Alice's going to see her。
〃Of course your father will bring your sisters to see me first。〃
〃Is that the way？〃 he asked： 〃You may depend upon his doing the right
thing； whatever it is。〃
〃Well； that's the right thing；〃 she said。 〃I've thought it out； and that
reminds me of a duty of ours； Dan！〃
〃A duty？〃〃 he repeated； with a note of reluctance for its untimeliness。
〃Yes。 Can't you think what？〃
〃No； I didn't know there was a duty left in the world。〃
〃It's full of them。〃
〃Oh； don't say that； Alice！〃 He did not like this mood so well as that of
the morning； but his dislike was only a vague discomfortnothing
formulated or distinct。
〃Yes；〃 she persisted； 〃and we must do them。 You must go to those ladies
you disappointed so this morning； and apologiseexplain。〃
Dan laughed。 〃Why； it wasn't such a very ironclad engagement as all that；
Alice。 They said they were going to drive out to Cambridge over the
Milldam； and I said I was going out there to get some of my traps
together； and they could pick me up at the Art Museum if they liked。
Besides； how could I explain？〃
She laughed consciously with him。 〃Of course。 But；〃 she added ruefully；
〃I wish you hadn't disappointed them。〃
〃Oh； they'll get over it。 If I hadn't disappointed them； I shouldn't be
here； and I shouldn't like that。 Should you？〃
〃No； but I wish it hadn't happened。 It's a blot； and I didn't want a blot
on this day。〃
〃Oh； well； it isn't very much of a blot； and I can easily wipe it off。
I'll tell you what； Alice！ I can write to Mrs。 Frobisher； when our
engagement comes out； and tell her how it was。 She'll enjoy the joke； and
so will Miss Wrayne。 They're jolly and easygoing； they won't mind。〃
〃How long have you known them？〃
〃I met them on Class Day； and then I saw themthe day after I left
Campobello。〃 Dan laughed a little。
〃How； saw them？〃
〃Well； I went to a yacht race with them。 I happened to meet them in the
street； and they wanted me to go； and I was all broken up； andI Went。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Alice。 〃The day after Iyou left Campobello？〃
〃Wellyes。〃
〃And I was thinking of you all that day asAnd I couldn't bear to look at
anybody that day； or speak！〃
〃Well； the fact is； II was distracted； and I didn't know what I was
doing。 I was desperate； I didn't care。〃
〃How did you find out about the yacht race？〃
〃Boardman told me。 Boardman was there。〃
〃Did he know the ladies？ Did he go too？〃
〃No。 He was there to report the race for the Events。 He went on the
press boat。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Alice。 〃Was there a large party？〃
〃No； no。 Not very。 Just ourselves； in fact。 They were awfully kind。
And they made me go home to dinner with them。〃
〃They must have been rather peculiar people；〃 said Alice。 〃And I don't
see howso soon〃 She could not realise that Mavering was then a
rejected man； on whom she had voluntarily renounced all claim。 A
retroactive resentment which she could not control possessed her with the
wish to punish those bold women for being agreeable to one who had since
become everything to her； though then he was ostensibly nothing。
In a vague way； Dan felt her displeasure with that passage of his history；
but no man could have fully imagined it。
〃I couldn't tell half the time what I was saying or eating。 I talked at
random and ate at random。 I guess they thought something was wrong； they
asked me who was at Campobello。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃But you may be sure I didn't give myself away。 I was awfully broken up；〃
he concluded inconsequently。
She liked his being broken up； but she did not like the rest。 She would
not press the question further now。 She only said rather gravely； 〃If
it's such a short acquaintance； can you write to them in that familiar
way？〃
〃Oh yes；！ Mrs。 Frobisher is one of that kind。〃
Alice was silent a moment before she said； 〃I think you'd better not
write。 Let it go；〃 she sighed。
〃Yes； that's what I think；〃 said Dan。 〃Better let it go。 I guess it will
explain itself in the course of time。 But I don't want any blots around。〃
He leaned over and looked her smilingly in the face。
〃Oh no；〃 she murmured； and then suddenly she caught him round the neck；
crying and sobbing。 〃It's onlybecause I wanted it to beperfect。 Oh；
I wonder if I've done right？ Perhaps I oughtn't to have taken you； after
all； but I do love youdearly； dearly！ And I was so unhappy when I'd
lost you。 And now I'm afraid I shall be a trial to younothing but a
trial。〃
The first tears that a young man sees a woman shed for love of him are
inexpressibly sweeter than her smiles。 Dan choked with tender pride and
pity。 When he found his voice； he raved out with incoherent endearments
that she only made him more and more happy by her wish to have the affair
perfect； and that he wished her always to be exacting with him； for that
would give him a chance to do something for her； and all that he desired；
as long as he lived； was to do just what she wished。
At the end of his vows and entreaties； she lifted her face radiantly； and
bent a smile upon him as sunny as that with which the sky after a summer
storm denies that there has ever been rain in the world。
〃Ah！ you〃 He could say no more。 He could not be more enraptured than
he was。 He could only pass from surprise to surprise； from delight to
delight。 It was her love of him which wrought these miracles。 It was all
a miracle； and no part more wonderful than another。 That she； who had
seemed as distant as a star； and divinely sacred from human touch； should
be there in his arms； with her head on his shoulder； where his kiss could
reach her lips； not only unforbidden； but eagerly welcome； was impossible；
and yet it was true。。 But it was no more impossible and no truer； than
that a being so poised； so perfectly self…centred as she； should already
be so helplessly dependent upon him for her happiness。 In the depths of
his soul he invoked awful penalties upon himself if ever he should betray
her trust； if ever he should grieve that tender heart in the slightest
thing； if from that moment he did not make his whole life a sacrifice and
an expiation。
He uttered some of these exalted thoughts； and they did not seem to appear
crazy to her。 She said yes； they must make their separate lives offerings
to each other； and their joint lives an offering to God。 The tears came
into his eyes at these words of hers： they were so beautiful and holy and
wise。 He agreed that one ought always to go to church； and that now he
should never miss a service。 He owned that he had been culpable in the
past。 He drew her closer to himif that were possibleand sealed his
words with a kiss。
But he could not realise his happiness then； or afterward； when he walked
the streets under the thinly misted moon of that Indian summer night。
He went down to the Events office when he left Alice； and found Boardman；
and told him that he was engaged； and tried to work Boardman up to some
sense of the greatness of the fact。 Boardman shoved his fine white teeth
under his spare moustache； and made acceptable jokes； but he did not ask
indiscreet questions；。and Dan's statement of the fact did not seem to give
it any more verity than it had before。 He tried to get Boardman to come
and walk with him and talk it over； but Boardman said he had just been
detailed to go and work up the case of a Chinaman who had suicided a
little earlier in the evening。
〃Very well； then； I'll go with you；〃 said Mavering。 〃How can you live in
such a den as this？〃 he asked； looking about the little room before
Boardman turned down his incandescent electric。 〃There isn't anything big
enough to hold me but all outdoors。〃
In the street he linked his arm through his friend's； and said he felt
that he had a right to know all about the happy ending of the affair；
since he had been told of that miserable phase of it at Portland。 But
when he came to the facts he found himself unable to give them with the
fulness he had promised。 He only imparted a succinct statement as to the
where and when of the whole matter； leaving the how of it untold。
The sketch was apparently enough for Boardman。 For all comment； he
reminded Mavering that he had told him at Portland it would come out all
right。
〃Yes； you did； Boardman； that's a fact；〃 said Dan； and he conceived a
higher respect for the penetration of Boardman than he had before。
They stopped at a door in a poor court which they had somehow reached
without Mavering's privity。 〃Will you come in？〃 asked Boardman。
〃What for？〃
〃Chinaman。〃
〃Chinaman？〃 Then Mavering remembered。 〃Good heavens！ no。 What have I
got to do with him？〃
〃Both mortal；〃 suggested the reporter。
The absurdity of this idea； though a little grisly； struck Dan as a good
joke。 He hit the companionable Boardman on the shoulder； and then gave
him a little hug； and remounted his path of air； and walked off in it。
XXVII。
Mavering first woke in the morning with the mechanical recurrence of that
shame and grief which each day had brought him since Alice refused him。
Then with a leap of the heart came the recollection of all that had
happened yesterday。 Yet lurking within his rapture was a mystery of
regret： a reasonless sense of loss； as if the old feeling had been
something he would have kept。 Then this faded； and he had only the
longing to see her； to realise in her presence and with her help the fact
that she was his。 An unspeakable pride filled him； and a joy in her love。
He tried to see some outward vision of his bliss in the glass； but； like
the mirror which had refused to interpret his tragedy in the Portland
restaurant； it gave back no image of his transport： his face looked as it
always did； and he and the refection laughed at each other：
He asked himself how soon he could go and see her。 It was now seven
o'clock： eight would be too early； of courseit would be ridiculous； and
ninehe wondered if he might go to see her at nine。 Would they have done
breakfast？ Had he any right to call before ten？ He was miserable at the
thought of waiting till ten： it would be three hours。 He thought of
pretextsof inviting her to go somewhere； but