In the saloon； at meals； my neighbour on the right was a certain
little Mrs。 Peck； a very short and very round person whose head was
enveloped in a 〃cloud〃 （a cloud of dirty white wool） and who promptly
let me know that she was going to Europe for the education of her
children。 I had already perceivedan hour after we left the dock
that some energetic measure was required in their interest； but as we
were not in Europe yet the redemption of the four little Pecks was
stayed。 Enjoying untrammelled leisure they swarmed about the ship as
if they had been pirates boarding her； and their mother was as
powerless to check their licence as if she had been gagged and stowed
away in the hold。 They were especially to be trusted to dive between
the legs of the stewards when these attendants arrived with bowls of
soup for the languid ladies。 Their mother was too busy counting over
to her fellow…passengers all the years Miss Mavis had been engaged。
In the blank of our common detachment things that were nobody's
business very soon became everybody's； and this was just one of those
facts that are propagated with mysterious and ridiculous speed。 The
whisper that carries them is very small； in the great scale of
things； of air and space and progress； but it's also very safe； for
there's no compression； no sounding…board； to make speakers
responsible。 And then repetition at sea is somehow not repetition；
monotony is in the air； the mind is flat and everything recursthe
bells； the meals； the stewards' faces； the romp of children； the
walk； the clothes； the very shoes and buttons of passengers taking
their exercise。 These things finally grow at once so circumstantial
and so arid that； in comparison； lights on the personal history of
one's companions become a substitute for the friendly flicker of the
lost fireside。
Jasper Nettlepoint sat on my left hand when he was not upstairs
seeing that Miss Mavis had her repast comfortably on deck。 His
mother's place would have been next mine had she shown herself； and
then that of the young lady under her care。 These companions； in
other words； would have been between us； Jasper marking the limit of
the party in that quarter。 Miss Mavis was present at luncheon the
first day； but dinner passed without her coming in； and when it was
half over Jasper remarked that he would go up and look after her。
〃Isn't that young lady comingthe one who was here to lunch？〃 Mrs。
Peck asked of me as he left the saloon。
〃Apparently not。 My friend tells me she doesn't like the saloon。〃
〃You don't mean to say she's sick； do you？〃
〃Oh no； not in this weather。 But she likes to be above。〃
〃And is that gentleman gone up to her？〃
〃Yes； she's under his mother's care。〃
〃And is his mother up there； too？〃 asked Mrs。 Peck； whose processes
were homely and direct。
〃No； she remains in her cabin。 People have different tastes。
Perhaps that's one reason why Miss Mavis doesn't come to table；〃 I
added〃her chaperon not being able to accompany her。〃
〃Her chaperon？〃 my fellow passenger echoed。
〃Mrs。 Nettlepointthe lady under whose protection she happens to
be。〃
〃Protection？〃 Mrs。 Peck stared at me a moment； moving some valued
morsel in her mouth； then she exclaimed familiarly 〃Pshaw！〃 I was
struck with this and was on the point of asking her what she meant by
it when she continued： 〃Ain't we going to see Mrs。 Nettlepoint？〃
〃I'm afraid not。 She vows she won't stir from her sofa。〃
〃Pshaw！〃 said Mrs。 Peck again。 〃That's quite a disappointment。〃
〃Do you know her then？〃
〃No； but I know all about her。〃 Then my companion added： 〃You don't
mean to say she's any real relation？〃
〃Do you mean to me？〃
〃No； to Grace Mavis。〃
〃None at all。 They're very new friends； as I happen to know。 Then
you're acquainted with our young lady？〃 I hadn't noticed the passage
of any recognition between them at luncheon。
〃Is she your young lady too？〃 asked Mrs。 Peck with high significance。
〃Ah when people are in the same boatliterallythey belong a little
to each other。〃
〃That's so；〃 said Mrs。 Peck。 〃I don't know Miss Mavis； but I know
all about herI live opposite to her on Merrimac Avenue。 I don't
know whether you know that part。〃
〃Oh yesit's very beautiful。〃
The consequence of this remark was another 〃Pshaw！〃 But Mrs。 Peck
went on： 〃When you've lived opposite to people like that for a long
time you feel as if you had some rights in themtit for tat！ But
she didn't take it up today； she didn't speak to me。 She knows who I
am as well as she knows her own mother。〃
〃You had better speak to her firstshe's constitutionally shy；〃 I
remarked。
〃Shy？ She's constitutionally tough！ Why she's thirty years old；〃
cried my neighbour。 〃I suppose you know where she's going。〃
〃Oh yeswe all take an interest in that。〃
〃That young man； I suppose； particularly。〃 And then as I feigned a
vagueness： 〃The handsome one who sits THERE。 Didn't you tell me
he's Mrs。 Nettlepoint's son？〃
〃Oh yeshe acts as her deputy。 No doubt he does all he can to carry
out her function。〃
Mrs。 Peck briefly brooded。 I had spoken jocosely； but she took it
with a serious face。 〃Well； she might let him eat his dinner in
peace！〃 she presently put forth。
〃Oh he'll come back！〃 I said； glancing at his place。 The repast
continued and when it was finished I screwed my chair round to leave
the table。 Mrs。 Peck performed the same movement and we quitted the
saloon together。 Outside of it was the usual vestibule； with several
seats； from which you could descend to the lower cabins or mount to
the promenade…deck。 Mrs。 Peck appeared to hesitate as to her course
and then solved the problem by going neither way。 She dropped on one
of the benches and looked up at me。
〃I thought you said he'd come back。〃
〃Young Nettlepoint？ Yes； I see he didn't。 Miss Mavis then has given
him half her dinner。〃
〃It's very kind of her！ She has been engaged half her life。〃
〃Yes； but that will soon be over。〃
〃So I supposeas quick as ever we land。 Every one knows it on
Merrimac Avenue；〃 Mrs。 Peck pursued。 〃Every one there takes a great
interest in it。〃
〃Ah of coursea girl like that has many friends。〃
But my informant discriminated。 〃I mean even people who don't know
her。〃
〃I see；〃 I went on： 〃she's so handsome that she attracts attention
people enter into her affairs。〃
Mrs。 Peck spoke as from the commanding centre of these。 〃She USED to
be pretty； but I can't say I think she's anything remarkable today。
Anyhow； if she attracts attention she ought to be all the more
careful what she does。 You had better tell her that。〃
〃Oh it's none of my business！〃 I easily made out； leaving the
terrible little woman and going above。 This profession； I grant； was
not perfectly attuned to my real idea； or rather my real idea was not
quite in harmony with my profession。 The very first thing I did on
reaching the deck was to notice that Miss Mavis was pacing it on
Jasper Nettlepoint's arm and that whatever beauty she might have
lost； according to Mrs。 Peck's insinuation； she still kept enough to
make one's eyes follow her。 She had put on a crimson hood； which was
very becoming to her and which she wore for the rest of the voyage。
She walked very well； with long steps； and I remember that at this
moment the sea had a gentle evening swell which made the great ship
dip slowly； rhythmically； giving a movement that was graceful to
graceful pedestrians and a more awkward one to the awkward。 It was
the loveliest hour of a fine day； the clear early evening； with the
glow of the sunset in the air and a purple colour on the deep。 It
was always present to me that so the waters ploughed by the Homeric
heroes must have looked。 I became conscious on this particular
occasion moreover that Grace Mavis would for the rest of the voyage
be the most visible thing in one's range； the figure that would count
most in the composition of groups。 She couldn't help it； poor girl；
nature had made her conspicuousimportant； as the painters say。 She
paid for it by the corresponding exposure； the danger that people
would； as I had said to Mrs。 Peck； enter into her affairs。
Jasper Nettlepoint went down at certain times to see his mother； and
I watched for one of these occasionson the third day outand took
advantage of it to go and sit by Miss Mavis。 She wore a light blue
veil drawn tightly over her face； so that if the smile with which she
greeted me rather lacked intensity I could account for it partly by
that。
〃Well； we're getting onwe're getting on；〃 I said cheerfully；
looking at the friendly twinkling sea。
〃Are we going very fast？〃
〃Not fast； but steadily。 Ohne Hast； ohne Rastdo you know German？〃
〃Well； I've studied itsome。〃
〃It will be useful to you over there when you travel。〃
〃Well yes； if we do。 But I don't suppose we shall much。 Mr。
Nettlepoint says we ought；〃 my young woman added in a moment。
〃Ah of course HE thinks so。 He has been all over the world。〃
〃Yes； he has described some of the places。 They must be wonderful。
I didn't know I should like it so much。〃
〃But it isn't 'Europe' yet！〃 I laughed。
Well； she didn't care if it wasn't。 〃I mean going on this way。 I
could go on for everfor ever and ever。〃
〃Ah you know it's not always like this；〃 I hastened to mention。
〃Well； it's better than Boston。〃
〃It isn't so good as Paris；〃 I still more portentously noted。
〃Oh I know all about Paris。 There's no freshness in that。 I feel as
if I had been there all the time。〃
〃You mean you've heard so much of it？〃
〃Oh yes； nothing else for ten years。〃
I had come to talk with Miss Mavis because she was attractive； but I
had been rather conscious of the absence of a go