rush upon the tree took place； and the scramble for the flowers。 The
first who swarmed up the trunk were promptly plucked down by the legs and
flung upon the ground； as if to form a base there for the operations of
the rest； who surged and built themselves up around the elm in an
irregular mass。 From time to time some one appeared clambering over
heads and shoulders to make a desperate lunge and snatch at the flowers；
and then fall back into the fluctuant heap again。 Yells； cries； and
clappings of hands came from the other students； and the spectators in
the； seats； involuntarily dying away almost to silence as some stronger
or wilfuler aspirant held his own on the heads and shoulders of the
others； or was stayed there by his friends among them till he could make
sure of a handful of the flowers。 A rush was made upon him when be
reached the ground； if he could keep his flowers from the hands that
snatched at them； he staggered away with the fragments。 The wreath began
to show wide patches of the bark under it； the surging and struggling
crowd below grew less dense； here and there one struggled out of it and
walked slowly about； panting pitiably。
〃Oh； I wonder they don't kill each other！〃 cried Mrs。 Pasmer。 〃Isn't it
terrible？〃 She would not have missed it on any account； but she liked to
get all she could out of her emotions。
〃They never get hurt；〃 said Mrs。 Saintsbury。 〃Oh； look！ There's Dan
Mavering！〃
The crowd at the foot of the tree had closed densely； and a wilder roar
went up from all the students。 A tall； slim young fellow； lifted on the
shoulders of the mass below； and staying himself with one hand against
the tree； rapidly stripped away the remnants of the wreath； and flung
them into the crowd under him。 A single tuft remained； the crowd was
melting away under him in a scramble for the fallen flowers； he made a
crooked leap； caught the tuft； and tumbled with it headlong。
〃Oh！〃 breathed the ladies on the Benches； with a general suspiration lost
in the 'rahs and clappings； as Mavering reappeared with the bunch of
flowers in his hand。 He looked dizzily about； as if not sure； of his
course； then his face； flushed and heated； with the hair pulled over the
eyes； brightened with recognition； and he advanced upon Mrs。 Saintsbury's
party with rapid paces； each of which Mrs。 Pasmer commentated with inward
conjecture。
〃Is he bringing the flowers to Alice？。 Isn't it altogether too
conspicuous？ Has he really the right to do it？ What will people think？
Will he give them to me for her； or will he hand them directly to her？
Which should I prefer him to do？ I wonder if I know？〃
When she looked up with the air of surprise mixed with deprecation and
ironical disclaimer which she had prepared while these things were
passing through her mind； young Mavering had reached them； and had paused
in a moment's hesitation before his father。 With a bow of affectionate
burlesque； from which he lifted his face to break into laughter at the
look in all their eyes； he handed the tattered nosegay to his father。
〃Oh； how delightful！ how delicate！ how perfect！〃 Mrs。 Pasmer confided to
herself。
〃I think this must be for you； Mrs。 Pasmer；〃 said the elder Mavering；
offering her the bouquet； with a grave smile at his son's whim。
〃Oh no； indeed！〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer。 〃For Mrs。 Saintsbury； of course。〃
She gave it to her； and Mrs。 Saintsbury at once transferred it to Miss
Pasmer。
〃They wished me to pass this to you； Alice；〃 and at this consummation Dan
Mavering broke into another happy laugh。
〃Mrs。 Saintsbury； you always do the right thing at once；〃 he cried。
〃That's more than I can say of you； Mr。 Mavering；〃 she retorted。
〃Oh； thank you； Mr。 Mavering！〃 said the girl； receiving the flowers。 It
was as if she had been too intent upon them and him to have noticed the
little comedy that had conveyed them to her。
VIII。
As soon after Class Day as Mrs。 Pasmer's complaisant sense of the
decencies would let her； she went out from Boston to call on Mrs。
Saintsbury in Cambridge； and thank her for her kindness to Alice and
herself。 〃She will know well enough what I come for；〃 she said to
herself； and she felt it the more important to ignore Mrs。 Saintsbury's
penetration by every polite futility； this was due to them both： and she
did not go till the second day after。
Mrs。 Saintsbury came down into the darkened； syringa…scented library to
find her； and give her a fan。
〃You still live； Jenny；〃 she said； kissing her gaily。
They called each other by their girl names； as is rather the custom in
Boston with ladies who are in the same set； whether they are great
friends or not。 In the more changeful society of Cambridge； where so
many new people are constantly coming and going in connection with the
college； it is not so much the custom； but Mrs。 Saintsbury was Boston
born； as well as Mrs。 Pasmer； and was Cantabrigian by marriagethough
this is not saying that she was not also thoroughly so by convincement
and usage she now rarely went into Boston society。
〃Yes； Ettajust。 But I wasn't sure of it；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； 〃when I
woke yesterday。 I was a mere aching jelly！〃
〃And Alice？〃
〃Oh； I don't think she had any physical consciousness。 She was a mere
rapturous memory！〃
〃She did have a good time； didn't she？〃 said Mrs。 Saintsbury； in a
generous retrospect。 〃I think she was on her feet every moment in the
evening。 It kept me from getting tired； to watch her。〃
〃I was afraid you'd be quite worn out。 I'd no idea it was so late。 It
must have been nearly half past seven before we got away from the Beck
Hall spread； and then by the time we had walked round the college
groundshow extremely pretty the lanterns were； and how charming the
whole effect was！it must have been nine before the dancing began。
Well； we owe it all to you； Etta。〃
〃I don't know what you mean by owing。 I'm always glad of an excuse for
Class Day。 And it was Dan Mavering who really managed the affair。〃
〃He was very kind；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； with a feeling which was chiefly
gratitude to her friend for bringing in his name so soon。 Now that it
had been spoken； she felt it decorous to throw aside the outer integument
of pretense； which if it could have been entirely exfoliated would have
caused Mrs。 Pasmer morally to disappear； like an onion stripped of its
successive laminae。
〃What did you mean；〃 she asked； leaning forward； with； her face averted；
〃about his having the artistic temperament？ Is he going to be an artist？
I should hope not。〃 She remembered without shame that she had strongly
urged him to consider how much better it would be to be a painter than a
lawyer； in the dearth of great American painters。
〃He could be a painter if he likedup to a certain point；〃 said Mrs。
Saintsbury。 〃Or he could be any one of half s dozen other thingshis
last craze was journalism； but you know what I mean by the artistic
temperament： it's that inability to be explicit； that habit of leaving
things vague and undefined； and hoping they'll somehow come out as you
want them of themselves； that way of taking the line of beauty to get at
what you wish to do or say； and of being very finicking about little
things and lag about essentials。 That's what I mean by the artistic
temperament。〃
〃Yes； that's terrible；〃 sighed Mrs。 Pasmer； with the abstractly severe
yet personally pitying perception of one whose every word and act was
sincere and direct。 〃I know just what you mean。 But how does it apply
to Mr。 Mavering？〃
〃It doesn't； exactly；〃 returned her friend。 〃And I'm always ashamed when
I say； or even think； anything against Dan Mavering。 He's sweetness
itself。 We've known him ever since he came to Harvard； and I must say
that a more constant and lovely follow I never saw。 It wasn't merely
when he was a Freshman； and he had that home feeling hanging about him
still that makes all the Freshmen so appreciative of anything you do for
them； but all through the Sophomore and Junior years； when they're so
taken up with their athletics and their societies and their college life
generally that they haven't a moment for people that have been kind to
them； he was just as faithful as ever。〃
〃How nice！〃 cried Mrs。 Pasmer。
Yes； indeed！ And all the allurements of Boston society haven't taken him
from us altogether。 You can't imagine how much this means till you've
been at home a while and seen how the students are petted and spoiled
nowadays in the young society。〃
〃Oh； I've heard of it；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer。 〃And is it his versatility and
brilliancy； or his amiability； that makes him such a universal
favourite？〃
〃Universal favourite？ I don't know that he's that。〃
〃Well； popular； then。〃
〃Oh； he's certainly very much liked。 But； Jenny； there are no universal
favourites in Harvard now； if there ever were： the classes are altogether
too big。 And it wouldn't be ability； and it wouldn't be amiability
alone； that would give a man any sort of leadership。〃
〃What in the world would it be？〃
〃That question； more than anything else； shows how long you've been away；
Jenny。 It would be familyfamily； with a judicious mixture of the
others； and with money。〃
〃Is it possible？ But of courseI remember！ Only at their age one
thinks of students as being all hail…fellow…well…met with each other〃
〃Yes； it's hard to realise how conventional they arehow very much
worldlier than the worldtill one sees it as one does in Cambridge。
They pique themselves on it。 And Mr。 Saintsbury〃she was one of those
women whom everything reminds of their husbands 〃says that it isn't a bad
thing altogether。 He says that Harvard is just like the world； and even
if it's a little more so； these boys have got to live in the world； and
they had better know what it is。 You may not approve of the Harvard
spirit； and Mr。 Saintsbury doesn't sympathise with it； he only says it's
the world's spirit。 Harvard menthe swellsare far more exclusive than
Oxford men。 A student； 'comme il faut'； wouldn't at all like to be
supposed to know another student whom we valued for his brilliancy；
unless he was popular and well known in college。〃
〃Dear me！〃 crie