through his glasses。 〃Well；〃 she said with a pleasant sharpness； 〃do you
make me out？〃
〃As nearly as my belief in your wisdom will allow；〃 said the old
gentleman； as distinctly as his long white moustache and an apparent
absence of teeth behind it would let him。 John Munt had eagerly abandoned
the seat he was keeping at Mrs。 Brinkley's side； and had launched himself
into the thickening crowd。 The old gentleman； who was lank and tall；
folded himself down into it； He continued as tranquilly as if seated quite
alone with Mrs。 Brinkley； and not minding that his voice； with the senile
crow in it； made itself heard by others。 〃I'm always surprised to find
sensible people at these things of Jane's。 They're most extraordinary
things。 Jane's idea of society is to turn a herd of human beings loose in
her house； and see what will come of it。 She has no more sense of
hospitality or responsibility than the Elements or Divine Providence。 You
may come here and have a good timeif you can get it； she won't object；
or you may die of solitude and inanition； she'd never know it。 I don't
know but it's rather sublime in her。 It's like the indifference of fate；
but it's rather rough on those who don't understand it。 She likes to see
her rooms filled with pretty dresses； but she has no social instincts and
no social inspiration whatever。 She lights and heats and feeds her
guests； and then she leaves them to themselves。 She's a kind womanJane
is a very good…natured woman； and I really think she'd be grieved if she
thought any one went away unhappy； but she does nothing to make them at
home in her houseabsolutely nothing。〃
〃Perhaps she does all they deserve for them。 I don't know that any one
acquires merit by coming to an evening party； and it's impossible to be
personally hospitable to everybody in such a crowd。〃
Yes； I've sometimes taken that view of it。 And yet if you ask a stranger
to your house； you establish a tacit understanding with him that you won't
forget him after you have him there。 I like to go about and note the
mystification of strangers who've come here with some notion of a little
attention。 It's delightfully poignant； I suffer with them； it's a cheap
luxury of woe； I follow them through all the turns and windings of their
experience。 Of course the theory is that； being turned loose here with
the rest； they may speak to anybody； but the fact is； they can't。
Sometimes I should like to hail some of these unfriended spirits； but I
haven't the courage。 I'm not individually bashful； but I have a thousand
years of Anglo…Saxon civilisation behind me。 There ought to be policemen；
to show strangers about and be kind to them。 I've just seen two pretty
women cast away in a corner； and clinging to a small water…colour on the
wall with a show of interest that would melt a heart of stone。 Why do you
come； Mrs。 Brinkley？ I should like to know。 You're not obliged to。〃
〃No；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley； lowering her voice instinctively； as if to bring
his down。 〃I suppose I come from force of habit I've been coming a long
time； you know。 Why do you come？〃
〃Because I can't sleep。 If I could sleep； I should be at home in bed。〃 A
weariness came into his thin face and dim eyes that was pathetic； and
passed into a whimsical sarcasm。 〃I'm not one of the great leisure class；
you know； that voluntarily turns night into day。 Do you know what I go
about saying now？〃
〃Something amusing； I suppose。〃
〃You'd better not be so sure of that。 I've discovered a fact； or rather
I've formulated an old one。 I've always been troubled how to classify
people here； there are so many exceptions； and I've ended by broadly
generalising them as women and men。〃
Mrs。 Brinkley was certainly amused at this。 〃It seems to me that there
you've been anticipated by naturenot to mention art。〃
〃Oh； not in my particular view。 The women in America represent the
aristocracy which exists everywhere else in both sexes。 You are born to
the patrician leisure； you have the accomplishments and the clothes and
manners and ideals； and we men are a natural commonalty； born to business；
to newspapers； to cigars； and horses。 This natural female aristocracy of
ours establishes the forms； usages； places； and times of society。 The
epicene aristocracies of other countries turn night into day in their
social pleasures； and our noblesse sympathetically follows their example。
You ladies； who can lie till noon next day； come to Jane's reception at
eleven o'clock； and you drag along with you a herd of us brokers； bankers；
merchants； lawyers； and doctors； who must be at our offices and counting…
rooms before nine in the morning。 The hours of us work…people are
regulated by the wholesome industries of the great democracy which we're a
part of； and the hours of our wives and daughters by the deleterious
pleasures of the Old World aristocracy。 That's the reason we're not all
at home in bed。〃
〃I thought you were not at home in bed because you couldn't sleep。〃
〃I know it。 And you've no idea how horrible a bed is that you can't sleep
in。〃 The old man's voice broke in a tremor。 〃Ah； it's a bed of torture！
I spend many a wicked hour in mine； envying St。 Lawrence his gridiron。
But what do you think of my theory？〃
〃It's a very pretty theory。 My only objection to it is that it's too
flattering。 You know I rather prefer to abuse my sex； and to be set up as
a natural aristocracyI don't know that I can quite agree to that； even
to account satisfactorily for being at your sister…in…law's reception。〃
〃You're too modest； Mrs。 Brinkley。〃
〃No； really。 There ought to be some men among usmen without morrows。
Now； why don't you and my husband set an example to your sex？ Why don't
you relax your severe sense of duty？ Why need you insist upon being at
your offices every morning at nine？ Why don't you fling off these habits
of lifelong industry； and be gracefully indolent in the interest of the
higher civilisation？〃
Bromfield Corey looked round at her with a smile of relish for her satire。
Her husband was a notoriously lazy man； who had chosen to live
restrictedly upon an inherited property rather than increase it by the
smallest exertion。
〃Do you think we could get Andy Pasmer to join us？〃
〃No； I can't encourage you with that idea。 You must get on without Mr。
Pasmer； he's going back to Europe with his son…in…law。〃
〃Do you mean that their girl's married？〃
〃No…engaged。 It's just out。〃
〃Well； I must say Mrs。 Pasmer has made use of her time。〃 He too liked to
imply that it was all an effect of her manoeuvring； and that the young
people had nothing to do with it； this survival from European fiction dies
hard。 〃Who is the young man？〃
Mrs。 Brinkley gave him an account of Dan Mavering as she had seen him at
Campobello； and of his family as she just heard of them。 〃Mr。 Munt was
telling me about them as you came up。〃
〃Why； was that John Munt？〃
〃Yes； didn't you know him？〃
〃No；〃 said Corey sadly。 〃I don't know anybody nowadays。 I seem to be
going to pieces every way。 I don't call sixty…nine such a very great
age。〃
〃Not at all！〃 cried Mrs。 Brinkley。 〃I'm fifty…four myself； and Brinkley's
sixty。〃
〃But I feel a thousand years old。 I don't see people； and when I do I
don't know 'em。 My head's in a cloud。〃 He let it hang heavily； then he
lifted it； and said： 〃He's a nice； comfortable fellow； Munt is。 Why
didn't he stop and talk a bit？〃
〃Well； Munt's modest； you know； and I suppose he thought he might be the
third that makes company a crowd。 Besides； nobody stops and talks a bit
at these things。 They're afraid of boring or being bored。〃
〃Yes； they're all in as unnatural a mood as if they were posing for a
photograph。 I wonder who invented this sort of thing？ Do you know；〃 said
the old man； 〃that I think it's rather worse with us than with any other
people？ We're a simple； sincere folk； domestic in our instincts； not
gregarious or frivolous in any way； and when we're wrenched away from our
firesides； and packed in our best clothes into Jane's gilded saloons； we
feel vindictive； we feel wicked。 When the Boston being abandons himself
or herselfto fashion； she suffers a depravation into something quite
lurid。 She has a bad conscience； and she hardens her heart with talk
that's tremendously cynical。 It's amusing；〃 said Corey； staring round him
purblindly at the groups and files of people surging and eddying past the
corner where he sat with Mrs。 Brinkley。
〃No； it's shocking；〃 said his companion。 〃At any rate； you mustn't say
such things； even if you think them。 I can't let you go too far； you
know。 These young people think it heavenly； here。〃
She took with him the tone that elderly people use with those older than
themselves who have begun to break； there were authority and patronage in
it。 At the bottom of her heart she thought that Bromfield Corey should
not have been allowed to come； but she determined to keep him safe and
harmless as far as she could。
From time to time the crowd was a stationary mass in front of them； then
it dissolved and flowed away； to gather anew； there were moments when the
floor near them was quite vacant； then it was inundated again with silken
trains。 From another part of the house came the sound of music； and most
of the young people who passed went two and two； as if they were partners
in the dance； and had come out of the ball…room between dances。 There was
a good deal of nervous talk； politely subdued among them； but it was not
the note of unearthly rapture which Mrs。 Brinkley's conventional claim had
implied； it was self…interested； eager； anxious； and was probably not
different from the voice of good society anywhere。
XXXVI。
〃Why； there's Dan Mavering now！〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley； rather to herself
than to her companion。 〃And alone！〃
Dan's face showed above most of the heads and shoulders about him； it was
flushed； and looked troubled and excited。 He caught sight of Mrs。
Brinkley； and his eyes brightened joyfully。 He slipped quickly through
the crowd； and bowed over her hand； while he stammered out； without giving
her a chance for reply till the end： 〃