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all。 If they happen to take place in your own street； they don't
increase the value of your property。 When mine catches； I suppose
they'll write and tell meone of these days； when they've got
nothing else to do。 I didn't get a blessed letter this morning； I
suppose they think I'm having such a good time over here it's a pity
to disturb me。 If I could attend to business for about half an hour；
I'd find out something。 But I can't； and it's no use talking。 The
state of my health was never so unsatisfactory as it was about five
o'clock this morning。〃
〃I am very sorry to hear that；〃 I said； 〃and I recommend you strongly
not to think of business。〃
〃I don't；〃 Mr。 Ruck replied。 〃I'm thinking of cathedrals； I'm
thinking of the beauties of nature。 Come；〃 he went on； turning round
on the bench and leaning his elbow on the parapet； 〃I'll think of
those mountains over there； they ARE pretty； certainly。 Can't you
get over there？〃
〃Over where？〃
〃Over to those hills。 Don't they run a train right up？〃
〃You can go to Chamouni；〃 I said。 〃You can go to Grindelwald and
Zermatt and fifty other places。 You can't go by rail； but you can
drive。〃
〃All right； we'll driveand not in a one…horse concern； either。
Yes； Chamouni is one of the places we put down。 I hope there are a
few nice shops in Chamouni。〃 Mr。 Ruck spoke with a certain quickened
emphasis； and in a tone more explicitly humorous than he commonly
employed。 I thought he was excited； and yet he had not the
appearance of excitement。 He looked like a man who has simply taken；
in the face of disaster； a sudden； somewhat imaginative； resolution
not to 〃worry。〃 He presently twisted himself about on his bench
again and began to watch for his companions。 〃Well； they ARE walking
round；〃 he resumed； 〃I guess they've hit on something； somewhere。
And they've got a carriage waiting outside of that archway too。 They
seem to do a big business in archways here； don't they。 They like to
have a carriage to carry home the thingsthose ladies of mine。 Then
they're sure they've got them。〃 The ladies； after this； to do them
justice； were not very long in appearing。 They came toward us； from
under the archway to which Mr。 Ruck had somewhat invidiously alluded；
slowly and with a rather exhausted step and expression。 My companion
looked at them a moment； as they advanced。 〃They're tired；〃 he said
softly。 〃When they're tired； like that； it's very expensive。〃
〃Well；〃 said Mrs。 Ruck； 〃I'm glad you've had some company。〃 Her
husband looked at her； in silence； through narrowed eyelids； and I
suspected that this gracious observation on the lady's part was
prompted by a restless conscience。
Miss Sophy glanced at me with her little straightforward air of
defiance。 〃It would have been more proper if WE had had the company。
Why didn't you come after us； instead of sitting there？〃 she asked of
Mr。 Ruck's companion。
〃I was told by your father；〃 I explained； 〃that you were engaged in
sacred rites。〃 Miss Ruck was not gracious； though I doubt whether it
was because her conscience was better than her mother's。
〃Well； for a gentleman there is nothing so sacred as ladies'
society；〃 replied Miss Ruck； in the manner of a person accustomed to
giving neat retorts。
〃I suppose you refer to the Cathedral；〃 said her mother。 〃Well； I
must say； we didn't go back there。 I don't know what it may be of a
Sunday； but it gave me a chill。〃
〃We discovered the loveliest little lace…shop；〃 observed the young
girl； with a serenity that was superior to bravado。
Her father looked at her a while； then turned about again； leaning on
the parapet； and gazed away at the 〃hills。〃
〃Well； it was certainly cheap；〃 said Mrs。 Ruck； also contemplating
the Alps。
〃We are going to Chamouni；〃 said her husband。 〃You haven't any
occasion for lace at Chamouni。〃
〃Well； I'm glad to hear you have decided to go somewhere；〃 rejoined
his wife。 〃I don't want to be a fixture at a boarding…house。〃
〃You can wear lace anywhere；〃 said Miss Ruck； 〃if you pat it on
right。 That's the great thing； with lace。 I don't think they know
how to wear lace in Europe。 I know how I mean to wear mine； but I
mean to keep it till I get home。〃
Her father transferred his melancholy gaze to her elaborately…
appointed little person； there was a great deal of very new…looking
detail in Miss Ruck's appearance。 Then； in a tone of voice quite out
of consonance with his facial despondency； 〃Have you purchased a
great deal？〃 he inquired。
〃I have purchased enough for you to make a fuss about。〃
〃He can't make a fuss about that；〃 said Mrs。 Ruck。
〃Well； you'll see！〃 declared the young girl with a little sharp
laugh。
But her father went on； in the same tone： 〃Have you got it in your
pocket？ Why don't you put it onwhy don't you hang it round you？〃
〃I'll hang it round YOU； if you don't look out！〃 cried Miss Sophy。
〃Don't you want to show it to this gentleman？〃 Mr。 Ruck continued。
〃Mercy； how you do talk about that lace！〃 said his wife。
〃Well； I want to be lively。 There's every reason for it； we're going
to Chamouni。〃
〃You're restless； that's what's the matter with you。〃 And Mrs。 Ruck
got up。
〃No； I ain't；〃 said her husband。 〃I never felt so quiet； I feel as
peaceful as a little child。〃
Mrs。 Ruck； who had no sense whatever of humour； looked at her
daughter and at me。 〃Well； I hope you'll improve；〃 she said。
〃Send in the bills；〃 Mr。 Ruck went on； rising to his feet。 〃Don't
hesitate； Sophy。 I don't care what you do now。 In for a penny； in
for a pound。〃
Miss Ruck joined her mother； with a little toss of her head； and we
followed the ladies to the carriage。 〃In your place；〃 said Miss
Sophy to her father； 〃I wouldn't talk so much about pennies and
pounds before strangers。〃
Poor Mr。 Ruck appeared to feel the force of this observation； which；
in the consciousness of a man who had never been 〃mean；〃 could hardly
fail to strike a responsive chord。 He coloured a little； and he was
silent； his companions got into their vehicle； the front seat of
which was adorned with a large parcel。 Mr。 Ruck gave the parcel a
little poke with his umbrella； and then； turning to me with a rather
grimly penitential smile； 〃After all；〃 he said； 〃for the ladies
that's the principal interest。〃
CHAPTER VII。
Old M。 Pigeonneau had more than once proposed to me to take a walk；
but I had hitherto been unable to respond to so alluring an
invitation。 It befell； however； one afternoon； that I perceived him
going forth upon a desultory stroll； with a certain lonesomeness of
demeanour that attracted my sympathy。 I hastily overtook him； and
passed my hand into his venerable arm； a proceeding which produced in
the good old man so jovial a sense of comradeship that he ardently
proposed we should bend our steps to the English Garden； no locality
less festive was worthy of the occasion。 To the English Garden；
accordingly； we went； it lay beyond the bridge； beside the lake。 It
was very pretty and very animated； there was a band playing in the
middle； and a considerable number of persons sitting under the small
trees； on benches and little chairs； or strolling beside the blue
water。 We joined the strollers； we observed our companions； and
conversed on obvious topics。 Some of these last； of course； were the
pretty women who embellished the scene； and who； in the light of M。
Pigeonneau's comprehensive criticism； appeared surprisingly numerous。
He seemed bent upon our making up our minds as to which was the
prettiest； and as this was an innocent game I consented to play at
it。
Suddenly M。 Pigeonneau stopped； pressing my arm with the liveliest
emotion。 〃La voila； la voila； the prettiest！〃 he quickly murmured；
〃coming toward us； in a blue dress； with the other。〃 It was at the
other I was looking； for the other； to my surprise； was our
interesting fellow…pensioner； the daughter of a vigilant mother。 M。
Pigeonneau； meanwhile； had redoubled his exclamations； he had
recognised Miss Sophy Ruck。 〃Oh； la belle rencontre； nos aimables
convives； the prettiest girl in the world； in effect！〃
We immediately greeted and joined the young ladies； who； like
ourselves； were walking arm in arm and enjoying the scene。
〃I was citing you with admiration to my friend even before I had
recognised you；〃 said M。 Pigeonneau to Miss Ruck。
〃I don't believe in French compliments；〃 remarked this young lady；
presenting her back to the smiling old man。
〃Are you and Miss Ruck walking alone？〃 I asked of her companion。
〃You had better accept of M。 Pigeonneau's gallant protection； and of
mine。〃
Aurora Church had taken her hand out of Miss Ruck's arm； she looked
at me； smiling； with her head a little inclined； while； upon her
shoulder； she made her open parasol revolve。 〃Which is most
improperto walk alone or to walk with gentlemen？ I wish to do what
is most improper。〃
〃What mysterious logic governs your conduct？〃 I inquired。
〃He thinks you can't understand him when he talks like that；〃 said
Miss Ruck。 〃But I do understand you； always！〃
〃So I have always ventured to hope； my dear Miss Ruck。〃
〃Well； if I didn't； it woul