit here； you know；〃
Lord Lambeth went on。
〃I am afraid we haven't so many of those things as you；〃
said the young girl thoughtfully。
〃I daresay you go in for pure nature； as you were saying。
Nature over here must be so grand； you know。〃 And Lord Lambeth
looked about him。
The little coast line hereabouts was very pretty； but it was not
at all grand； and Miss Alden appeared to rise to a perception
of this fact。 〃I am afraid it seems to you very rough；〃 she said。
〃It's not like the coast scenery in Kingsley's novels。〃
〃Ah； the novels always overdo it； you know；〃 Lord Lambeth rejoined。
〃You must not go by the novels。〃
They were wandering about a little on the rocks； and they stopped
and looked down into a narrow chasm where the rising tide made
a curious bellowing sound。 It was loud enough to prevent their
hearing each other； and they stood there for some moments in silence。
The young girl looked at her companion； observing him attentively；
but covertly； as women； even when very young； know how to do。
Lord Lambeth repaid observation； tall； straight； and strong；
he was handsome as certain young Englishmen； and certain young
Englishmen almost alone； are handsome； with a perfect finish
of feature and a look of intellectual repose and gentle good temper
which seemed somehow to be consequent upon his well…cut nose and chin。
And to speak of Lord Lambeth's expression of intellectual repose
is not simply a civil way of saying that he looked stupid。
He was evidently not a young man of an irritable imagination；
he was not； as he would himself have said； tremendously clever；
but though there was a kind of appealing dullness in his eye；
he looked thoroughly reasonable and competent； and his appearance
proclaimed that to be a nobleman； an athlete； and an excellent
fellow was a sufficiently brilliant combination of qualities。
The young girl beside him； it may be attested without further delay；
thought him the handsomest young man she had ever seen；
and Bessie Alden's imagination； unlike that of her companion；
was irritable。 He； however； was also making up his mind that she
was uncommonly pretty。
〃I daresay it's very gay here； that you have lots of balls and parties；〃
he said； for； if he was not tremendously clever； he rather prided himself
on having； with women； a sufficiency of conversation。
〃Oh； yes； there is a great deal going on；〃 Bessie Alden replied。
〃There are not so many balls； but there are a good many other things。
You will see for yourself； we live rather in the midst of it。〃
〃It's very kind of you to say that。 But I thought you Americans
were always dancing。〃
〃I suppose we dance a good deal； but I have never seen much of it。
We don't do it much； at any rate； in summer。 And I am sure；〃
said Bessie Alden； 〃that we don't have so many balls as you
have in England。〃
〃Really！〃 exclaimed Lord Lambeth。 〃Ah； in England it all depends； you know。〃
〃You will not think much of our gaieties；〃 said the young girl；
looking at him with a little mixture of interrogation and decision
which was peculiar to her。 The interrogation seemed earnest and
the decision seemed arch； but the mixture； at any rate； was charming。
〃Those things； with us； are much less splendid than in England。〃
〃I fancy you don't mean that；〃 said Lord Lambeth； laughing。
〃I assure you I mean everything I say；〃 the young girl declared。
〃Certainly； from what I have read about English society；
it is very different。〃
〃Ah well； you know；〃 said her companion； 〃those things are
often described by fellows who know nothing about them。
You mustn't mind what you read。〃
〃Oh； I SHALL mind what I read！〃 Bessie Alden rejoined。
〃When I read Thackeray and George Eliot； how can I help minding them？〃
〃Ah well； Thackeray； and George Eliot；〃 said the young nobleman；
〃I haven't read much of them。〃
〃Don't you suppose they know about society？〃 asked Bessie Alden。
〃Oh； I daresay they know； they were so very clever。
But these fashionable novels；〃 said Lord Lambeth； 〃they are
awful rot； you know。〃
His companion looked at him a moment with her dark blue eyes； and then
she looked down in the chasm where the water was tumbling about。
〃Do you mean Mrs。 Gore； for instance？〃 she said presently；
raising her eyes。
〃I am afraid I haven't read that； either；〃 was the young
man's rejoinder； laughing a little and blushing。
〃I am afraid you'll think I am not very intellectual。〃
〃Reading Mrs。 Gore is no proof of intellect。 But I like
reading everything about English lifeeven poor books。
I am so curious about it。〃
〃Aren't ladies always curious？〃 asked the young man jestingly。
But Bessie Alden appeared to desire to answer his question seriously。
〃I don't think soI don't think we are enough sothat we care
about many things。 So it's all the more of a compliment；〃 she added；
〃that I should want to know so much about England。〃
The logic here seemed a little close； but Lord Lambeth； made conscious
of a compliment； found his natural modesty just at hand。
〃I am sure you know a great deal more than I do。〃
〃I really think I know a great dealfor a person who has never been there。〃
〃Have you really never been there？〃 cried Lord Lambeth。 〃Fancy！〃
〃Neverexcept in imagination；〃 said the young girl。
〃Fancy！〃 repeated her companion。 〃But I daresay you'll go soon； won't you？〃
〃It's the dream of my life！〃 declared Bessie Alden； smiling。
〃But your sister seems to know a tremendous lot about London；〃
Lord Lambeth went on。
The young girl was silent a moment。 〃My sister and I are two
very different persons；〃 she presently said。 〃She has been
a great deal in Europe。 She has been in England several times。
She has known a great many English people。〃
〃But you must have known some； too；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃I don't think that I have ever spoken to one before。
You are the first Englishman thatto my knowledge
I have ever talked with。〃
Bessie Alden made this statement with a certain gravity
almost； as it seemed to Lord Lambeth； an impressiveness。
Attempts at impressiveness always made him feel awkward；
and he now began to laugh and swing his stick。 〃Ah； you
would have been sure to know！〃 he said。 And then he added；
after an instant； 〃I'm sorry I am not a better specimen。〃
The young girl looked away； but she smiled； laying aside her impressiveness。
〃You must remember that you are only a beginning；〃 she said。
Then she retraced her steps； leading the way back to the lawn； where they
saw Mrs。 Westgate come toward them with Percy Beaumont still at her side。
〃Perhaps I shall go to England next year；〃 Miss Alden continued；
〃I want to； immensely。 My sister is going to Europe； and she has
asked me to go with her。 If we go； I shall make her stay as long
as possible in London。〃
〃Ah； you must come in July；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃That's the time when there is most going on。〃
〃I don't think I can wait till July；〃 the young girl rejoined。
〃By the first of May I shall be very impatient。〃 They had gone further；
and Mrs。 Westgate and her companion were near them。 〃Kitty；〃 said
Miss Alden； 〃I have given out that we are going to London next May。
So please to conduct yourself accordingly。〃
Percy Beaumont wore a somewhat animatedeven a slightly irritatedair。
He was by no means so handsome a man as his cousin； although in
his cousin's absence he might have passed for a striking specimen
of the tall； muscular； fair…bearded； clear…eyed Englishman。
Just now Beaumont's clear eyes； which were small and of a pale
gray color； had a rather troubled light； and； after glancing at
Bessie Alden while she spoke； he rested them upon his kinsman。
Mrs。 Westgate meanwhile； with her superfluously pretty gaze；
looked at everyone alike。
〃You had better wait till the time comes；〃 she said to her sister。
〃Perhaps next May you won't care so much about London。
Mr。 Beaumont and I；〃 she went on； smiling at her companion；
〃have had a tremendous discussion。 We don't agree about anything。
It's perfectly delightful。〃
〃Oh； I say； Percy！〃 exclaimed Lord Lambeth。
〃I disagree；〃 said Beaumont； stroking down his back hair；
〃even to the point of not thinking it delightful。〃
〃Oh； I say！〃 cried Lord Lambeth again。
〃I don't see anything delightful in my disagreeing with Mrs。 Westgate；〃
said Percy Beaumont。
〃Well； I do！〃 Mrs。 Westgate declared；