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le position of apparent duplicity precipitated two wholly inevitable actions on his part； he had bound himself more than ever to marry Hortense； and he had made a furious breach with his Aunt Eliza。 That was what his letter had contained； this time he had banished himself from that house。 What was his Aunt Eliza going to do about it？ I wondered。 She was a stiff； if indiscreet； old lady； and it certainly did not fall within her view of the proprieties that young people should take their elders to task in furious letters。 But she had been totally in the wrong； and her fault was irreparable； because important things had happened in consequence of it； she might repent the fault in sackcloth and ashes； but she couldn't stop the things。 Would she； then； honorably wear the sackcloth； or would she dishonestly shirk it under the false issue of her nephew's improper tone to her？ Women can justify themselves with more appalling skill than men。
One drop there was in all this bitter bucket； which must have tasted sweet to John。 He had resigned from the Custom House： Juno had got it right this time； though she hadn't a notion of the real reason for John's act。 This act had been； since morning； lost for me； so to speak； in the shuffle of more absorbing events； and it now rose to view again in my mind as a telling stroke in the full…length portrait that all his acts had been painting of the boy during the last twenty…four hours。 Notwithstanding a meddlesome aunt； and an arriving sweetheart； and imminent wedlock； he hadn't forgotten to stop 〃taking orders from a negro〃 at the very first opportunity which came to him； his phosphates had done this for him； at least； and I should have the pleasure of correcting Juno at tea。
But I did not have this pleasure。 They were all in an excitement over something else； and my own different excitement hadn't a chance against this greater one； for people seldom wish to hear what you have to say； even under the most favorable circumstances； and never when they have anything to say themselves。 With an audience so hotly preoccupied I couldn't have sat on Juno effectively at all； and therefore I kept it to myself； and attended very slightly to what they were telling me about the Daughters of Dixie。
I bowed absently to the poetess。 〃And your poem？〃 I said。 〃A great success； I am sure？〃
〃Why； didn't you hear me say so？〃 said the upcountry bride； and then； after a smile at the others； 〃I'm sure your flowers were graciously accepted。〃
〃Ask Miss Josephine St。 Michael；〃 I replied。
〃Oh； oh； oh！〃 went the bride。 〃How would she know？〃
I gave myself no pains to improve or arrest this tiresome joke； and they went back to their Daughters of Dixie； but it is rather singular how sometimes an utterly absurd notion will be the cause of our taking a step which we had not contemplated。 I did carry some flowers to Miss La Heu the next day。 I was at some trouble to find any； for in Kings Port shops of this kind are by no means plentiful； and it was not until I had paid a visit to a quite distant garden at the extreme northwestern edge of the town that I lighted upon anything worthy of the girl behind the counter。 The Exchange itself was apt to have flowers for sale； but I hardly saw my way to buying them there； and then immediately offering them to the fair person who had sold them to me。 As it was； I did much better； for what I brought her were decidedly superior to any that were at the Exchange when I entered it at lunch time。
They were； as the up…country bride would have put it； 〃graciously accepted。〃 Miss La Heu stood them in water on the counter beside her ledger。 She was looking lovely。
〃I expected you yesterday；〃 she said。 〃The new Lady Baltimore was ready。〃
〃Well； if it is not all eaten yet〃
〃Oh； no！ Not a slice gone。〃
〃Ah； nobody does your art justice here！〃
〃Go and sit down at your table； please。〃
It was really quite difficult to say to her from that distance the sort of things that I wished to say； but there seemed to be no help for it； and I did my best。
〃I shall miss my lunches here very much when I'm gone。〃
〃Did you say coffee to…day？〃
〃Chocolate。 I shall miss〃
〃And the lettuce sandwiches？〃
〃Yes。 You don't realize how much these lunches〃
〃Have cost you？〃 She seemed determined to keep laughing。
〃You have said it。 They have cost me my〃
〃I can give you the receipt； you know。〃
〃The receipt？〃
〃For Lady Baltimore； to take with you。〃
〃You'll have to give me a receipt for a lost heart。〃
〃Oh； his heart！ General； listen to〃 From habit she had turned to where her dog used to lie； and sudden pain swept over her face and was mastered。 〃Never mind！〃 she quickly resumed。 〃Please don't speak about it。 And you have a heart somewhere； for it was very nice in you to come in yesterday morning afterafter the bridge。〃
〃I hope I have a heart；〃 I began； rising； for； really； I could not go on in this way； sitting down away back at the lunch table。
But the door opened； and Hortense Rieppe came into the Woman's Exchange。
It was at me that she first looked； and she gave me the slightest bow possible； the least sign of conventional recognition that a movement of the head could make and be visible at all； she didn't bend her head down； she tilted it ever so little up。 It wasn't new to me； this form of greeting； and I knew that she had acquired it at Newport； and that it denoted； all too accurately； the size of my importance in her eyes； she did it； as she did everything； with perfection。 Then she turned to Eliza La Heu； whose face had become miraculously sweet。
〃Good morning；〃 said Hortense。
It sounded from a quiet well of reserve music； just a cupful of melodious tone dipped lightly out of the surface。 Her face hadn't become anything； but it was equally miraculous in its total void of all expression relating to this moment； or to any moment； just her beauty； her permanent stationary beauty； was there glowing in it and through it； not skin deep； but going back and back into her lazy eyes； and shining from within the modulated bloom of her color and the depths of her amber hair。 She was choosing； for this occasion； to be as impersonal as some radiant hour in nature； some mellow； motionless day when the leaves have turned； but have not fallen； and it is drowsily warm； but it wasn't so much of nature that she； in her harmonious lustre； reminded me； as of some beautiful silken…shaded lamp； from which color rather than light came with subdued ampleness。
I saw her eyes settle upon the flowers that I had brought Eliza La Heu。
〃How beautiful those are！〃 she remarked。
〃Is there something that you wish？〃 inquired Miss La Heu； always miraculously sweet。
〃Some of your good things for lunch； a very little； if you will be so kind。〃
I had gone back to my table while the 〃very little〃 was being selected； and I felt； in spite of how slightly she counted me； that it would be in… adequate in me to remain completely dumb。
〃Mr。 Mayrant is still at the Custom House？〃 I observed。
〃For a few days； yes。 Happily we shall soon break that connection。〃 And she smelt my flowers。
〃'We；'〃 I thought to myself； 〃is rather tremendous。〃
It grew more tremendous in the silence as Eliza La Heu brought me my orders。 Miss Rieppe did not seat herself to take the light refreshment which she found enough for lunch。 Her plate and cup were set for her； but she walked about； now with one； and now with the other； taking her time over it； and pausing here and there at some article of the Exchange stock。
Of course； she hadn't come there for any lunch； the Cornerlys had midday lunch and dined late； these innovated hours were a part of Kings Port's deep suspicion of the Cornerlys； but what now became interesting was her evident indifference to our perceiving that lunch was merely a pretext with her； in fact； I think she wished it to be perceived； and I also think that those turns which she took about the Exchangeher apparent inspection of an old mahogany table； her examination of a pewter set were a symbol （and meant to be a symbol） of how she had all the time there was； and the possession of everything she wished including the situation； and that she enjoyed having this sink in while she was rearranging whatever she had arranged to say； in consequence of finding that I should also hear it。 And how well she was worth looking at； no matter whether she stood； or moved； or what she did！ Her age lay beyond the reach of the human eye； if she was twenty…five； she was marvelous in her mastery of her appearance； if she was thirty…four； she was marvelous in her mastery of perpetuating it； and by no other means than perfect dress personal to herself （for she had taken the fashion and welded it into her own plasticity） and perfect health； for without a trace of the athletic； her graceful shape teemed with elasticity。 There was a touch of 〃sport〃 in the parasol she had laid down； and with all her blended serenity there was a touch of 〃sport〃 in her。 Experience could teach her beauty nothing more； it wore the look of having been made love to by many married men。
Quite suddenly the true light flashed upon me。 I had been slow…sighted indeed！ So that was what she had come here for to…day！ Miss Hortense