pleasant expectation of whatever should come next。
He came back without it。 〃The coffee urn has dried up here； Mrs。 Pasmer。
But you can get some at the other spreads； they'd be inconsolable if you
didn't take something everywhere。〃
They all started toward the door； but the elder Mavering said； holding
back a little； 〃Dan； I think I'll go and see〃
〃Oh no； you mustn't； father；〃 cried the young man； laying his hand with
caressing entreaty on his father's coat sleeve。 〃I don't want you to go
anywhere till you've seen Professor Saintsbury。 We shall be sure to meet
him at some of the spreads。 I want you to have that talk with him〃
He corrected himself for the instant's deflection from the interests of
his guest； and added； 〃I want you to help me hunt him up for Mrs。 Pasmer。
Now； Mrs。 Pasmer； you're not to think it's the least trouble； or anything
but a boon； much less say it；〃 he cried； turning to the deprecation in
Mrs。 Pasmer's face。 He turned away from it to acknowledge the smiles and
bows of people going out of the place； and he returned their salutations
with charming heartiness。
In the vestibule they met the friends they were going in search of。
V。
〃With Mr。 Mavering； of course！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Saintsbury： 〃I might have
known it。〃 Mrs。 Pasmer would have given anything she could think of to
be able to ask why her friend might have known it； but for the present
they could only fall upon each other with flashes of self…accusal and
explanation； and rejoicing for their deferred and now accomplished
meeting。 The Professor stood by with the satirical smile with which men
witness the effusion of women。 Young Mavering； after sharing the ladies'
excitement fully with them； rewarded himself by an exclusive moment with
Miss Pasmer。
〃You must get Mrs。 Pasmer to let me show you all of Class Day that a
Senior can。 I didn't know what a perfect serpent's tooth it was to be
one before。 Mrs。 Saintsbury；〃 he broke off； 〃have you got tickets for
the Tree？ Ah； she doesn't hear me！〃
Mrs。 Saintsbury was just then saying to the elder Mavering； 〃I'm so glad
you decided to come today。 It would have been a shame if none of you
were here。〃 She made a feint of dropping her voice； with a glance at Dan
Mavering。 〃He's such a nice boy；〃 which made him laugh； and cry out
〃Oh； now？ Don't poison my father's mind； Mrs。 Saintsbury。〃
〃Oh； some one would be sure to tell him；〃 retorted the Professor's wife；
〃and he'd better hear it from a friend。〃
The young fellow laughed again； and then he shook hands with some ladies
going out； and asked were they going so soon； from an abstract
hospitality； apparently； for he was not one of the hosts； and so turned
once more to Miss Pasmer。 〃We must get away from here； or the afternoon
will get away from us； and leave us nothing to show for it。 Suppose we
make a start； Miss Pasmer？〃
He led the way with her out of the vestibule； banked round with pots of
palm and fern； and down the steps into the glare of the Cambridge
sunshine； blown full； as is the case on Class Day； of fine Cambridge
dust； which had drawn a delicate grey veil over the grass of the
Gymnasium lawn； and mounted in light clouds from the wheels powdering it
finer and finer in the street。 Along the sidewalks dusty hacks and
carriages were ranged； and others were driving up to let people dismount
at the entrances to the college yard。 Within the temporary picket…
fences； secluding a part of the grounds for the students and their
friends； were seen stretching from dormitory to dormitory long lines of
Chinese lanterns； to be lit after nightfall； swung between the elms。
Groups of ladies came and went； nearly always under the escort of some
student； the caterers' carts； disburdened of their ice…creams and salads；
were withdrawn under the shade in the street； and their drivers lounged
or drowsed upon the seats； now and then a black waiter； brilliant as a
bobolink in his white jacket and apron； appeared on some errand； the
large； mild Cambridge policemen kept the entrances to the yard with a
benevolent vigilance which was not harsh with the little Irish children
coming up from the Marsh in their best to enjoy the sight of other
people's pleasure。
〃Isn't it a perfect Class Day？〃 cried young Mavering； as he crossed
Kirkland Street with Miss Pasmer； and glanced down its vaulted
perspective of elms； through which the sunlight broke； and lay in the
road in pools and washes as far as the eye reached。 〃Did you ever see
anything bluer than the sky to…day？ I feel as if we'd ordered the
weather； with the rest of the things； and I had some credit for it as
host。 Do make it a little compliment； Miss Pasmer； I assure you I'll be
very modest about it。〃
〃Ah； I think it's fully up to the occasion；〃 said the girl； catching the
spirit of his amiable satisfaction。 〃Is it the usual Class Day weather？〃
〃You spoil everything by asking that；〃 cried the young man； 〃it obliges
me to make a confessionit's always good weather on Class Day。 There
haven't been more than a dozen bad Class Days in the century。 But you'll
admit that there can't have been a better Class Day than this？〃
〃Oh yes； it's certainly the pleasantest Class Day I've seen；〃 said the
girl； and now when Mavering laughed she laughed too。
〃Thank you so much for saying that！ I hope it will pass off in unclouded
brilliancy； it will； if I can make it。 Why； hallo！ They're on the other
side of the street yet； and looking about as if they were lost。〃
He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket； and waved it at the others of
their party。
They caught sight of it； and came hurrying over through the dust。
Mrs。 Saintsbury said； apparently as the sum of her consultations with
Mrs。 Pasmer： 〃The Tree is to be at half…past five； and after we've seen a
few spreads； I'm going to take the ladies hone for a little rest。〃
〃Oh no； don't do that；〃 pleaded the young man。 After making this protest
he seemed not to have anything to say immediately in support of it。 He
merely added： 〃This is Miss Pasmer's first Class Day； and I want her to
see it all。〃
〃But you'll have to leave us very soon to get yourself ready for the
Tree〃 suggested the Professor's lady； with a motherly prevision。
〃I shall want just fifteen minutes for that。〃
〃I know； better； Mr。 Mavering；〃 said Mrs。 Saintsbury； with finality。
〃You will want a good three…quarters of an hour to make yourself as
disreputable as you'll look at the Tree； and you'll have to take time for
counsel and meditation。 You may stay with us just half an hour； and
then we shall part inexorably。 I've seen a great many more Class
Days than you have； and I know what they are in their demands upon the
Seniors。〃
〃Oh； well！ Then we won't think about the time；〃 said the young man；
starting on with Miss Pasmer。
〃Well； don't undertake too much；〃 said the lady。 She came last in the
little procession； with the elder Mavering； and her husband and Mrs
Pasmer preceded her。
〃What？〃 young Mavering called back； with his smiling face over his
shoulder。
〃She says not to bite off more than you can chew；〃 the professor answered
for her。
Mavering broke into a conscious laugh； but full of delight； and with his
handkerchief to his face had almost missed the greeting of some ladies
who bowed to him。 He had to turn round to acknowledge it； and he was
saluting and returning salutations pretty well all along the line of
their progress。
〃I'm afraid you'll think I'm everybody's friend but my own； Miss Pasmer；
but I assure you all this is purely accidental。 I don't know so many
people； after all； only all that I do know seem to be here this morning。〃
〃I don't think it's a thing to be sorry for；〃 said the girl。 〃I wish we
knew more people。 It's rather forlorn〃
〃Oh； will you let me introduce some of the fellows to you？ They'll be so
glad。〃
〃If you'll tell them how forlorn I said I was；〃 said the girl； with a
smile。
〃Oh； no； no； no！ I understand that。 And I assure you that I didn't
supposeBut of course！〃 he arrested himself in the superfluous
reassurance he was offering； 〃All that goes without saying。 Only there
are some of the fellows coming back to the law school； and if you'll
allow me〃
〃We shall be very happy indeed； Mr。 Mavering；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； behind
him。
〃Oh； thank you ever so much； Mrs。 Pasmer。〃 This was occasion for another
burst of laughter with him。 He seemed filled with the intoxication of
youth； whose spirit was in the bright air of the day and radiant in the
young faces everywhere。 The paths intersecting one another between the
different dormitories under the drooping elms were thronged with people
coming and going in pairs and groups； and the academic fete； the
prettiest flower of our tough old Puritan stem； had that charm； at once
sylvan and elegant； which enraptures in the pictured fables of the
Renaissance。 It falls at that moment of the year when the old university
town； often so commonplace and sometimes so ugly； becomes briefly and
almost pathetically beautiful under the leafage of her hovering elms and
in； the perfume of her syringas； and bathed in this joyful tide of youth
that overflows her heart。 She seems fit then to be the home of the poets
who have loved her and sung her； and the regret of any friend of the
humanities who has left her。
〃Alice；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； leaning forward a little to speak to her
daughter； and ignoring a remark of the Professor's； 〃did you ever see so
many pretty costumes？〃
〃Never；〃 said the girl； with equal intensity。
〃Well； it makes you feel that you have got a country； after all；〃 sighed
Mrs。 Pasmer； in a sort of apostrophe to her European self。 〃You see
splendid dressing abroad； but it's mostly upon old people who ought to be
sick and ashamed of their pomps and vanities。 But here it's the young
girls who dress； and how lovely they are！ I thought they were charming
in the Gymnasium； but I see you must get them out…of…doors to have the
full effect。 Mr。 Mavering； are they always so prettily dressed on Class
Day？〃
〃Well； I'm beginning to feel as if it wouldn't be exactly modest for me
to say so； whatever I think。 You'd better as