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。 Pasmer rose and left him； with his perfect acquiescence； and went
into her daughter's room。 She found Alice there； with a pretty evening
dress laid out on her bed。 Mrs。 Pasmer was very fond of that dress； and
at the thought of Alice in it her spirits rose again。
〃Oh； are you going； Alice？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 answered the girl。 〃Didn't you accept？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 Mrs。 Pasmer admitted。 〃But aren't you tired？〃
〃Oh； not in the least。 I feel as fresh as I did this morning。 Don't you
want me to go？〃
〃Oh yes； certainly； I want you to goif you think you'll enjoy it。〃
〃Enjoy it？ Why； why shouldn't I enjoy it； mamma！〃 What are you thinking
about？ It's going to be the greatest kind of fun。〃
〃But do you think you ought to look at everything simply as fun？〃 asked
the mother； with unwonted didacticism。
〃How everything？ What are you thinking about； mamma？〃
〃Oh； nothing！ I'm so glad you're going to wear that dress。〃
〃Why； of course！ It's my best。 But what arc you driving at； mamma？〃
Mrs。 Pasmer was really seeking in her daughter that comfort of a distinct
volition which she had failed to find in her husband； and she wished to
assure herself of it more and more； that she might share with some one
the responsibility which he had refused any part in。
〃Nothing。 But I'm glad you wish so much to go。〃 The girl dropped her
hands and stared。 〃You must have enjoyed yourself to…day；〃 she added； as
if that were an explanation。
〃Of course I enjoyed myself！ But what has that to do with my wanting to
go to…night？〃
〃Oh； nothing。 But I hope； Alice； that there is one thing you have looked
fully in the face。〃
〃What thing？〃 faltered the girl； and now showed herself unable to
confront it by dropping her eyes。
〃Well； whatever you may have heard or seen； nobody else is in doubt about
it。 What do you suppose has brought Mr。 Mavering here！〃
〃I don't know。〃 The denial not only confessed that she did know； but it
informed her mother that all was as yet tacit between the young people。
〃Very well； then； I know；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； 〃and there is one thing that
you must know before long； Alice。〃
〃What？〃 she asked faintly。
〃Your own mind；〃 said her mother。 〃I don't ask you what it is； and I
shall wait till you tell me。 Of course I shouldn't have let him stay
here if I had objected〃
〃O mamma！〃 murmured the girl； dyed with shame to have the facts so boldly
touched； but not； probably； too deeply displeased。
〃Yes。 And I know that he would never have thought of going into that
business if he had not expectedhoped〃
〃Mamma！〃
〃And you ought to consider〃
〃Oh； don't！ don't！ don't！〃 implored the girl。
〃That's all；〃 said her mother； turning from Alice； who had hidden her
face in her hands； to inspect the costume on the bed。 She lifted one
piece of it after another； turned it over； looked at it； and laid it
down。 〃You can never get such a dress in this country。〃
She went out of the room； as the girl dropped her face in the pillow。 An
hour later they met equipped for the evening's pleasure。 To the keen
glance that her mother gave her； the daughter's eyes had the brightness
of eyes that have been weeping； but they were also bright with that
knowledge of her own mind which Mrs。 Pasmer had desired for her。 She met
her mother's glance fearlessly； even proudly； and she carried her stylish
costume with a splendour to which only occasions could stimulate her。
They dramatised a perfect unconsciousness to each other； but Mrs。 Pasmer
was by no means satisfied with the decision which she had read in her
daughter's looks。 Somehow it did not relieve her of the responsibility；
and it did not change the nature of the case。 It was gratifying； of
course； to see Alice the object of a passion so sincere and so ardent； so
far the triumph was complete； and there was really nothing objectionable
in the young man and his circumstances； though there was nothing very
distinguished。 But the affair was altogether different from anything
that Mrs。 Pasmer had imagined。 She had supposed and intended that Alice
should meet some one in Boston； and go through a course of society before
reaching any decisive step。 There was to be a whole season in which to
look the ground carefully over； and the ground was to be all within
certain well…ascertained and guarded precincts。 But this that had
happened was outside of these precincts； of at least on their mere
outskirts。 Class Day； of course； was all right； and she could not say
that the summer colony at Campobello was not thoroughly and essentially
Boston； and yet she felt that certain influences； certain sanctions； were
absent。 To tell the truth； she would not have cared for the feelings of
Mavering's family in regard to the matter； except as they might afterward
concern Alice； and the time had not come when she could recognise their
existence in regard to the affair； and yet she could have wished that
even as it was his family could have seen and approved it from the start。
It would have been more regular。
With Alice it was a simpler matter； and of course deeper。 For her it was
only a question of himself and herself； no one else existed to the
sublime egotism of her love。 She did not call it by that name； she did
not permit it to assert itself by any name； it was a mere formless joy in
her soul； a trustful and blissful expectance； which she now no more
believed he could disappoint than that she could die within that hour。
All the rebellion that she had sometimes felt at the anomalous attitude
exacted of her sex in regard to such matters was gone。 She no longer
thought it strange that a girl should be expected to ignore the
admiration of a young man till he explicitly declared it； and should then
be fully possessed of all the materials of a decision on the most
momentous question in life； for she knew that this state of ignorance
could never really exist； she had known from the first moment that he had
thought her beautiful。 To…night she was radiant for him。 Her eyes shone
with the look in which they should meet and give themselves to each other
before they spokethe look in which they had met already； in which they
had lived that whole day。
XIX。
The evening's entertainment was something that must fail before an
audience which was not very kind。 They were to present a burlesque of
classic fable； and the parts； with their general intention； had been
distributed to the different actors； but nothing had been written down；
and； beyond the situations and a few points of dialogue； all had to be
improvised。 The costumes and properties had been invented from such
things as came to hand。 Sheets sculpturesquely draped the deities who
took part； a fox…pelt from the hearth did duty as the leopard skin of
Bacchus； a feather duster served Neptune for a trident； the lyre of
Apollo was a dust…pan； a gull's breast furnished Jove with his grey
beard。
The fable was adapted to modern life； and the scene had been laid in
Campobello； the peculiarities of which were to be satirised throughout。
The principal situation was to be a passage between Jupiter； represented
by Mavering； and Juno； whom Miss Anderson personated； it was to be a
scene of conjugal reproaches and reprisals； and to end in reconciliation；
in which the father of the gods sacrificed himself on the altar of
domestic peace by promising to bring his family to Campobello every year。
This was to be followed by a sketch of the Judgment of Paris； in which
Juno and Pallas were to be personated by two young men； and Miss Anderson
took the part of Venus。
The pretty drawing…room of the Trevorsyoung people from Albany； and
cousins of Miss Andersonwas curtained off at one end for a stage； and
beyond the sliding doors which divided it in half were set chairs for the
spectators。 People had come in whatever dress they liked； the men were
mostly in morning coats； the ladies had generally made some attempt at
evening toilet； but they joined in admiring Alice Pasmer's costume； and
one of them said that they would let it represent them all； and express
what each might have done if she would。 There was not much time for
their tributes； all the lamps were presently taken away and set along the
floor in front of the curtain as foot…lights； leaving the company in a
darkness which Mrs。 Brinkley pronounced sepulchral。 She made her
reproaches to the master of the house； who had effected this
transposition of the lamps。 〃I was just thinking some very pretty and
valuable things about your charming cottage； Mr。 Trevor： a rug on a bare
floor； a trim of varnished pine； a wall with half a dozen simple etchings
on it； an open fire； and a mantelpiece without bric…a…brac； how entirely
satisfying it all is！ And how it upbraids us for heaping up upholstery
as we do in town！〃
〃Go on；〃 said the host。 〃Those are beautiful thoughts。〃
〃But I can't go on in the dark；〃 retorted Mrs。 Brinkley。 〃You can't
think in the dark； much less talk！ Can you； Mrs。 Pasmer？〃 Mrs。 Pasmer；
with Alice next to her； sat just in front of Mrs。 Brinkley。
〃No；〃 she assented； 〃but if I couldYOU can thick anywhere； Mrs。
BrinkleyMrs。 Trevor's lovely house would inspire me to it。〃
〃Two birds with one stonethank you； Mrs。 Pasmer； for my part of the
compliment。 Pick yourself up； Mr。 Trevor。〃
〃Oh； thank you； I'm all right；〃 said Trevor； panting after the ladies'
meanings； as a man must。 〃I suppose thinking and talking in the dark is
a good deal like smoking in the dark。〃
〃No； thinking and talking are not at all like smoking under any
conditions。 Why in the world should they be？〃
〃Oh； I can't get any fun out of a cigar unless I can see the smoke；〃 the
host explained。
〃Do you follow him； Mrs。 Pasmer？〃
〃Yes； perfectly。〃
〃Thank you； Mrs。 Pasmer；〃 said Trevor。
〃I'll get you to tell me how you did it some time；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley。
〃But your house is a gem； Mr。 Trevor。〃
〃Isn't it？〃 cried Trevor。 〃I want my wife to live here the year round。〃
It was the Trevors' first summer in their cottage；