showed the evenness of his pretty teeth； 〃there's a kind of wild justice
in it。〃 He admitted this； with the object of meeting Dan's views in an
opinion。
〃So you think I'm a faithless man too； do you？〃 demanded Mavering
stormily。
〃Not from your point of view；〃 said Boardman； who kept on quietly eating
and drinking。
Mavering was too amiable not to feel Boardman's innocence of offence in
his unperturbed behaviour。 〃There was no faithlessness about it； and you
know it；〃 he went on； half laughing； half crying； in his excitement； and
making Boardman the avenue of an appeal really addressed to Alice。 〃I was
ready to do what either side decided。〃
〃Or both；〃 suggested Boardman。
〃Yes； or both；〃 said Dan； boldly accepting the suggestion。 〃It wouldn't
have cost me a pang to give up if I'd been in the place of either。〃
〃I guess that's what she could never understand；〃 Boardman mused aloud。
〃And I could never understand how any one could fail to see that that was
what I intendedexpected： that it would all come out right of itself
naturally。〃 Dan was still addressing Alice in this belated reasoning。
〃But to be accused of bad faithof trying to deceive any one〃
〃Pretty rough；〃 said Boardman。
〃Rough？ It's more than I can stand！〃
〃Well； you don't seem to be asked to stand it；〃 said Boardman； and
Mavering laughed forlornly with him at his joke； and then walked away and
looked out of Boardman's dormer…window on the roofs below； with their
dirty； smoke…stained February snow。 He pulled out his handkerchief； and
wiped his face with it。 When he turned round； Boardman looked keenly at
him； and asked； with an air of caution； 〃And so it's all up？〃
〃Yes； it's all up；〃 said Dan hoarsely。
〃No danger of a relapse？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃No danger of having my sympathy handed over later to Miss Pasmer for
examination？〃
〃I guess you can speak up freely； Boardman；〃 said Dan； 〃if that's what you
mean。 Miss Pasmer and I are quits。〃
〃Well； then； I'm glad of it。 She wasn't the one for you。 She isn't fit
for you。〃
What's the reason she isn't？〃 cried Dan。 〃She's the most beautiful and
noble girl in the world； and the most conscientious； and the bestif she
is unjust to me。〃
〃No doubt of that。 I'm not attacking her； and I'm not defending you。〃
〃What are you doing then？〃〃
〃Simply saying that I don't believe you two would ever understand each
other。 You haven't got the same point of view； and you couldn't make it
go。 Both out of a scrape。〃
〃I don't know what you mean by a scrape；〃 said Dan； resenting the word
more than the idea。 Boardman tacitly refused to modify or withdraw it；
and Dan said； after a sulky silence； in which he began to dramatise a
meeting with his family： 〃I'm going home； I can't stand it here。 What's
the reason you can't come with me； Boardman？〃
〃Do you mean to your rooms？〃
〃No； to the Falls。〃
〃Thanks。 Guess not。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Don't care about being a fifth wheel。〃
〃Oh； pshaw； now； Boardman！ Look here； you must go。 I want you to go。
II want your support。 That's it。 I'm all broken up； and I couldn't
stand that three hours' pull alone。 They'll be glad to see youall of
them。 Don't you suppose they'll be glad to see you？ They're always glad；
and they'll understand。〃
〃I don't believe you want me to go yourself。 You just think you do。〃
〃No。 I really do want you； Boardman。 I want to talk it over with you。 I
do want you。 I'm not fooling。〃
〃Don't think I could get away。〃 Yet he seemed to be pleased with the
notion of the Falls； it made him smile。
〃Well； see；〃 said Mavering disconsolately。 〃I'm going round to my rooms
now； and I'll be there till two o'clock； train's at 2。30。〃 He went
towards the door； where he faced about。 〃And you don't think it would be
of any use？〃
〃Any usewhat？〃
〃Trying tototo make it up。〃
〃How should I know？〃
〃No； no； of course you couldn't；〃 said Dan； miserably downcast。 All the
resentment which Alice's injustice had roused in him had died out； he was
suffering as helplessly and hopelessly as a child。 〃Well；〃 he sighed； as
he swung out of the door。
Boardman found him seated at his writing…desk in his smoking…jacket when
he came to him； rather early； and on the desk were laid out the properties
of the little play which had come to a tragic close。 There were some
small bits of jewellery； among the rest a ring of hers which Alice had
been letting him wear； a lock of her hair which he had kept； for the
greater convenience of kissing； in the original parcel； tied with crimson
ribbon； a succession of flowers which she had worn； more and more dry and
brown with age； one of her gloves； which he had found and kept from the
day they first met in Cambridge； a bunch of withered bluebells tied with
sweet…grass； whose odour filled the room； from the picnic at Campobello；
scraps of paper with her writing on them； and cards； several photographs
of her； and piles of notes and letters。
〃Look here；〃 said Dan； knowing it was Boardman without turning round；
〃what am I to do about these things？〃
Boardman respectfully examined them over his shoulder。 〃Don't know what
the usual ceremony is；〃 he said； he ventured to add； referring to the
heaps of letters； 〃Seems to have been rather epistolary； doesn't she？〃
〃Oh； don't talk of her as if she were dead！〃 cried Dan。 〃I've been
feeling as if she were。〃 All at once he dropped his head among these
witnesses of his loss； and sobbed。
Boardman appeared shocked； and yet somewhat amused； he made a soft low
sibilation between his teeth。
Dan lifted his head。 〃Boardman； if you ever give me away！〃
〃Oh； I don't suppose it's very hilarious；〃 said Boardman； with vague
kindness。 〃Packed yet？〃 he asked； getting away from the subject as
something he did not feel himself fitted to deal with consecutively。
〃I'm only going to take a bag；〃 said Mavering； going to get some clothes
down from a closet where his words had a sepulchral reverberation。
〃Can't I help？〃 asked Boardman； keeping away from the sad memorials of
Dan's love strewn about on the desk； and yet not able to keep his eyes off
them across the room。
〃Well； I don't know；〃 said Dan。 He came out with his armful of coats and
trousers； and threw them on the bed。 〃Are you going？〃
〃If I could believe you wanted me to。〃
〃Good！〃 cried Mavering； and the fact seemed to brighten him immediately。
〃If you want to； stuff these things in； while I'm doing up these other
things。〃 He nodded his head side…wise toward the desk。
〃All right；〃 said Boardman。
His burst of grief must have relieved Dan greatly。 He set about gathering
up the relics on the desk； and getting a suitable piece of paper to wrap
them in。 He rejected several pieces as inappropriate。
〃I don't know what kind of paper to do these things up in；〃 he said at
last。
〃Any special kind of paper required？〃 Boardman asked； pausing in the act
of folding a pair of pantaloons so as not to break the fall over the boot。
〃I didn't know there was； but there seems to be；〃 said Dan。
〃Silver paper seems to be rather more for cake and that sort of thing；〃
suggested Boardman。 〃Kind of mourning too； isn't itsilver？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Dan。 〃But I haven't got any silver paper。〃
〃Newspaper wouldn't do？〃
〃Well； hardly； Boardman；〃 said Dan； with sarcasm。
〃Well；〃 said Boardman； 〃I should have supposed that nothing could be
simpler than to send back a lot of love…letters； but the question of paper
seems insuperable。 Manila paper wouldn't do either。 And then comes
string。 What kind of string are you going to tie it up with？〃
〃Well； we won't start that question till we get to it；〃 answered Dan；
looking about。 〃If I could find some kind of a box〃
〃Haven't you got a collar box？ Be the very thing！〃 Boardman had gone
back to the coats and trousers； abandoning Dan to the subtler difficulties
in which he was involved。
〃They've all got labels；〃 said Mavering； getting down one marked 〃The
Tennyson〃 and another lettered 〃The Clarion；〃 and looking at them with
cold rejection。
〃Don't see how you're going to send these things back at all； then。 Have
to keep them； I guess。〃 Boardman finished his task； and came back to Dan。
〃I guess I've got it now；〃 said Mavering； lifting the lid of his desk； and
taking out a large stiff envelope； in which a set of photographic views
had come。
〃Seems to have been made for it；〃 Boardman exulted； watching the envelope；
as it filled up； expand into a kind of shapely packet。 Dan put the things
silently in； and sealed the parcel with his ring。 Then he turned it over
to address it； but the writing of Alice's name for this purpose seemed too
much for him； in spite of Boardman's humorous support throughout。
〃Oh； I can't do it；〃 he said； falling back in his chair。
〃Let me；〃 said his friend； cheerfully ignoring his despair。 He
philosophised the whole transaction； as he addressed the package； rang for
a messenger； and sent it away； telling him to call a cab for ten minutes
past two。
〃Mighty good thing in life that we move by steps。 Now on the stage； or in
a novel； you'd have got those things together and addressed 'em； and
despatched 'em； in just the right kind of paper； with just the right kind
of string round it； at a dash； and then you'd have had time to go up and
lean your head against something and soliloquise； or else think
unutterable things。 But here you see how a merciful Providence blocks
your way all along。 You've had to fight through all sort of sordid little
details to the grand tragic result of getting off Miss Pasmer's letters；
and when you reach it you don't mind it a bit。〃
〃Don't I？〃 demanded Dan； in as hollow a voice as he could。 〃You'd joke at
a funeral； Boardman。〃
〃I've seen some pretty cheerful funerals；〃 said Boardman。 〃And it's this
principle of steps； of degrees； of having to do this little thing； and
that little thing； that keeps funerals from killing the survivors。 I
suppose this is worse than a funerallook at it in the right light。 You
mourn as one without hope； don't you？ Live through it too； I suppose。〃
He made Dan help get the rest of his things into his bag； and with o