life？〃
〃Boardman！〃 cried Mavering； in astonishment。 〃Why； I thought you liked
Boardman？〃
〃I do； and I respect him very much。 But that isn't the question。 Don't
you think we ought to ask ourselves how others influence us？〃
〃Well； I don't see much of Boardy nowadays； but I like to drop down and
touch earth in Boardy once in a whileI'm in the air so much。 Board has
more common…sense； more solid chunk…wisdom； than anybody I know。 He's
kept me from making a fool of myself more times〃
〃Wasn't he with you that day withwith those women in Portland？〃
Dan winced a little； and then laughed。 〃No； he wasn't。 That was the
trouble。 Boardman was off on the press boat。 I thought I told you。 But
if you object to Boardman〃
〃I don't。 You mustn't think I object to people when I ask you about them。
All that I wished was that you should think yourself what sort of
influence he was。 I think he's a very good influence。〃
〃He's a splendid fellow； Boardman is； Alice！〃 cried Dan。 〃You ought to
have seen how he fought his way through college on such a little money；
and never skulked or felt mean。 He wasn't appreciated for it； the men
don't notice these things much； but he didn't want to have it noticed；
always acted as if it was neither here nor there； and now I guess he sends
out home whatever he has left after keeping soul and body together every
week。〃
He spoke； perhaps； with too great an effect of relief。 Alice listened； as
it seemed； to his tone rather than his words； and said absently
〃Yes； that's grand。 But I don't want you to act as if you were afraid of
me in such things。〃
〃 Afraid？〃 Dan echoed。
〃I don't mean actually afraid； but as if you thought I couldn't be
reasonable； as if you supposed I didn't expect you to make mistakes or to
be imperfect。〃
〃Yes； I know you're very reasonable； and you're more patient with me than
I deserve； I know all that； and it's only my wish to come up to your
standard； I suppose； that gives me that apprehensive appearance。〃
〃That was what vexed me with you there at Campobello； when youasked me 〃
〃Yes； I know。〃
〃You ought to have understood me better。 You ought to know now that I
don't wish you to do anything on my account； but because it's something we
owe to others。〃
〃Oh； excuse me！ I'd much rather do it for you；〃 cried Dan； but Alice
looked so grave； so hurt； that he hastened on： 〃How in the world does it
concern others whether we are devoted or not； whether we're harmonious and
two…souls…with…but…a…single…thought； and all that？〃 He could not help
being light about it。
〃How？〃 Alice repeated。 〃Won't it give them an idea of whatwhatof how
muchhow trulyif we care for each otherhow people ought to care？ We
don't do it for ourselves。 That would be selfish and disgusting。 We do
it because it's something that we owe to the idea of being engagedof
having devoted our lives to each other； and would showwould teach〃
〃Oh yes！ I know what you mean；〃 said Dan； and he gave way in a sputtering
laugh。 〃But they wouldn't understand。 They'd only think we were spoons
on each other； and if they noticed that I cooled off toward people I'd
liked； and warmed up toward those you liked； they'd say you made me。〃
〃Should you care？〃 asked Alice sublimely； withdrawing a little from his
arm。
〃Oh no！ only on your account；〃 he answered； checking his laugh。
〃You needn't on my account；〃 she returned。 〃If we sacrifice some little
preferences to each other； isn't that right？ I shall be glad to sacrifice
all of mine to you。 Isn't ourmarriage to be full of such sacrifices？ I
expect to give up everything to you。〃 She looked at him with a sad
severity。
He began to laugh again。 〃Oh no； Alice！ Don't do that！ I couldn't stand
it。 I want some little chance at the renunciations myself。〃
She withdrew still further from his side； and said； with a cold anger；
〃It's that detestable Mrs。 Brinkley。〃
〃Mrs。 Brinkley！〃 shouted Dan。
〃Yes； with her pessimism。 I have heard her talk。 She influences you。
Nothing is sacred to her。 It was she who took up with those army women
that night。〃
〃Well； Alice； I must say you can give things as ugly names as the next
one。 I haven't seen Mrs。 Brinkley the whole winter； except in your
company。 But she has more sense than all the other women I know。〃
〃Oh； thank you！〃
〃You know I don't mean you；〃 he pushed on。 〃And she isn't a pessimist。
She's very kindhearted； and that night she was very polite and good to
those army women； as you call them； when you had refused to say a word or
do anything for them。〃
〃I knew it had been rankling in your mind all along；〃 said the girl 〃I
expected it to coma out sooner or later。 And you talk about renunciation！
You never forget nor forgive the slightest thing。 But I don't ask your
forgiveness。〃
〃Alice！〃
〃No。 You are as hard as iron。 You have that pleasant outside manner that
makes people think you're very gentle and yielding； but all the time
you're like adamant。 I would rather die than ask your forgiveness for
anything； and you'd rather let me than give it。〃
〃Well； then； I ask your forgiveness； Alice； and I'm sure you won't let me
die without it。〃
They regarded each other a moment。 Then the tenderness gushed up in their
hearts； a passionate tide； and swept them into each other's arms。
〃O Dan；〃 she cried； 〃how sweet you are！ how good！ how lovely！ Oh； how
wonderful it is！ I wanted to hate you； but I couldn't。 I couldn't do
anything but love you。 Yes； now I understand what love is； and how it can
do everything； and last for ever。〃
XLI。
Mavering came to lunch the next day； and had a word with Mrs。 Pasmer
before Alice came in。 Mr。 Pasmer usually lunched at the club。
〃We don't see much of Mrs。 Saintsbury nowadays；〃 he suggested。
〃No； it's a great way to Cambridge；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； stifling； in a
little sigh of apparent regret for the separation； the curiosity she felt
as to Dan's motive in mentioning Mrs。 Saintsbury。 She was very patient
with him when he went on。
〃Yes； it is a great way。 And a strange thing about it is that when you're
living here it's a good deal further from Boston to Cambridge than it is
from Cambridge to Boston。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； 〃every one notices that。〃
Dan sat absently silent for a time before he said； 〃Yes； I guess I must go
out and see Mrs。 Saintsbury。〃
〃Yes； you ought。 She's very fond of you。 You and Alice ought both to
go。〃
〃Does Mrs。 Saintsbury like me？〃 asked Dan。 〃Well； she's awfully nice。
Don't you think she's awfully fond of formulating people？〃
〃Oh； everybody in Cambridge does that。 They don't gossip； they merely
accumulate materials for the formulation of character。〃
〃And they get there just the same！〃 cried Dan。 〃Mrs。 Saintsbury used to
think she had got me down pretty fine；〃 he suggested。
〃Yes！〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； with an indifference which they both knew she did
not feel。
〃Yes。 She used to accuse me of preferring to tack； even in a fair wind。〃
He looked inquiringly at Mrs。 Pasmer； and she said； 〃How ridiculous！〃
〃Yes； it was。 Well； I suppose I am rather circuitous about some things。〃
〃Oh； not at all！〃
〃And I suppose I'm rather a trial to Alice in that way。〃
He looked at Mrs。 Pasmer again； and she said： 〃I don't believe you are；
in the least。 You can't tell what is trying to a girl。〃
〃No；〃 said Dan pensively； 〃I can't。〃 Mrs。 Pasmer tried to render the
interest in her face less vivid。 〃I can't tell where she's going to bring
up。 Talk about tacking！〃
〃Do you mean the abstract girl； or Alice？〃
〃Oh； the abstract girl；〃 said Dan； and they laughed together。 〃You think
Alice is very straightforward； don't you？〃
〃Very；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； looking down with a smile〃for a girl。〃
〃Yes； that's what I mean。 And don't you think the most circuitous kind of
fellow would be pretty direct compared with the straight…forwardest kind
of girl？〃
There was a rueful defeat and bewilderment in Dan's face that made Mrs。
Pasmer laugh。 〃What has she been doing now？〃 she asked。
〃Mrs。 Pasmer；〃 said Dan； 〃you and I are the only frank and open people I
know。 Well； she began to talk last night about influencethe influence
of other people on us； and she killed off nearly all the people I like
before I knew what she was up to； and she finished with Mrs。 Brinkley。
I'm glad she didn't happen to think of you； Mrs。 Pasmer； or I shouldn't be
associating with you at the present moment。〃 This idea seemed to give
Mrs。 Pasmer inexpressible pleasure。 Dan went on： 〃Do you quite see the
connection between our being entirely devoted to each other and my
dropping Mrs。 Brinkley？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer。 〃Alice doesn't like satirical people。〃
〃Well； of course not。 But Mrs。 Brinkley is such an admirer of hers。〃
〃I dare say she tells you so。〃
〃Oh； but she is！〃
〃I don't deny it；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer。 〃But if Alice feels something
inimicalantipaticoin her atmosphere； it's no use talking。〃
〃Oh no； it's no use talking； and I don't know that I want to talk。〃 After
a pause； Mavering asked； 〃Mrs。 Pasmer； don't you think that where two
people are going to be entirely devoted to each other； and self…
sacrificing to each other； they ought to divide； and one do all the
devotion； and the other all the self…sacrifice？〃
Mrs。 Pasmer was amused by the droll look in Dan's eyes。 〃I think they
ought to be willing to share evenly；〃 she said。
〃Yes； that's what I sayshare and share alike。 I'm not selfish about
those little things。〃 He blew off a long sighing breath。 〃Mrs。 Pasmer；
don't you think we ought to have an ideal of conduct？〃
Mrs。 Pasmer abandoned herself to laughter。 〃O Dan！ Dan！ You will be the
death of me。〃
〃We will die together； then； Mrs。 Pasmer。 Alice will kill me。〃 He
regarded her with a sad sympathy in his eye as she laughed and laughed
with delicious intelligence of the case。 The intelligence was perfect；
from their point of view； but whether it fathomed the girl's whole
intention or aspiration is another matter。 Perhaps this was not very
clear to herself。 At any rate； Mavering did not go any more to see Mrs。
Brinkley； whose house he had li