you'll please step out of the way； Mr。 Mavering；〃 she said severely； 〃I
shall not need anybody's help just here。〃
He instantly moved aside； and they were both silent； till she said； as
she quickened her pace to overtake the others in front； 〃I don't see how
you can help liking nature in such a place as this。〃
〃I can'thuman nature；〃 he said。 It was mere folly； and an abstract
folly at that； but the face that she held down and away from him flushed
with sweet consciousness as she laughed。
On the cliff beetling above the bay； where she sat to look out over the
sad northern sea； lit with the fishing sail they had seen before； and the
surge washed into the rocky coves far beneath them； he threw himself at
her feet； and made her alone in the company that came and went and tried
this view and that from the different points where the picnic hostess
insisted they should enjoy it。 She left the young couple to themselves；
and Mrs。 Pasmer seemed to have forgotten that she had bidden Alice to be
a little more with her。
Alice had forgotten it too。 She sat listening to Mavering's talk with a
certain fascination； but not so much apparently because the meaning of
the words pleased her as the sound of his voice； the motion of his lips
in speaking； charmed her。 At first he was serious； and even melancholy；
as if he were afraid he had offended her； but apparently he soon believed
that he had been forgiven； and began to burlesque his own mood； but still
with a deference and a watchful observance of her changes of feeling
which was delicately flattering in its way。 Now and then when she
answered something it was not always to the purpose； he accused her of
not hearing what he said； but she would have it that she did； and then he
tried to test her by proofs and questions。 It did not matter for
anything that was spoken or done； speech and action of whatever sort were
mere masks of their young joy in each other； so that when he said； after
he had quoted some lines befitting the scene they looked out on； 〃Now was
that from Tennyson or from Tupper？〃 and she answered； 〃Neither； it was
from Shakespeare；〃 they joined； in the same happy laugh； and they laughed
now and then without saying anything。 Neither this nor that made them
more glad or less； they were in a trance； vulnerable to nothing but the
summons which must come to leave their dream behind； and issue into the
waking world。
In hope or in experience such a moment has come to all； and it is so
pretty to those who recognise it from the outside that no one has the
heart to hurry it away while it can be helped。 The affair between Alice
and Mavering had evidently her mother's sanction； and all the rest were
eager to help it on。 When the party had started to return； they called
to them； and let them come behind together。 At the carriages they had
what Miss Anderson called a new deal； and Alice and Mavering found
themselves together in the rear seat of the last。
The fog began to come in from the sea； and followed them through the
woods。 When they emerged upon the highway it wrapped them densely round；
and formed a little world； cosy； intimate； where they two dwelt alone
with these friends of theirs； each of whom they praised for delightful
qualities。 The horses beat along through the mist； in which there seemed
no progress； and they lived in a blissful arrest of time。 Miss Anderson
called back from the front seat； 〃My ear buyns； you're talkin' about me。〃
〃Which ear？〃 cried Mavering。
〃Oh； the left； of couyse。〃
〃Then it's merely habit； Julie。 You ought to have heard the nice things
we were saying about you；〃 Alice called。
〃I'd like to hear all the nice things you've been saying。〃
This seemed the last effect of subtle wit。 Mavering broke out in his
laugh； and Alice's laugh rang above it。
Mrs。 Pasmer looked involuntarily round from the carriage ahead。
〃They seem to be having a good time；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley at her side。
〃Yes； I hope Alice isn't overdoing。〃
〃I'm afraid you're dreadfully tired；〃 said Mavering to the girl； in a low
voice； as he lifted her from her place when they reached the hotel
through the provisional darkness； and found that after all it was only
dinner…time。
〃Oh no。 I feel as if the picnic were just beginning。〃
〃Then you will come to…night？〃
〃I will see what mamma says。〃
〃Shall I ask her？〃
〃Oh； perhaps not；〃 said the girl； repressing his ardour； but not
severely。
XVIII。
They were going to have some theatricals at one of the cottages； and the
lady at whose house they were to be given made haste to invite all the
picnic party before it dispersed。 Mrs。 Pasmer accepted with a mental
reservation； meaning to send an excuse later if she chose； and before she
decided the point she kept her husband from going after dinner into the
reading…room； where he spent nearly all his time over a paper and a
cigar； or in sitting absolutely silent and unoccupied； and made him go to
their own room with her。
〃There is something that I must speak to you about；〃 she said； closing
the door； 〃and you must decide for yourself whether you wish to let it go
any further。〃
〃What go any further？〃 asked Mr。 Pasmer； sitting down and putting his
hand to the pocket that held his cigar…case with the same series of
motions。
〃No； don't smoke；〃 she said； staying his hand impatiently。 〃I want you
to think。〃
〃How can I think if I don't smoke？〃
〃Very well； smoke； then。 Do you want this affair with young Mavering to
go any farther？〃
〃Oh！〃 said Pasmer； 〃I thought you had been looking after that。〃 He had
in fact relegated that to the company of the great questions exterior to
his personal comfort which she always decided。
〃I have been looking after it； but now the time has come when you must；
as a father； take some interest in it。〃
Pasmer's noble mask of a face； from the point of his full white beard to
his fine forehead； crossed by his impressive black eyebrows； expressed
all the dignified concern which a father ought to feel in such an affair；
but what he was really feeling was a grave reluctance to have to
intervene in any way。 〃What do you want me to say to him？〃 he asked。
〃Why； I don't know that he's going to ask you anything。 I don't know
whether he's said anything to Alice yet；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； with some
exasperation。
Her husband was silent； but his silence insinuated a degree of wonder
that she should approach him prematurely on such a point。
〃They have been thrown together all day； and there is no use to conceal
from ourselves that they are very much taken with each other？〃
〃I thought；〃 Pasmer said； 〃that you said that from the beginning。 Didn't
you want them to be taken with each other？〃
〃That is what you are to decide。〃
Pasmer silently refused to assume the responsibility。
〃Well？〃 demanded his wife； after waiting for him to speak。
〃Well what？〃
〃What do you decide？〃
〃What is the use of deciding a thing when it is all over？〃
〃It isn't over at all。 It can be broken off at any moment。〃
〃Well； break it off； then； if you like。〃
Mrs。 Pasmer resumed the responsibility with a sigh。 She felt the burden；
the penalty； of power； after having so long enjoyed its sweets； and she
would willingly have abdicated the sovereignty which she had spent her
whole married life in establishing。 But there was no one to take it up。
〃No； I shall not break it off；〃 she said resentfully； 〃I shall let it go
on。〃 Then seeing that her husband was not shaken by her threat from his
long…confirmed subjection； she added： 〃It isn't an ideal affair； but I
think it will be a very good thing for Alice。 He is not what I expected；
but he is thoroughly nice； and I should think his family was nice。 I've
been talking with Mr。 Munt about them to…day； and he confirms all that
Etta Saintsbury said。 I don't think there can be any doubt of his
intentions in coming here。 He isn't a particularly artless young man；
but he's been sufficiently frank about Alice since he's been here。〃 Her
husband smoked on。 〃His father seems to have taken up the business from
the artistic side； and Mr。 Mavering won't be expected to enter into the
commercial part at once。 If it wasn't for Alice； I don't believe he
would think of the business for a moment； he would study law。 Of course
it's a little embarrassing to have her engaged at once before she's seen
anything of society here； but perhaps it's all for the best； after all：
the main thing is that she should be satisfied； and I can see that she's
only too much so。 Yes； she's very much taken with him； and I don't
wonder。 He is charming。〃
It was not the first time that Mrs。 Pasmer had reasoned in this round；
but the utterance of her thoughts seemed to throw a new light on them；
and she took a courage from them that they did not always impart。 She
arrived at the final opinion expressed； with a throb of tenderness for
the young fellow whom she believed eager to take her daughter from her；
and now for the first time she experienced a desolation in the prospect；
as if it were an accomplished fact。 She was morally a bundle of
finesses； but at the bottom of her heart her daughter was all the world
to her。 She had made the girl her idol； and if； like some other heathen；
she had not always used her idol with the greatest deference； if she had
often expected the impossible from it； and made it pay for her
disappointment； still she had never swerved from her worship of it。 She
suddenly asked herself； What if this young fellow； so charming and so
good； should so wholly monopolise her child that she should no longer
have any share in her？ What if Alice； who had so long formed her first
care and chief object in life； should contentedly lose herself in the
love and care of another； and both should ignore her right to her？ She
answered herself with a pang that this might happen with any one Alice
married； and that it would be no worse； at the worst； with Dan Mavering
than with another； while her husband remained impartially silent。 Always
keeping within the lines to which his wife's supremacy had driven him； he
felt safe there； and was not to be easily coaxed out of them。
Mrs。 Pasme