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〃Oh； I beg your pardon！ I take all back about your nice appreciation
of character。 I now grasp the whole truthyour attention wandered
sufficiently from your dinner to observe that she wore a brown
dress； and the one fact about the thrush that has impressed you is
that it is brown。 'Here be truths' which leave nothing more to be
said。〃
〃You imaginative fellows are often ridiculously astray on the other
tack； and see a thousand…fold more than exists。 But it's a pity
you could not read all there was in this young woman's face； for
it was certainly PLAIN enough。 At this rate you will be asking our
burly landlord to unbosom himself； insisting that he has a 'silent
sorrow' tucked away somewhere under his ample waistcoat。〃
〃His troubles； like yours； are banished by the dinner hour。 I
recognize your feeble witticism about her plain face； and forgive
you because I thought it plain also at first； but when she came to
speak and smile it ceased to be plain。 I do not say she has had
trouble； but she has had some experience in her past history which
neither you nor I could understand。〃
〃Quite likely； the measles； for instance； which I never had to my
knowledge。 Possibly she has had a lover who was not long in finding
a prettier face； and so left her； but not so disconsolate that she
could not smile bewilderingly upon you。〃
〃Come now； Stanton； I'll forewarn and forearm you。 I confidently
predict that the voice of this brown thrush will lure you out
of a life which； to put it mildly； is a trifle matter…of…fact and
material。 You have glanced at her； but you have not seen her yet。
Mark my words； your appetite will flag before many weeks pass。〃
〃I wish I could pin you down to a large wager on this absurdity。〃
〃I agree to paint you a picture if my prediction fails。〃
〃And to finish it within a natural lifetime？〃 said Stanton； with
much animation。
〃To finish as promptly as good work can be done。〃
〃Pardon me； Van。 You had too much wine for dinner； I don't want
to take advantage of you。〃
〃I did not have any。〃
〃In order to carry out this transaction honestly； am I expected to
make conscious and patient effort to come under the influence of
this maiden in brown； who has had some mysterious complaint in the
past； about which 'neither you； nor I； nor anybody knows；' as the
poet saith： or； like the ancient mariner； will she 'hold me with
her glittering eye？'〃
〃You have only to jog on in your old ways until she wakes you up
and makes a man of you。〃
〃I surely am dreaming； for never did the level…headed Van Berg talk
such arrant nonsense before。 If she seems to you such a marvel；
why don't you open your own mouth and let the ripe cherry drop into
it。〃
〃One reason will answer； were there no othersshe wouldn't drop。
If you ever win her； my boy； you will have to bestir yourself。〃
〃I'd rather win the picture。 Let me seeI know the very place in
my room where I shall hang it。〃
〃You are a little premature。 That chicken is not yet hatched；
and you may feel like hanging yourself in the place of the picture
before the summer is over。〃
〃Let me wrap your head in ice…water； Van。 There's mine hostO； Mr。
Burleigh！〃 he cried to the landlord； who at that moment happened
to cross the piazza； 〃please step here。 My friend Mr。 Van Berg has
been strangely fascinated by the stranger in brown whom you； with
some deep and malicious design； placed opposite to him at the
table。 What are her antecedents； and who are her uncles？ I take
a friendly interest in this young man。 Indeed； I'm sort of a
guardian angel to him； having saved his life many a time。〃
〃Saved his life！〃 ejaculated the landlord。 〃How？〃
〃By quenching his consuming genius with good dinners。 But comesolve
for me this riddle in brown。 My friend usually gives but little
heed to the feminine conundrums that smilingly ask to be answered；
but for some occult reason he is in a state of sleepless interest
over this one； and I know that his waistcoat is selling with
gratitude to me for having the courage to ask these questions。〃
〃He is speaking several words for himself to one for me；〃 said
Van Berg； 〃and yet I admit that her face and manner struck me very
pleasantly。〃
〃Well； she has a pleasant little phiz； now hasn't she； Mr。 Van Berg？
I don't wonder Mr。 Stanton was taken by her； for I was myself。
It's but little I can tell you； save that she is a teacher in one
of the New England female colleges； and that she brings letters to
me from the most respectable parties； who introduce her as a lady
in the best sense of the word。 Further than that nothing was
written； nor do I know anything concerning her。 But any one who
can't see that she's a perfect lady is no judge of the article。〃
〃I will stake any amount on that； basing my belief only on the
first impression of one interview；〃 added Van Berg； decidedly。
〃You now see how deeply my friend is impressed；〃 said Stanton； with
a satirical smile。 〃Thanks； Mr。 Burleigh； we will not detain you
any longer。〃
When alone again； he resumed； with an expression of disgust：
〃A 'New England FEMALE college！' How aptly he words it。 If there's
any region on the face of the earth that I detest； it's New England；
and if there is one type of women that I'd shun as I would 'ever
angry bears；' it's a New England school…ma'am。〃
〃'But if thy flight lay toward the raging sea' of a restless；
all…absorbing passion； 'Thou'dst meet the bear I' the mouth；' as
you will try to in this case。 You will be ready to barter your
ears for a kiss before very long。〃
〃It will be after they have grown prodigiously long and hairy in
some transformation scene like that in which the immortal Bottom
was the victim。〃
〃Your illustration tells against you； for it was only after his
appropriate transformation that Bottom saw the fairy queen； but in
your case the desire to 'munch' will be banned。〃
〃Come； Van； we have had enough chaff on this topic； already
worn threadbare。 I now know all about the mysterious complaint；
the impress of which on the face of the school…ma'am has so dazed
you。 It's a New England female collegea place where they give
a razor…like edge to the wits of Yankee women； already too sharp；
and develop in attenuated maidens the hatchet faces of their sires。
You may as well set about that picture at once； whenever you feel
in the mood for work。〃
〃I admit that I have been speaking nonsense； and yet you may find
many grains of truth in my chaff； nevertheless。〃
〃But is my picture to end in chaff？〃
〃I will stand by my promise。 If I lose； perhaps I'll paint you
the school…ma'am's portrait。〃
〃Then we would both lose； for I would have no earthly use for that。〃
〃Well； I will paint what you wish； within reason。〃
〃I'm content； and with good reason； for never did I have such absurd
good luck before。〃
〃Ha！ look yonderquick！〃
Both the young men started to their feet； but before they could
spring forward； the event； which had so suddenly aroused them； was
an accomplished fact。
Both drew a long breath of relief as they looked at each other；
and Van Berg remarked； with some emphasis：
〃Act first； scene first； and it does not open like a comedy either。〃
Chapter VIII。 Glimpses of Tragedy。
Stanton threw away his half…burned cigaran act which proved him
strongly movedand strode rapidly towards the main entrance near
which a little group had already gathered； and among the others；
Ida Mayhew。 Not a hair of anybody's head was hurt； but an event
had almost occurred which would have more than satisfied Stanton's
spite against 'Yankee school…ma'ams；' and would also have made him
very miserable for months to come。
He had ordered his bays to the farther end of the piazza where they
were smoking； as he proposed to take Van Berg out for a drive。 His
coachmen liked to wheel around the corner of the hotel and past the
main entrance in a dashing showy style； and thus far had suffered
no rebuke from his master for this habit。 But on this occasion a
careless nursery maid； neglectful of her charge； had left a little
child to toddle to the centre of the carriage drive and there it had
stood； balancing itself with the uncertain footing characteristic
of first steps。 Even if it could have seen the rapidly approaching
carriage that was hidden by the angle of the building； its baby
feet could not have carried it out of harm's way in time； and it
is more than probable that its inexperience would have prevented
any sense of danger。
But help was at hand in the person of one who never seemed so
preoccupied with self as to lose an opportunity to serve others。
Two of the ladies； who had casually formed Miss Burton's acquaintance
at dinner； still lingered in the door…way to talk with her； wondering
in th