Hard as it was to oppose his mother in anything when she was praising him
so sweetly and comforting him in the moment of his need； he pulled himself
together to protest： 〃No； no； mother！ I don't think Mrs。 Pasmer was to
blame； I don't believe she had anything to do with it。 She's always stood
my friend〃
〃Oh； I've no doubt she's made you think so； Dan；〃 said his mother； with
unabated fondness for him； 〃and you think so because you're so simple and
good； and never suspect evil of any one。 It's this hideous optimism
that's killing everything'
A certain note in the invalid's falling voice seemed to warn her hearers
of an impending change that could do no one good。 Eunice rose hastily and
interrupted： 〃Mother； Mr。 Boardman's here。 He came up with Dan。 May
Minnie come in with him？〃
Mrs。 Mavering shot a glance of inquiry at Dan； and then let a swift
inspection range over all the details of the room； and finally concentrate
itself on the silk and lace of her bed； over which she passed a smoothing
hand。 〃Mr。 Boardman？〃 she cried； with instantly recovered amiability。 〃Of
course she may！〃
XLVII。
In Boston the rumour of Dan's broken engagement was followed promptly by a
denial of it； both the rumour and the denial were apparently
authoritative； but it gives the effect of a little greater sagacity to
distrust rumours of all kinds； and most people went to bed； after the teas
and dinners and receptions and clubs at which the fact was first debated；
in the self…persuasion that it was not so。 The next day they found the
rumour still persistent； the denial was still in the air too； but it
seemed weaker； at the end of the third day it had become a question as to
which broke the engagement； and why； by the end of a week it was known
that Alice had broken the engagement； but the reason could not be
ascertained。
This was not for want of asking； more or less direct。 Pasmer； of course；
went and came at his club with perfect immunity。 Men are quite as curious
as women； but they set business bounds to their curiosity； and do not
dream of passing these。 With women who have no business of their own； and
can not quell themselves with the reflection that this thing or that is
not their affair； there is no question so intimate that they will not put
it to some other woman； perhaps it is not so intimate； or perhaps it will
not seem so； at any rate； they chance it。 Mrs。 Pasmer was given every
opportunity to explain the facts to the ladies whom she met； and if she
was much afflicted by Alice's behaviour； she had a measure of consolation
in using her skill to baffle the research of her acquaintance。 After each
encounter of the kind she had the pleasure of reflecting that absolutely
nothing more than she meant had become known。 The case never became fully
known through her； it was the girl herself who told it to Miss Cotton in
one of those moments of confidence which are necessary to burdened minds；
and it is doubtful if more than two or three people ever clearly
understood it； most preferred one or other of several mistaken versions
which society finally settled down to。
The paroxysm of self…doubt； almost self…accusal； in which Alice came to
Miss Cotton； moved the latter to the deepest sympathy； and left her with
misgivings which became an intolerable anguish to her conscience。 The
child was so afflicted at what she had done； not because she wished to be
reconciled with her lover； but because she was afraid she had been unjust；
been cruelly impatient and peremptory with him； she seemed to Miss Cotton
so absolutely alone and friendless with her great trouble； she was so
helpless； so hopeless； she was so anxious to do right； and so fearful she
had done wrong； that Miss Cotton would not have been Miss Cotton if she
had not taken her in her arms and assured her that in everything she had
done she had been sublimely and nobly right； a lesson to all her sex in
such matters for ever。 She told her that she had always admired her； but
that now she idolised her； that she felt like going down on her knees and
simply worshipping her。
〃Oh； don't say that； Miss Cotton！〃 pleaded Alice； pulling away from her
embrace； but still clinging to her with her tremulous； cold little hands。
〃I can't bear it！ I'm wicked and hard you don't know how bad I am； and
I'm afraid of being weak； of doing more harm yet。 Oh； I wronged him
cruelly in ever letting him get engaged to me！ But now what you've said
will support me。 If you think I've done rightIt must seem strange to
you that I should come to you with my trouble instead of my mother； but
I've been to her； andand we think alike on so few subjects； don't you
know〃
〃Yes； yes； I know； dear！〃 said Miss Cotton； in the tender folly of her
heart； with the satisfaction which every woman feels in being more
sufficient to another in trouble than her natural comforters。
〃And I wanted to know how you saw it； and now； if you feel as you say； I
can never doubt myself again。〃
She tempested out of Miss Cotton's house； all tearful under the veil she
had pulled down； and as she shut the door of her coupe； Miss Cotton's
heart jumped into her throat with an impulse to run after her； to recall
her； to recant； to modify everything。
From that moment Miss Cotton's trouble began； and it became a torment that
mounted and gave her no peace till she imparted it。 She said to herself
that she should suffer to the utmost in this matter； and if she spoke to
any one； it must not be to same one who had agreed with her about Alice；
but to some hard； skeptical nature； some one who would look at it from a
totally different point of view； and would punish her for her error； if
she had committed an error； in supporting and consoling Alice。 All the
time she was thinking of Mrs。 Brinkley； Mrs。 Brinkley had come into her
mind at once； but it was only after repeated struggles that she could get
the strength to go to her。
Mrs。 Brinkley； sacredly pledged to secrecy； listened with a sufficiently
dismaying air to the story which Miss Cotton told her in the extremity of
her fear and doubt。
〃Well；〃 she said at the end； 〃have you written to Mr。 Mavering？〃
〃Written to Mr。 Mavering？〃 gasped Miss Cotton。
〃Yesto tell him she wants him back。〃
〃Wants him back？〃 Miss Cotton echoed again。
〃That's what she came to you for。〃
〃Oh； Mrs。 Brinkley！〃 moaned Miss Cotton； and she stared at her in mute
reproach。
Mrs。 Brinkley laughed。 〃I don't say she knew that she came for that； but
there's no doubt that she did； and she went away bitterly disappointed
with your consolation and support。 She didn't want anything of the kind
you may comfort yourself with that reflection； Miss Cotton。〃
〃Mrs。 Brinkley；〃 said Miss Cotton； with a severity which ought to have
been extremely effective from so mild a person； 〃do you mean to accuse
that poor child of dissimulationof deceitin suchaa〃
〃No！〃 shouted Mrs。 Brinkley； 〃she didn't know what she was doing any more
than you did； and she went home perfectly heart…broken； and I hope she'll
stay so； for the good of all parties concerned。〃
Miss Cotton was so bewildered by Mrs。 Brinkley's interpretation of Alice's
latent motives that she let the truculent hostility of her aspiration pass
unheeded。 She looked helplessly about； and seemed faint； so that Mrs。
Brinkley； without appearing to notice her state； interposed the question
of a little sherry。 When it had been brought； and Miss Cotton had sipped
the glass that trembled in one hand while her emotion shattered a biscuit
with the other； Mrs。 Brinkley went on： 〃I'm glad the engagement is broken；
and I hope it will never be mended。 If what you tell me of her reason for
breaking it is true〃
〃Oh； I feel so guilty for telling you！ I'd no right to！ Please never
speak of it！〃 pleaded Miss Cotton。
〃Then I feel more than ever that it was all a mistake； and that to help it
on again would be acrime。〃
Miss Cotton gave a small jump at the word； as if she had already committed
the crime： she had longed to do it。
〃Yes； I mean to say that they are better parted than plighted。 If matches
are made in heaven； I believe some of them are unmade there too。 They're
not adapted to each other； there's too great a disparity。〃
〃You mean；〃 began Miss Cotton； from her prepossession of Alice's
superiority； 〃that she's altogether his inferior； intellectually and
morally。〃
〃Oh； I can't admit that！〃 cried Miss Cotton； glad to have Mrs。 Brinkley go
too far； and plucking up courage from her excess。
〃Intellectually and morally；〃 repeated Mrs。 Brinkley； with the mounting
conviction which ladies seem to get from mere persistence。 〃I saw that
girl at Campobello； I watched her。〃
〃I never felt that you did her justice！〃 cried Miss Cotton； with the
valour of a hen…sparrow。 〃There was an antipathy。〃
〃There certainly wasn't a sympathy； I'm happy to say；〃 retorted Mrs。
Brinkley。 〃I know her； and I know her family； root and branch。 The
Pasmers are the dullest and most selfish people in the world。〃
〃Oh； I don't think that's her character；〃 said Miss Cotton； ruffling her
feathers defensively。
〃Neither do I。 She has no fixed character。 No girl has。 Nobody has。 We
all have twenty different charactersmore characters than gownsand we
put them on and take them off just as often for different occasions。 I
know you think each person is permanently this or that； but my experience
is that half the time they're the other thing。〃
〃Then why；〃 said Miss Cotton； winking hard； as some weak people do when
they thick they are making a point； 〃do you say that Alice is dull and
selfish？〃
〃I don'tnot always； or not simply so。 That's the character of the
Pasmer blood； but it's crossed with twenty different currents in her； and
from some body that the Pasmer dulness and selfishness must have driven
mad she got a crazy streak of piety； and that's got mixed up in her again
with a nonsensical ideal of duty； and everything she does she not only
thinks is right； but she thinks it's religious； and she thinks it's
unselfish。〃
〃If you'd seen her； if you'd heard her； this morning；〃 said Miss Cotton；
〃you wouldn't say that； Mrs。 Brinkley。〃
Mrs。