DAPHNE
OR
,
“
MARRIAGE
À
LA
MODE
”
BY
MRS.
HUMPHRY
WARD
With
Illustrations
by
FRED
.
PEGRAM
CASSELL
AND
COMPANY
,
LIMITED
London
,
New
York
,
Toronto
and
Melbourne
1909
ALL
RIGHTS
RESERVED
TO
L.C.W.
PART
I
“
When
all
birds
else
do
of
their
music
fail
Money
's
the
still-sweet-singing
nightingale
.
”
DAPHNE
,
OR
“
MARRIAGE
À
LA
MODE
”
CHAPTER
I
“
A
STIFLING
hot
day
!
”
General
Hobson
lifted
his
hat
and
mopped
his
forehead
indignantly
.
“
What
on
earth
this
place
can
be
like
in
June
I
ca
n't
conceive
!
The
tenth
of
April
,
and
I
'll
be
bound
the
thermometer
's
somewhere
near
eighty
in
the
shade
.
You
never
find
the
English
climate
playing
you
these
tricks
.
”
Roger
Barnes
looked
at
his
uncle
with
amusement
.
“
Do
n't
you
like
heat
,
Uncle
Archie
?
Ah
,
but
I
forgot
,
it
's
American
heat
.
”
“
I
like
a
climate
you
can
depend
on
,
”
said
the
General
,
quite
conscious
that
he
was
talking
absurdly
,
yet
none
the
less
determined
to
talk
,
by
way
of
relief
to
some
obscure
annoyance
.
“
Here
we
are
sweltering
in
this
abominable
heat
,
and
in
New
York
last
week
they
had
a
blizzard
,
and
here
,
even
,
it
was
cold
enough
to
give
me
rheumatism
.
The
climate
's
always
in
extremes
—
like
the
people
.
”
“
I
'm
sorry
to
find
you
do
n't
like
the
States
,
Uncle
Archie
.
”
The
young
man
sat
down
beside
his
uncle
.
They
were
in
the
deck
saloon
of
a
steamer
which
had
left
Washington
about
an
hour
before
for
Mount
Vernon
.
Through
the
open
doorway
to
their
left
they
saw
a
wide
expanse
of
river
,
flowing
between
banks
of
spring
green
,
and
above
it
thunderous
clouds
,
in
a
hot
blue
.
The
saloon
,
and
the
decks
outside
,
held
a
great
crowd
of
passengers
,
of
whom
the
majority
were
women
.
The
tone
in
which
Roger
Barnes
spoke
was
good-tempered
,
but
quite
perfunctory
.
Any
shrewd
observer
would
have
seen
that
whether
his
uncle
liked
the
States
or
not
did
not
in
truth
matter
to
him
a
whit
.
“
And
I
consider
all
the
arrangements
for
this
trip
most
unsatisfactory
,
”
the
General
continued
angrily
.
“
The
steamer
's
too
small
,
the
landing-place
is
too
small
,
the
crowd
getting
on
board
was
something
disgraceful
.
They
'll
have
a
shocking
accident
one
of
these
days
.
And
what
on
earth
are
all
these
women
here
for
—
in
the
middle
of
the
day
?
It
's
not
a
holiday
.
”
“
I
believe
it
's
a
teachers
'
excursion
,
”
said
young
Barnes
absently
,
his
eyes
resting
on
the
rows
of
young
women
in
white
blouses
and
spring
hats
who
sat
in
close-packed
chairs
upon
the
deck
—
an
eager
,
talkative
host
.
“
H
'm
—
Teachers
!
”
The
General
's
tone
was
still
more
pugnacious
.
“
Going
to
learn
more
lies
about
us
,
I
suppose
,
that
they
may
teach
them
to
school-children
?
I
was
turning
over
some
of
their
school-books
in
a
shop
yesterday
.
Perfectly
abominable
!
It
's
monstrous
what
they
teach
the
children
here
about
what
they
're
pleased
to
call
their
War
of
Independence
.
All
that
we
did
was
to
ask
them
to
pay
something
for
their
own
protection
.
What
did
it
matter
to
us
whether
they
were
mopped
up
by
the
Indians
,
or
the
French
,
or
not
?
‘But
if
you
want
us
to
go
to
all
the
expense
and
trouble
of
protecting
you
,
and
putting
down
those
fellows
,
why
,
hang
it
,
’
we
said
,
‘you
must
pay
some
of
the
bill
!
’
That
was
all
English
Ministers
asked
;
and
perfectly
right
too
.
And
as
for
the
men
they
make
such
a
fuss
about
,
Samuel
Adams
,
and
John
Adams
,
and
Franklin
,
and
all
the
rest
of
the
crew
,
I
tell
you
,
the
stuff
they
teach
American
school-children
about
them
is
a
poisoning
of
the
wells
!
Franklin
was
a
man
of
profligate
life
,
whom
I
would
never
have
admitted
inside
my
doors
!
And
as
for
the
Adamses
—
intriguers
—
canting
fellows
!
—
both
of
them
.
”
“
Well
,
at
least
you
'll
give
them
George
Washington
.
”
As
he
spoke
,
Barnes
concealed
a
yawn
,
followed
immediately
afterwards
by
a
look
of
greater
alertness
,
caused
by
the
discovery
that
a
girl
sitting
not
far
from
the
doorway
in
the
crowd
outside
was
certainly
pretty
.
The
red-faced
,
white-haired
General
paused
a
moment
before
replying
,
then
broke
out
:
“
What
George
Washington
might
have
been
if
he
had
held
a
straight
course
I
am
not
prepared
to
say
.
As
it
is
,
I
do
n't
hesitate
for
a
moment
!
George
Washington
was
nothing
more
nor
less
than
a
rebel
—
a
damned
rebel
!
And
what
Englishmen
mean
by
joining
in
the
worship
of
him
I
've
never
been
able
to
understand
.
”
“
I
say
,
uncle
,
take
care
,
”
said
the
young
man
,
looking
round
him
,
and
observing
with
some
relief
that
they
seemed
to
have
the
saloon
to
themselves
.
“
These
Yankees
will
stand
most
things
,
but
—
”
“
You
need
n't
trouble
yourself
,
Roger
,
”
was
the
testy
reply
;
“
I
am
not
in
the
habit
of
annoying
my
neighbours
.
Well
now
,
look
here
,
what
I
want
to
know
is
,
what
is
the
meaning
of
this
absurd
journey
of
yours
?
”
The
young
man
's
frown
increased
.
He
began
to
poke
the
floor
with
his
stick
.
“
I
do
n't
know
why
you
call
it
absurd
?
”
“
To
me
it
seems
both
absurd
and
extravagant
,
”
said
the
other
with
emphasis
.
“
The
last
thing
I
heard
of
you
was
that
Burdon
and
Co.
had
offered
you
a
place
in
their
office
,
and
that
you
were
prepared
to
take
it
.
When
a
man
has
lost
his
money
and
becomes
dependent
upon
others
,
the
sooner
he
gets
to
work
the
better
.
”
Roger
Barnes
reddened
under
the
onslaught
,
and
the
sulky
expression
of
his
handsome
mouth
became
more
pronounced
.
“
I
think
my
mother
and
I
ought
to
be
left
to
judge
for
ourselves
,
”
he
said
rather
hotly
.
“
We
have
n't
asked
anybody
for
money
yet
,
Uncle
Archie
.
Burdon
and
Co.
can
have
me
in
September
just
as
well
as
now
;
and
my
mother
wished
me
to
make
some
friends
over
here
who
might
be
useful
to
me
.
”
“
Useful
to
you
.
How
?
”
“
I
think
that
's
my
affair
.
In
this
country
there
are
always
openings
—
things
turning
up
—
chances
—
you
ca
n't
get
at
home
.
”
The
General
gave
a
disapproving
laugh
.
“
The
only
chance
that
'll
help
you
,
Roger
,
at
present
—
excuse
me
if
I
speak
frankly
—
is
the
chance
of
regular
work
.
Your
poor
mother
has
nothing
but
her
small
fixed
income
,
and
you
have
n't
a
farthing
to
chuck
away
on
what
you
call
chances
.
Why
,
your
passage
by
the
Lucania
alone
must
have
cost
a
pretty
penny
.
I
'll
bet
my
hat
you
came
first
class
.
”
The
young
man
was
clearly
on
the
brink
of
an
explosion
,
but
controlled
himself
with
an
effort
.
“
I
paid
the
winter
rate
;
and
mother
,
who
knows
the
Cunard
people
very
well
,
got
a
reduction
.
I
assure
you
,
Uncle
Archie
,
neither
mother
nor
I
is
a
fool
,
and
we
know
quite
well
what
we
are
about
.
”
As
he
spoke
he
raised
himself
with
energy
,
and
looked
his
companion
in
the
face
.
The
General
,
surveying
him
,
was
mollified
,
as
usual
,
by
nothing
in
the
world
but
the
youth
's
extraordinary
good
looks
.
Roger
Barnes
's
good
looks
had
been
,
indeed
,
from
his
childhood
upwards
the
distinguishing
and
remarkable
feature
about
him
.
He
had
been
a
king
among
his
school-fellows
largely
because
of
them
,
and
of
the
athletic
prowess
which
went
with
them
;
and
while
at
Oxford
he
had
been
cast
for
the
part
of
Apollo
in
The
Eumenides
,
Nature
having
clearly
designed
him
for
it
,
in
spite
of
the
lamentable
deficiencies
in
his
Greek
scholarship
,
which
gave
his
prompters
and
trainers
so
much
trouble
.
Nose
,
chin
,
brow
,
the
poising
of
the
head
on
the
shoulders
,
the
large
blue
eyes
,
lidded
and
set
with
a
Greek
perfection
,
the
delicacy
of
the
lean
,
slightly
hollow
cheeks
,
combined
with
the
astonishing
beauty
and
strength
of
the
head
,
crowned
with
ambrosial
curls
—
these
possessions
,
together
with
others
,
had
so
far
made
life
an
easy
and
triumphant
business
for
their
owner
.
The
“
others
,
”
let
it
be
noted
,
however
,
had
till
now
always
been
present
;
and
,
chief
amongst
them
,
great
wealth
and
an
important
and
popular
father
.
The
father
was
recently
dead
,
as
the
black
band
on
the
young
man
's
arm
still
testified
,
and
the
wealth
had
suddenly
vanished
,
wholly
and
completely
,
in
one
of
the
financial
calamities
of
the
day
.
General
Hobson
,
contemplating
his
nephew
,
and
mollified
,
as
we
have
said
,
by
his
splendid
appearance
,
kept
saying
to
himself
:
“
He
has
n't
a
farthing
but
what
poor
Laura
allows
him
;
he
has
the
tastes
of
forty
thousand
a
year
;
a
very
indifferent
education
;
and
what
the
deuce
is
he
going
to
do
?
”
Aloud
he
said
:
“
Well
,
all
I
know
is
,
I
had
a
deplorable
letter
last
mail
from
your
poor
mother
.
”
The
young
man
turned
his
head
away
,
his
cigarette
still
poised
at
his
lips
.
“
Yes
,
I
know
—
mother
's
awfully
down
.
”
“
Well
,
certainly
your
mother
was
never
meant
for
a
poor
woman
,
”
said
the
General
,
with
energy
.
“
She
takes
it
uncommonly
hard
.
”
Roger
,
with
face
still
averted
,
showed
no
inclination
to
discuss
his
mother
's
character
on
these
lines
.
“
However
,
she
'll
get
along
all
right
,
if
you
do
your
duty
by
her
,
”
added
the
General
,
not
without
a
certain
severity
.
“
I
mean
to
do
it
,
sir
.
”
Barnes
rose
as
he
spoke
.
“
I
should
think
we
're
getting
near
Mount
Vernon
by
this
time
.
I
'll
go
and
look
.
”
He
made
his
way
to
the
outer
deck
,
the
General
following
.
The
old
soldier
,
as
he
moved
through
the
crowd
of
chairs
in
the
wake
of
his
nephew
,
was
well
aware
of
the
attention
excited
by
the
young
man
.
The
eyes
of
many
damsels
were
upon
him
;
and
,
while
the
girls
looked
and
said
nothing
,
their
mothers
laughed
and
whispered
to
each
other
as
the
young
Apollo
passed
.
Standing
at
the
side
of
the
steamer
,
the
uncle
and
nephew
perceived
that
the
river
had
widened
to
a
still
more
stately
breadth
,
and
that
,
on
the
southern
bank
,
a
white
building
,
high
placed
,
had
come
into
view
.
The
excursionists
crowded
to
look
,
expressing
their
admiration
for
the
natural
scene
and
their
sense
of
its
patriotic
meaning
in
a
frank
,
enthusiastic
chatter
,
which
presently
enveloped
the
General
,
standing
in
a
silent
endurance
like
a
rock
among
the
waves
.
“
Is
n't
it
fine
to
think
of
his
coming
back
here
to
die
,
so
simply
,
when
he
'd
made
a
nation
?
”
said
a
young
girl
—
perhaps
from
Omaha
—
to
her
companion
.
“
Was
n't
it
just
lovely
?
”
Her
voice
,
restrained
,
yet
warm
with
feeling
,
annoyed
General
Hobson
.
He
moved
away
,
and
as
they
hung
over
the
taffrail
,
he
said
with
suppressed
venom
to
his
companion
:
“
Much
good
it
did
them
to
be
‘made
a
nation’
!
Look
at
their
press
—
look
at
their
corruption
—
their
divorce
scandals
!
”
Barnes
laughed
,
and
threw
his
cigarette-end
into
the
swift
brown
water
.
“
Upon
my
word
,
Uncle
Archie
,
I
ca
n't
play
up
to
you
.
As
far
as
I
've
gone
,
I
like
America
and
the
Americans
.
”
“
Which
means
,
I
suppose
,
that
your
mother
gave
you
some
introductions
to
rich
people
in
New
York
,
and
they
entertained
you
?
”
said
the
General
drily
.
“
Well
,
is
there
any
crime
in
that
?
I
met
a
lot
of
uncommonly
nice
people
.
”
“
And
did
n't
particularly
bless
me
when
I
wired
to
you
to
come
here
?
”
The
young
man
laughed
again
and
paused
a
moment
before
replying
.
“
I
'm
always
very
glad
to
come
and
keep
you
company
,
Uncle
Archie
.
”
The
old
General
reddened
a
little
.
Privately
,
he
knew
very
well
that
his
telegram
summoning
young
Barnes
from
New
York
had
been
an
act
of
tyranny
—
mild
,
elderly
tyranny
.
He
was
not
amusing
himself
in
Washington
,
where
he
was
paying
a
second
visit
after
an
absence
of
twenty
years
.
His
English
soul
was
disturbed
and
affronted
by
a
wholly
new
realisation
of
the
strength
of
America
,
by
the
giant
forces
of
the
young
nation
,
as
they
are
to
be
felt
pulsing
in
the
Federal
City
.
He
was
up
in
arms
for
the
Old
World
,
wondering
sorely
and
secretly
what
the
New
might
do
with
her
in
the
times
to
come
,
and
foreseeing
an
ever-increasing
deluge
of
unlovely
things
—
ideals
,
principles
,
manners
—
flowing
from
this
western
civilisation
,
under
which
his
own
gods
were
already
half
buried
,
and
would
soon
be
hidden
beyond
recovery
.
And
in
this
despondency
which
possessed
him
,
in
spite
of
the
attentions
of
Embassies
,
and
luncheons
at
the
White
House
,
he
had
heard
that
Roger
was
in
New
York
,
and
could
not
resist
the
temptation
to
send
for
him
.
After
all
,
Roger
was
his
heir
.
Unless
the
boy
flagrantly
misbehaved
himself
,
he
would
inherit
General
Hobson
's
money
and
small
estate
in
Northamptonshire
.
Before
the
death
of
Roger
's
father
this
prospective
inheritance
,
indeed
,
had
not
counted
for
very
much
in
the
family
calculations
.
The
General
had
even
felt
a
shyness
in
alluding
to
a
matter
so
insignificant
in
comparison
with
the
general
scale
on
which
the
Barnes
family
lived
.
But
since
the
death
of
Barnes
père
,
and
the
complete
pecuniary
ruin
revealed
by
that
event
,
Roger
's
expectations
from
his
uncle
had
assumed
a
new
importance
.
The
General
was
quite
aware
of
it
.
A
year
before
this
date
he
would
never
have
dreamed
of
summoning
Roger
to
attend
him
at
a
moment
's
notice
.
That
he
had
done
so
,
and
that
Roger
had
obeyed
him
,
showed
how
closely
even
the
family
relation
may
depend
on
pecuniary
circumstance
.
The
steamer
swung
round
to
the
landing-place
under
the
hill
of
Mount
Vernon
.
Again
,
in
disembarkation
,
there
was
a
crowd
and
rush
which
set
the
General
's
temper
on
edge
.
He
emerged
from
it
,
hot
and
breathless
,
after
haranguing
the
functionary
at
the
gates
on
the
inadequacy
of
the
arrangements
and
the
likelihood
of
an
accident
.
Then
he
and
Roger
strode
up
the
steep
path
,
beside
beds
of
blue
periwinkles
,
and
under
old
trees
just
bursting
into
leaf
.
A
spring
sunshine
was
in
the
air
and
on
the
grass
,
which
had
already
donned
its
“
livelier
emerald
.
”
The
air
quivered
with
heat
,
and
the
blue
dome
of
sky
diffused
it
.
Here
and
there
a
magnolia
in
full
flower
on
the
green
slopes
spread
its
splendour
of
white
or
pinkish
blossom
to
the
sun
;
the
great
river
,
shimmering
and
streaked
with
light
,
swept
round
the
hill
,
and
out
into
a
pearly
distance
;
and
on
the
height
the
old
pillared
house
with
its
flanking
colonnades
stood
under
the
thinly
green
trees
in
a
sharp
light
and
shade
,
which
emphasised
all
its
delightful
qualities
—
made
,
as
it
were
,
the
most
of
it
,
in
response
to
the
eagerness
of
the
crowd
now
flowing
round
it
.
Half-way
up
the
hill
Roger
suddenly
raised
his
hat
.
“
Who
is
it
?
”
said
the
General
,
putting
up
his
eyeglass
.
“
The
girl
we
met
last
night
and
her
brother
.
”
“
Captain
Boyson
?
So
it
is
.
They
seem
to
have
a
party
with
them
.
”
The
lady
whom
young
Barnes
had
greeted
moved
towards
the
Englishmen
,
followed
by
her
brother
.
“
I
did
n't
know
we
were
to
meet
to-day
,
”
she
said
gaily
,
with
a
mocking
look
at
Roger
.
“
I
thought
you
said
you
were
bored
—
and
going
back
to
New
York
.
”
Roger
was
relieved
to
see
that
his
uncle
,
engaged
in
shaking
hands
with
the
American
officer
,
had
not
heard
this
remark
.
Tact
was
certainly
not
Miss
Boyson
's
strong
point
.
“
I
am
sure
I
never
said
anything
of
the
kind
,
”
he
said
,
looking
brazenly
down
upon
her
;
“
nothing
in
the
least
like
it
.
”
“
Oh
!
oh
!
”
the
lady
protested
,
with
an
extravagant
archness
.
“
Mrs.
Phillips
,
this
is
Mr.
Barnes
.
We
were
just
talking
of
him
,
were
n't
we
?
”
An
elderly
lady
,
quietly
dressed
in
grey
silk
,
turned
,
bowed
,
and
looked
curiously
at
the
Englishman
.
“
I
hear
you
and
Miss
Boyson
discovered
some
common
friends
last
night
.
”
“
We
did
,
indeed
.
Miss
Boyson
posted
me
up
in
a
lot
of
the
people
I
have
been
seeing
in
New
York
.
I
am
most
awfully
obliged
to
her
,
”
said
Barnes
.
His
manner
was
easy
and
forthcoming
,
the
manner
of
one
accustomed
to
feel
himself
welcome
and
considered
.
“
I
behaved
like
a
walking
‘Who
's
Who
,
’
only
I
was
much
more
interesting
,
and
did
n't
tell
half
as
many
lies
,
”
said
the
girl
,
in
a
high
penetrating
voice
.
“
Daphne
,
let
me
introduce
you
to
Mr.
Barnes
.
Mr.
Barnes
—
Miss
Floyd
;
Mr.
Barnes
—
Mrs.
Verrier
.
”
Two
ladies
beyond
Mrs.
Phillips
made
vague
inclinations
,
and
young
Barnes
raised
his
hat
.
The
whole
party
walked
on
up
the
hill
.
The
General
and
Captain
Boyson
fell
into
a
discussion
of
some
military
news
of
the
morning
.
Roger
Barnes
was
mostly
occupied
with
Miss
Boyson
,
who
had
a
turn
for
monopoly
;
and
he
could
only
glance
occasionally
at
the
two
ladies
with
Mrs.
Phillips
.
But
he
was
conscious
that
the
whole
group
made
a
distinguished
appearance
.
Among
the
hundreds
of
young
women
streaming
over
the
lawn
they
were
clearly
marked
out
by
their
carriage
and
their
clothes
—
especially
their
clothes
—
as
belonging
to
the
fastidious
cosmopolitan
class
,
between
whom
and
the
young
school-teachers
from
the
West
,
in
their
white
cotton
blouses
,
leathern
belts
,
and
neat
short
skirts
,
the
links
were
few
.
Miss
Floyd
,
indeed
,
was
dressed
with
great
simplicity
.
A
white
muslin
dress
,
à
la
Romney
,
with
a
rose
at
the
waist
,
and
a
black-and-white
Romney
hat
deeply
shading
the
face
beneath
—
nothing
could
have
been
plainer
;
yet
it
was
a
simplicity
not
to
be
had
for
the
asking
,
a
calculated
,
a
Parisian
simplicity
;
while
her
companion
,
Mrs.
Verrier
,
was
attired
in
what
the
fashion-papers
would
have
called
a
“
creation
in
mauve
.
”
And
Roger
knew
quite
enough
about
women
's
dress
to
be
aware
that
it
was
a
creation
that
meant
dollars
.
She
was
a
tall
,
dark-eyed
,
olive-skinned
woman
,
thin
almost
to
emaciation
:
and
young
Barnes
noticed
that
while
Miss
Floyd
talked
much
,
Mrs.
Verrier
answered
little
,
and
smiled
less
.
She
moved
with
a
languid
step
,
and
looked
absently
about
her
.
Roger
could
not
make
up
his
mind
whether
she
was
American
or
English
.
In
the
house
itself
the
crowd
was
almost
unmanageable
.
The
General
's
ire
was
roused
afresh
when
he
was
warned
off
the
front
door
by
the
polite
official
on
guard
,
and
made
to
mount
a
back
stair
in
the
midst
of
a
panting
multitude
.
“
I
really
cannot
congratulate
you
on
your
management
of
these
affairs
,
”
he
said
severely
to
Captain
Boyson
,
as
they
stood
at
last
,
breathless
and
hustled
,
on
the
first-floor
landing
.
“
It
is
most
improper
,
I
may
say
dangerous
,
to
admit
such
a
number
at
once
.
And
,
as
for
seeing
the
house
,
it
is
simply
impossible
.
I
shall
make
my
way
down
as
soon
as
possible
,
and
go
for
a
walk
.
”
Captain
Boyson
looked
perplexed
.
General
Hobson
was
a
person
of
eminence
;
Washington
had
been
very
civil
to
him
;
and
the
American
officer
felt
a
kind
of
host
's
responsibility
.
“
Wait
a
moment
;
I
'll
try
and
find
somebody
.
”
He
disappeared
,
and
the
party
maintained
itself
with
difficulty
in
a
corner
of
the
landing
against
the
pressure
of
a
stream
of
damsels
,
who
crowded
to
the
open
doors
of
the
rooms
,
looked
through
the
gratings
which
bar
the
entrance
without
obstructing
the
view
,
chattered
,
and
moved
on
.
General
Hobson
stood
against
the
wall
,
a
model
of
angry
patience
.
Cecilia
Boyson
,
glancing
at
him
with
a
laughing
eye
,
said
in
Roger
's
ear
:
“
How
sad
it
is
that
your
uncle
dislikes
us
so
!
”
“
Us
?
What
you
do
mean
?
”
“
That
he
hates
America
so
.
Oh
,
do
n't
say
he
does
n't
,
because
I
've
watched
him
,
at
one
,
two
,
three
parties
.
He
thinks
we
're
a
horrid
,
noisy
,
vulgar
people
,
with
most
unpleasant
voices
,
and
he
thanks
God
for
the
Atlantic
—
and
hopes
he
may
never
see
us
again
.
”
“
Well
,
of
course
,
if
you
're
so
certain
about
it
,
there
's
no
good
in
contradicting
you
.
Did
you
say
that
lady
's
name
was
Floyd
?
Could
I
have
seen
her
last
week
in
New
York
?
”
“
Quite
possible
.
Perhaps
you
heard
something
about
her
?
”
“
No
,
”
said
Barnes
,
after
thinking
a
moment
.
“
I
remember
—
somebody
pointed
her
out
at
the
opera
.
”
His
companion
looked
at
him
with
a
kind
of
hard
amusement
.
Cecilia
Boyson
was
only
five-and-twenty
,
but
there
was
already
something
in
her
that
foretold
the
formidable
old
maid
.
“
Well
,
when
people
begin
upon
Daphne
Floyd
,
”
she
said
,
“
they
generally
go
through
with
it
.
Ah
!
here
comes
Alfred
.
”
Captain
Boyson
,
pushing
his
way
through
the
throng
,
announced
to
his
sister
and
General
Hobson
that
he
had
found
the
curator
in
charge
of
the
house
,
who
sent
a
message
by
him
to
the
effect
that
if
only
the
party
would
wait
till
four
o'clock
,
the
official
closing
hour
,
he
himself
would
have
great
pleasure
in
showing
them
the
house
when
all
the
tourists
of
the
day
had
taken
their
departure
.
“
Then
,
”
said
Miss
Floyd
,
smiling
at
the
General
,
“
let
us
go
and
sit
in
the
garden
,
and
feel
ourselves
aristocratic
and
superior
.
”
The
General
's
brow
smoothed
.
Voice
and
smile
were
alike
engaging
.
Their
owner
was
not
exactly
pretty
,
but
she
had
very
large
dark
eyes
,
and
a
small
glowing
face
,
set
in
a
profusion
of
hair
.
Her
neck
,
the
General
thought
,
was
the
slenderest
he
had
ever
seen
,
and
the
slight
round
lines
of
her
form
spoke
of
youth
in
its
first
delicate
maturity
.
He
followed
her
obediently
,
and
they
were
all
soon
in
the
garden
again
,
and
free
of
the
crowd
.
Miss
Floyd
led
the
way
across
the
grass
with
the
General
.
“
Ah
!
now
you
will
see
the
General
will
begin
to
like
us
,
”
said
Miss
Boyson
.
“
Daphne
has
got
him
in
hand
.
”
Her
tone
was
slightly
mocking
.
Barnes
observed
the
two
figures
in
front
of
them
,
and
remarked
that
Miss
Floyd
had
a
“
very
—
well
—
a
very
foreign
look
.
”
“
Not
English
,
you
mean
?
—
or
American
?
Well
,
naturally
.
Her
mother
was
a
Spaniard
—
a
South
American
—
from
Buenos
Ayres
.
That
's
why
she
is
so
dark
,
and
so
graceful
.
”
“
I
never
saw
a
prettier
dress
,
”
said
Barnes
,
following
the
slight
figure
with
his
eyes
.
“
It
's
so
simple
.
”
His
companion
laughed
again
.
The
manner
of
the
laugh
puzzled
her
companion
,
but
,
just
as
he
was
about
to
put
a
question
,
the
General
and
the
young
lady
paused
in
front
,
to
let
the
rest
of
the
party
come
up
with
them
.
Miss
Floyd
proposed
a
seat
a
little
way
down
the
slope
,
where
they
might
wait
the
half-hour
appointed
.
That
half-hour
passed
quickly
for
all
concerned
.
In
looking
back
upon
it
afterwards
two
of
the
party
were
conscious
that
it
had
all
hung
upon
one
person
.
Daphne
Floyd
sat
beside
the
General
,
who
paid
her
a
half-reluctant
,
half-fascinated
attention
.
Without
any
apparent
effort
on
her
part
she
became
indeed
the
centre
of
the
group
who
sat
or
lay
on
the
grass
.
All
faces
were
turned
towards
her
,
and
presently
all
ears
listened
for
her
remarks
.
Her
talk
was
young
and
vivacious
,
nothing
more
.
But
all
she
said
came
,
as
it
were
,
steeped
in
personality
,
a
personality
so
energetic
,
so
charged
with
movement
and
with
action
that
it
arrested
the
spectators
—
not
always
agreeably
.
It
was
like
the
passage
of
a
train
through
the
darkness
,
when
,
for
the
moment
,
the
quietest
landscape
turns
to
fire
and
force
.
The
comparison
suggested
itself
to
Captain
Boyson
as
he
lay
watching
her
,
only
to
be
received
with
an
inward
mockery
,
half
bitter
,
half
amused
.
This
girl
was
always
awakening
in
him
these
violent
or
desperate
images
.
Was
it
her
fault
that
she
possessed
those
brilliant
eyes
—
eyes
,
as
it
seemed
,
of
the
typical
,
essential
woman
?
—
and
that
downy
brunette
skin
,
with
the
tinge
in
it
of
damask
red
?
—
and
that
instinctive
art
of
lovely
gesture
in
which
her
whole
being
seemed
to
express
itself
?
Boyson
,
who
was
not
only
a
rising
soldier
,
but
an
excellent
amateur
artist
,
knew
every
line
of
the
face
by
heart
.
He
had
drawn
Miss
Daphne
from
the
life
on
several
occasions
;
and
from
memory
scores
of
times
.
He
was
not
likely
to
draw
her
from
life
any
more
;
and
thereby
hung
a
tale
.
As
far
as
he
was
concerned
the
train
had
passed
—
in
flame
and
fury
—
leaving
an
echoing
silence
behind
it
.
What
folly
!
He
turned
resolutely
to
Mrs.
Verrier
,
and
tried
to
discuss
with
her
an
exhibition
of
French
art
recently
opened
in
Washington
.
In
vain
.
After
a
few
sentences
,
the
talk
between
them
dropped
,
and
both
he
and
she
were
once
more
watching
Miss
Floyd
,
and
joining
in
the
conversation
whenever
she
chose
to
draw
them
in
.
As
for
Roger
Barnes
,
he
too
was
steadily
subjugated
—
up
to
a
certain
point
.
He
was
not
sure
that
he
liked
Miss
Floyd
,
or
her
conversation
.
She
was
so
much
mistress
of
herself
and
of
the
company
,
that
his
masculine
vanity
occasionally
rebelled
.
A
little
flirt
!
—
that
gave
herself
airs
.
It
startled
his
English
mind
that
at
twenty
—
for
she
could
be
no
more
—
a
girl
should
so
take
the
floor
,
and
hold
the
stage
.
Sometimes
he
turned
his
back
upon
her
—
almost
;
and
Cecilia
Boyson
held
him
.
But
,
if
there
was
too
much
of
the
“
eternal
womanly
”
in
Miss
Floyd
,
there
was
not
enough
in
Cecilia
Boyson
.
He
began
to
discover
also
that
she
was
too
clever
for
him
,
and
was
in
fact
talking
down
to
him
.
Some
of
the
things
that
she
said
to
him
about
New
York
and
Washington
puzzled
him
extremely
.
She
was
,
he
supposed
,
intellectual
;
but
the
intellectual
women
in
England
did
not
talk
in
the
same
way
.
He
was
equal
to
them
,
or
flattered
himself
that
he
was
;
but
Miss
Boyson
was
beyond
him
.
He
was
getting
into
great
difficulties
with
her
,
when
suddenly
Miss
Floyd
addressed
him
:
“
I
am
sure
I
saw
you
in
New
York
,
at
the
opera
?
”
She
bent
over
to
him
as
she
spoke
,
and
lowered
her
voice
.
Her
look
was
merry
,
perhaps
a
little
satirical
.
It
put
him
on
his
guard
.
“
Yes
,
I
was
there
.
You
were
pointed
out
to
me
.
”
“
You
were
with
some
old
friends
of
mine
.
I
suppose
they
gave
you
an
account
of
me
?
”
“
They
were
beginning
it
;
but
then
Melba
began
to
sing
,
and
some
horrid
people
in
the
next
box
said
‘Hush
!
’
”
She
studied
him
in
a
laughing
silence
a
moment
,
her
chin
on
her
hand
,
then
said
:
“
That
is
the
worst
of
the
opera
;
it
stops
so
much
interesting
conversation
.
”
“
You
do
n't
care
for
the
music
?
”
“
Oh
,
I
am
a
musician
!
”
she
said
quickly
.
“
I
teach
it
.
But
I
am
like
the
mad
King
of
Bavaria
—
I
want
an
opera-house
to
myself
.
”
“
You
teach
it
?
”
he
said
,
in
amazement
.
She
nodded
,
smiling
.
At
that
moment
a
bell
rang
.
Captain
Boyson
rose
.
“
That
's
the
signal
for
closing
.
I
think
we
ought
to
be
moving
up
.
”
They
strolled
slowly
towards
the
house
,
watching
the
stream
of
excursionists
pour
out
of
the
house
and
gardens
,
and
wind
down
the
hill
;
sounds
of
talk
and
laughter
filled
the
air
,
and
the
western
sun
touched
the
spring
hats
and
dresses
.
“
The
holidays
end
to-morrow
,
”
said
Daphne
Floyd
demurely
,
as
she
walked
beside
young
Barnes
.
And
she
looked
smiling
at
the
crowd
of
young
women
,
as
though
claiming
solidarity
with
them
.
A
teacher
?
A
teacher
of
music
?
—
with
that
self-confidence
—
that
air
as
though
the
world
belonged
to
her
!
The
young
man
was
greatly
mystified
.
But
he
reminded
himself
that
he
was
in
a
democratic
country
where
all
men
—
and
especially
all
women
—
are
equal
.
Not
that
the
young
women
now
streaming
to
the
steamboat
were
Miss
Floyd
's
equals
.
The
notion
was
absurd
.
All
that
appeared
to
be
true
was
that
Miss
Floyd
,
in
any
circumstances
,
would
be
,
and
was
,
the
equal
of
anybody
.
“
How
charming
your
friend
is
!
”
he
said
presently
to
Cecilia
Boyson
,
as
they
lingered
on
the
verandah
,
waiting
for
the
curator
,
in
a
scene
now
deserted
.
“
She
tells
me
she
is
a
teacher
of
music
.
”
Cecilia
Boyson
looked
at
him
in
amazement
,
and
made
him
repeat
his
remark
.
As
he
did
so
,
his
uncle
called
him
,
and
he
turned
away
.
Miss
Boyson
leant
against
one
of
the
pillars
of
the
verandah
,
shaking
with
suppressed
laughter
.
But
at
that
moment
the
curator
,
a
gentle
,
grey-haired
man
,
appeared
,
shaking
hands
with
the
General
,
and
bowing
to
the
ladies
.
He
gave
them
a
little
discourse
on
the
house
and
its
history
,
as
they
stood
on
the
verandah
;
and
private
conversation
was
no
longer
possible
.
CHAPTER
II
A
SUDDEN
hush
had
fallen
upon
Mount
Vernon
.
From
the
river
below
came
the
distant
sounds
of
the
steamer
,
which
,
with
its
crowds
safe
on
board
,
was
now
putting
off
for
Washington
.
But
the
lawns
and
paths
of
the
house
,
and
the
formal
garden
behind
it
,
and
all
its
simple
rooms
upstairs
and
down
,
were
now
given
back
to
the
spring
and
silence
,
save
for
this
last
party
of
sightseers
.
The
curator
,
after
his
preliminary
lecture
on
the
verandah
,
took
them
within
;
the
railings
across
the
doors
were
removed
;
they
wandered
in
and
out
as
they
pleased
.
Perhaps
,
however
,
there
were
only
two
persons
among
the
six
now
following
the
curator
to
whom
the
famous
place
meant
anything
more
than
a
means
of
idling
away
a
warm
afternoon
.
General
Hobson
carried
his
white
head
proudly
through
it
,
saying
little
or
nothing
.
It
was
the
house
of
a
man
who
had
wrenched
half
a
continent
from
Great
Britain
;
the
English
Tory
had
no
intention
whatever
of
bowing
the
knee
.
On
the
other
hand
,
it
was
the
house
of
a
soldier
and
a
gentleman
,
representing
old
English
traditions
,
tastes
,
and
manners
.
No
modern
blatancy
,
no
Yankee
smartness
anywhere
.
Simplicity
and
moderate
wealth
,
combined
with
culture
,
—
witness
the
books
of
the
library
,
—
with
land-owning
,
a
family
coach
,
and
church
on
Sundays
:
these
things
the
Englishman
understood
.
Only
the
slaves
,
in
the
picture
of
Mount
Vernon
's
past
,
were
strange
to
him
.
They
stood
at
length
in
the
death-chamber
,
with
its
low
white
bed
,
and
its
balcony
overlooking
the
river
.
“
This
,
ladies
,
is
the
room
in
which
General
Washington
died
,
”
said
the
curator
,
patiently
repeating
the
familiar
sentence
.
“
It
is
,
of
course
,
on
that
account
sacred
to
every
true
American
.
”
He
bowed
his
head
instinctively
as
he
spoke
.
The
General
looked
round
him
in
silence
.
His
eye
was
caught
by
the
old
hearth
,
and
by
the
iron
plate
at
the
back
of
it
,
bearing
the
letters
G.W.
and
some
scroll
work
.
There
flashed
into
his
mind
a
vision
of
the
December
evening
on
which
Washington
passed
away
,
the
flames
flickering
in
the
chimney
,
the
winds
breathing
round
the
house
and
over
the
snow-bound
landscape
outside
,
the
dying
man
in
that
white
bed
,
and
around
him
,
hovering
invisibly
,
the
generations
of
the
future
.
The
General
's
patriotic
mind
was
not
alloyed
by
any
harassing
sense
of
humour
;
he
therefore
firmly
reminded
himself
that
no
Englishman
had
a
right
to
think
of
Washington
as
anything
better
than
a
traitor
to
his
king
and
country
;
yet
he
admitted
that
it
was
perhaps
natural
that
Americans
should
consider
him
a
great
man
.
The
French
window
beside
the
bed
was
thrown
open
,
and
these
privileged
guests
were
invited
to
step
on
to
the
balcony
.
Daphne
Floyd
was
handed
out
by
young
Barnes
.
They
hung
over
the
white
balustrade
together
.
An
evening
light
was
on
the
noble
breadth
of
river
;
its
surface
of
blue
and
gold
gleamed
through
the
boughs
of
the
trees
which
girdled
the
house
;
blossoms
of
wild
cherry
,
of
dogwood
,
and
magnolia
sparkled
amid
the
coverts
of
young
green
.
Roger
Barnes
remarked
,
with
sincerity
,
as
he
looked
about
him
,
that
it
was
a
very
pretty
place
,
and
he
was
glad
he
had
not
missed
it
.
Miss
Floyd
made
an
absent
reply
,
being
in
fact
occupied
in
studying
the
speaker
.
It
was
,
so
to
speak
,
the
first
time
she
had
really
observed
him
;
and
,
as
they
paused
on
the
balcony
together
,
she
was
suddenly
possessed
by
the
same
impression
as
that
which
had
mollified
the
General
's
scolding
on
board
the
steamer
.
He
was
indeed
handsome
,
the
young
Englishman
!
—
a
magnificent
figure
of
a
man
,
in
height
and
breadth
and
general
proportions
;
and
in
addition
,
as
it
seemed
to
her
,
possessed
of
an
absurd
and
superfluous
beauty
of
feature
.
What
does
a
man
want
with
such
good
looks
?
This
was
perhaps
the
girl
's
first
instinctive
feeling
.
She
was
,
indeed
,
a
little
dazzled
by
her
new
companion
,
now
that
she
began
to
realise
him
.
As
compared
with
the
average
man
in
Washington
or
New
York
,
here
was
an
exception
—
an
Apollo
!
—
for
she
too
thought
of
the
Sun-god
.
Miss
Floyd
could
not
remember
that
she
had
ever
had
to
do
with
an
Apollo
before
;
young
Barnes
,
therefore
,
was
so
far
an
event
,
a
sensation
.
In
the
opera-house
she
had
been
vaguely
struck
by
a
handsome
face
.
But
here
,
in
the
freedom
of
outdoor
dress
and
movement
,
he
seemed
to
her
a
physical
king
of
men
;
and
,
at
the
same
time
,
his
easy
manner
—
which
,
however
,
was
neither
conceited
nor
ill-bred
—
showed
him
conscious
of
his
advantages
.
As
they
chatted
on
the
balcony
she
put
him
through
his
paces
a
little
.
He
had
been
,
it
seemed
,
at
Eton
and
Oxford
;
and
she
supposed
that
he
belonged
to
the
rich
English
world
.
His
mother
was
a
Lady
Barnes
;
his
father
,
she
gathered
,
was
dead
;
and
he
was
travelling
,
no
doubt
,
in
the
lordly
English
way
,
to
get
a
little
knowledge
of
the
barbarians
outside
,
before
he
settled
down
to
his
own
kingdom
,
and
the
ways
thereof
.
She
envisaged
a
big
Georgian
house
in
a
spreading
park
,
like
scores
that
she
had
seen
in
the
course
of
motoring
through
England
the
year
before
.
Meanwhile
,
the
dear
young
man
was
evidently
trying
to
talk
to
her
,
without
too
much
reference
to
the
gilt
gingerbread
of
this
world
.
He
did
not
wish
that
she
should
feel
herself
carried
into
regions
where
she
was
not
at
home
,
so
that
his
conversation
ran
amicably
on
music
.
Had
she
learnt
it
abroad
?
He
had
a
cousin
who
had
been
trained
at
Leipsic
;
was
n't
teaching
it
trying
sometimes
—
when
people
had
no
ear
?
Delicious
!
She
kept
it
up
,
talking
with
smiles
of
“
my
pupils
”
and
“
my
class
,
”
while
they
wandered
after
the
others
upstairs
to
the
dark
low-roofed
room
above
the
death-chamber
,
where
Martha
Washington
spent
the
last
years
of
her
life
,
in
order
that
from
the
high
dormer
window
she
might
command
the
tomb
on
the
slope
below
,
where
her
dead
husband
lay
.
The
curator
told
the
well-known
story
.
Mrs.
Verrier
,
standing
beside
him
,
asked
some
questions
,
showed
indeed
some
animation
.
“
She
shut
herself
up
here
?
She
lived
in
this
garret
?
That
she
might
always
see
the
tomb
?
That
is
really
true
?
”
Barnes
,
who
did
not
remember
to
have
heard
her
speak
before
,
turned
at
the
sound
of
her
voice
,
and
looked
at
her
curiously
.
She
wore
an
expression
—
bitter
or
incredulous
—
which
,
somehow
,
amused
him
.
As
they
descended
again
to
the
garden
he
communicated
his
amusement
—
discreetly
—
to
Miss
Floyd
.
“
Did
Mrs.
Verrier
imply
that
no
one
who
was
not
a
fool
could
show
her
grief
as
Mrs.
Washington
did
?
That
it
was
,
in
fact
,
a
sign
of
being
a
fool
to
regret
your
husband
?
”
“
Did
she
say
that
?
”
asked
Miss
Floyd
quickly
.
“
Not
like
that
,
of
course
,
but
—
”
They
had
now
reached
the
open
air
again
,
and
found
themselves
crossing
the
front
court
to
the
kitchen-garden
.
Daphne
Floyd
did
not
wait
till
Roger
should
finish
his
sentence
.
She
turned
on
him
a
face
which
was
grave
if
not
reproachful
.
“
I
suppose
you
know
Mrs.
Verrier
's
story
?
”
“
Why
,
I
never
saw
her
before
!
I
hope
I
have
n't
said
anything
I
ought
n't
to
have
said
?
”
“
Everybody
knows
it
here
,
”
said
Daphne
slowly
.
“
Mrs.
Verrier
married
three
years
ago
.
She
married
a
Jew
—
a
New
Yorker
—
who
had
changed
his
name
.
You
know
Jews
are
not
in
what
we
call
‘society’
here
.
But
Madeleine
thought
she
could
do
it
;
she
was
in
love
with
him
,
and
she
meant
to
be
able
to
do
without
society
.
But
she
could
n't
do
without
society
;
and
presently
she
began
to
dine
out
,
and
go
to
parties
by
herself
—
he
urged
her
to
.
Then
,
after
a
bit
,
people
did
n't
ask
her
as
much
as
before
;
she
was
n't
happy
;
and
her
people
began
to
talk
to
him
about
a
divorce
—
naturally
they
had
been
against
her
marrying
him
all
along
.
He
said
—
as
they
and
she
pleased
.
Then
,
one
night
about
a
year
ago
,
he
took
the
train
to
Niagara
—
of
course
it
was
a
very
commonplace
thing
to
do
—
and
two
days
afterwards
he
was
found
,
thrown
up
by
the
whirlpool
;
you
know
,
where
all
the
suicides
are
found
!
”
Barnes
stopped
short
in
front
of
his
companion
,
his
face
flushing
.
“
What
a
horrible
story
!
”
he
said
,
with
emphasis
.
Miss
Floyd
nodded
.
“
Yes
,
poor
Madeleine
has
never
got
over
it
.
”
The
young
man
still
stood
riveted
.
“
Of
course
Mrs.
Verrier
herself
had
nothing
to
do
with
the
talk
about
divorce
?
”
Something
in
his
tone
roused
a
combative
instinct
in
his
companion
.
She
,
too
,
coloured
,
and
drew
herself
up
.
“
Why
should
n't
she
?
She
was
miserable
.
The
marriage
had
been
a
great
mistake
.
”
“
And
you
allow
divorce
for
that
?
”
said
the
man
,
wondering
.
“
Oh
,
of
course
I
know
every
State
is
different
,
and
some
States
are
worse
than
others
.
But
,
somehow
,
I
never
came
across
a
case
like
that
—
first
hand
—
before
.
”
He
walked
on
slowly
beside
his
companion
,
who
held
herself
a
little
stiffly
.
“
I
do
n't
know
why
you
should
talk
in
that
way
,
”
she
said
at
last
,
breaking
out
in
a
kind
of
resentment
,
“
as
though
all
our
American
views
are
wrong
!
Each
nation
arranges
these
things
for
itself
.
You
have
the
laws
that
suit
you
;
you
must
allow
us
those
that
suit
us
.
”
Barnes
paused
again
,
his
face
expressing
a
still
more
complete
astonishment
.
“
You
say
that
?
”
he
said
.
“
You
!
”
“
And
why
not
?
”
“
But
—
but
you
are
so
young
!
”
he
said
,
evidently
finding
a
difficulty
in
putting
his
impressions
.
“
I
beg
your
pardon
—
I
ought
not
to
talk
about
it
at
all
.
But
it
was
so
odd
that
—
”
“
That
I
knew
anything
about
Mrs.
Verrier
's
affairs
?
”
said
Miss
Floyd
,
with
a
rather
uncomfortable
laugh
.
“
Well
,
you
see
,
American
girls
are
not
like
English
ones
.
We
do
n't
pretend
not
to
know
what
everybody
knows
.
”
“
Of
course
,
”
said
Roger
hurriedly
;
“
but
you
would
n't
think
it
a
fair
and
square
thing
to
do
?
”
“
Think
what
?
”
“
Why
,
to
marry
a
man
,
and
then
talk
of
divorcing
him
because
people
did
n't
invite
you
to
their
parties
.
”
“
She
was
very
unhappy
,
”
said
Daphne
stubbornly
.
“
Well
,
by
Jove
!
”
cried
the
young
man
,
“
she
does
n't
look
very
happy
now
!
”
“
No
,
”
Miss
Floyd
admitted
.
“
No.
There
are
many
people
who
think
she
'll
never
get
over
it
.
”
“
Well
,
I
give
it
up
.
”
The
Apollo
shrugged
his
handsome
shoulders
.
“
You
say
it
was
she
who
proposed
to
divorce
him
?
—
yet
when
the
wretched
man
removes
himself
,
then
she
breaks
her
heart
!
”
“
Naturally
she
did
n't
mean
him
to
do
it
in
that
way
,
”
said
the
girl
with
impatience
.
“
Of
course
you
misunderstood
me
entirely
!
—
entirely
!
”
she
added
with
an
emphasis
which
suited
with
her
heightened
colour
and
evidently
ruffled
feelings
.
Young
Barnes
looked
at
her
with
embarrassment
.
What
a
queer
,
hot-tempered
girl
!
Yet
there
was
something
in
her
which
attracted
him
.
She
was
graceful
even
in
her
impatience
.
Her
slender
neck
,
and
the
dark
head
upon
it
,
her
little
figure
in
the
white
muslin
,
her
dainty
arms
and
hands
—
these
points
in
her
delighted
an
honest
eye
,
quite
accustomed
to
appraise
the
charms
of
women
.
But
,
by
George
!
she
took
herself
seriously
,
this
little
music
teacher
.
The
air
of
wilful
command
about
her
,
the
sharpness
with
which
she
had
just
rebuked
him
,
amazed
and
challenged
him
.
“
I
am
very
sorry
if
I
misunderstood
you
,
”
he
said
,
a
little
on
his
dignity
;
“
but
I
thought
you
—
”
“
You
thought
I
sympathised
with
Mrs.
Verrier
?
So
I
do
;
though
of
course
I
am
awfully
sorry
that
such
a
dreadful
thing
happened
.
But
you
'll
find
,
Mr.
Barnes
,
that
American
girls
—
”
The
colour
rushed
into
her
small
olive
cheeks
.
“
Well
,
we
know
all
about
the
old
ideas
,
and
we
know
also
too
well
that
there
's
only
one
life
,
and
we
do
n't
mean
to
have
that
one
spoilt
.
The
old
notions
of
marriage
—
your
English
notions
,
”
cried
the
girl
facing
him
—
“
make
it
tyranny
!
Why
should
people
stay
together
when
they
see
it
's
a
mistake
?
We
say
everybody
shall
have
their
chance
.
And
not
one
chance
only
,
but
more
than
one
.
People
find
out
in
marriage
what
they
could
n't
find
out
before
,
and
so
—
”
“
You
let
them
chuck
it
just
when
they
're
tired
of
it
?
”
laughed
Barnes
.
“
And
what
about
the
—
”
“
The
children
?
”
said
Miss
Floyd
calmly
.
“
Well
,
of
course
,
that
has
to
be
very
carefully
considered
.
But
how
can
it
do
children
any
good
to
live
in
an
unhappy
home
?
”
“
Had
Mrs.
Verrier
any
children
?
”
“
Yes
,
one
little
girl
.
”
“
I
suppose
she
meant
to
keep
her
?
”
“
Why
,
of
course
.
”
“
And
the
father
did
n't
care
?
”
“
Well
,
I
believe
he
did
,
”
said
Daphne
unwillingly
willingly
.
“
Yes
,
that
was
very
sad
.
He
was
quite
devoted
to
her
.
”
“
And
you
think
that
's
all
right
?
”
Barnes
looked
at
his
companion
,
smiling
.
“
Well
,
of
course
,
it
was
a
pity
,
”
she
said
,
with
fresh
impatience
;
“
I
admit
it
was
a
pity
.
But
then
,
why
did
she
ever
marry
him
?
That
was
the
horrible
mistake
.
”
“
I
suppose
she
thought
she
liked
him
.
”
“
Oh
,
it
was
he
who
was
so
desperately
in
love
with
her
.
He
plagued
her
into
doing
it
.
”
“
Poor
devil
!
”
said
Barnes
heartily
.
“
All
right
,
we
're
coming
.
”
The
last
words
were
addressed
to
General
Hobson
,
waving
to
them
from
the
kitchen-garden
.
They
hurried
on
to
join
the
curator
,
who
took
the
party
for
a
stroll
round
some
of
the
fields
over
which
George
Washington
,
in
his
early
married
life
,
was
accustomed
to
ride
in
summer
and
winter
dawns
,
inspecting
his
negroes
,
his
plantation
,
and
his
barns
.
The
grass
in
these
southern
fields
was
already
high
;
there
were
shining
fruit-trees
,
blossom-laden
,
in
an
orchard
copse
;
and
the
white
dogwood
glittered
in
the
woods
.
For
two
people
to
whom
the
traditions
of
the
place
were
dear
,
this
quiet
walk
through
Washington
's
land
had
a
charm
far
beyond
that
of
the
reconstructed
interior
of
the
house
,
Here
were
things
unaltered
and
unalterable
,
boundaries
,
tracks
,
woods
,
haunted
still
by
the
figure
of
the
young
master
and
bridegroom
who
brought
Patsy
Curtis
there
in
1759.
To
the
grey-haired
curator
every
foot
of
them
was
sacred
and
familiar
;
he
knew
these
fields
and
the
records
of
them
better
than
any
detail
of
his
own
personal
affairs
;
for
years
now
he
had
lived
in
spirit
with
Washington
,
through
all
the
hours
of
the
Mount
Vernon
day
;
his
life
was
ruled
by
one
great
ghost
,
so
that
everything
actual
was
comparatively
dim
.
Boyson
too
,
a
fine
soldier
and
a
fine
intelligence
,
had
a
mind
stored
with
Washingtoniana
.
Every
now
and
then
he
and
the
curator
fell
back
on
each
other
's
company
.
They
knew
well
that
the
others
were
not
worthy
of
their
opportunity
;
although
General
Hobson
,
seeing
that
most
of
the
memories
touched
belonged
to
a
period
before
the
Revolution
,
obeyed
the
dictates
of
politeness
,
and
made
amends
for
his
taciturnity
indoors
by
a
talkative
vein
outside
.
Captain
Boyson
was
not
,
however
,
wholly
occupied
with
history
or
reminiscence
.
He
perceived
very
plainly
before
the
walk
was
over
that
the
General
's
good-looking
nephew
and
Miss
Daphne
Floyd
were
interested
in
each
other
's
conversation
.
When
they
joined
the
party
in
the
garden
it
seemed
to
him
that
they
had
been
disputing
.
Miss
Daphne
was
flushed
and
a
little
snappish
when
spoken
to
;
and
the
young
man
looked
embarrassed
.
But
presently
he
saw
that
they
gravitated
to
each
other
,
and
that
,
whatever
chance
combination
might
be
formed
during
the
walk
,
it
always
ended
for
a
time
in
the
flight
ahead
of
the
two
figures
,
the
girl
in
the
rose-coloured
sash
and
the
tall
handsome
youth
.
Towards
the
end
of
the
walk
they
became
separated
from
the
rest
of
the
party
,
and
only
arrived
at
the
little
station
just
in
time
before
the
cars
started
.
On
this
occasion
again
,
they
had
been
clearly
arguing
and
disagreeing
;
and
Daphne
had
the
air
of
a
ruffled
bird
,
her
dark
eyes
glittering
,
her
mouth
set
in
the
obstinate
lines
that
Boyson
knew
by
heart
.
But
again
they
sat
together
in
the
car
,
and
talked
and
sparred
all
the
way
home
;
while
Mrs.
Verrier
,
in
a
corner
of
the
carriage
,
shut
her
hollow
eyes
,
and
laid
her
thin
hands
one
over
the
other
,
and
in
her
purple
draperies
made
a
picture
à
la
Mélisande
which
was
not
lost
upon
her
companions
.
Boyson
's
mind
registered
a
good
many
grim
or
terse
comments
,
as
occasionally
he
found
himself
watching
this
lady
.
Scarcely
a
year
since
that
hideous
business
at
Niagara
,
and
here
she
was
in
that
extravagant
dress
!
He
wished
his
sister
would
not
make
a
friend
of
her
,
and
that
Daphne
Floyd
saw
less
of
her
.
Miss
Daphne
had
quite
enough
bees
in
her
own
bonnet
without
adopting
Mrs.
Verrier
's
.
Meanwhile
,
it
was
the
General
who
,
on
the
return
journey
,
was
made
to
serve
Miss
Boyson
's
gift
for
monopoly
.
She
took
possession
of
him
in
a
business-like
way
,
inquiring
into
his
engagements
in
Washington
,
his
particular
friends
,
his
opinion
of
the
place
and
the
people
,
with
a
light-handed
acuteness
which
was
more
than
a
match
for
the
Englishman
's
instincts
of
defence
.
The
General
did
not
mean
to
give
himself
away
;
he
intended
,
indeed
,
precisely
the
contrary
;
but
,
after
every
round
of
conversation
,
Miss
Boyson
felt
herself
more
and
more
richly
provided
with
materials
for
satire
at
the
expense
of
England
and
the
English
tourist
,
his
invincible
conceit
,
insularity
,
and
condescension
.
She
was
a
clever
though
tiresome
woman
;
and
expressed
herself
best
in
letters
.
She
promised
herself
to
write
a
“
character
”
of
General
Hobson
in
her
next
letter
to
an
intimate
friend
,
which
should
be
a
masterpiece
.
Then
,
having
led
him
successfully
through
the
rôle
of
the
comic
Englishman
abroad
,
she
repaid
him
with
information
.
She
told
him
,
not
without
some
secret
amusement
at
the
reprobation
it
excited
,
the
tragic
story
of
Mrs.
Verrier
.
She
gave
him
a
full
history
of
her
brother
's
honourable
and
brilliant
career
;
and
here
let
it
be
said
that
the
précieuse
in
her
gave
way
to
the
sister
,
and
that
she
talked
with
feeling
.
And
finally
she
asked
him
with
a
smile
whether
he
admired
Miss
Floyd
.
The
General
,
who
had
in
fact
been
observing
Miss
Floyd
and
his
nephew
with
some
little
uneasiness
during
the
preceding
half-hour
,
replied
guardedly
that
Miss
Floyd
was
pretty
and
picturesque
,
and
apparently
a
great
talker
.
Was
she
a
native
of
Washington
?
“
You
never
heard
of
Miss
Floyd
?
—
of
Daphne
Floyd
?
No
?
Ah
,
well
!
”
—
and
she
laughed
—
“
I
suppose
I
ought
to
take
it
as
a
compliment
,
of
a
kind
.
There
are
so
many
rich
people
now
in
this
queer
country
of
ours
that
even
Daphne
Floyds
do
n't
matter
.
”
“
Is
Miss
Floyd
so
tremendously
rich
?
”
General
Hobson
turned
a
quickened
countenance
upon
her
,
expressing
no
more
than
the
interest
felt
by
the
ordinary
man
in
all
societies
—
more
strongly
,
perhaps
,
at
the
present
day
than
ever
before
—
in
the
mere
fact
of
money
.
But
Miss
Boyson
gave
it
at
once
a
personal
meaning
,
and
set
herself
to
play
on
what
she
scornfully
supposed
to
be
the
cupidity
of
the
Englishman
.
She
produced
,
indeed
,
a
full
and
particular
account
of
Daphne
Floyd
's
parentage
,
possessions
,
and
prospects
,
during
which
the
General
's
countenance
represented
him
with
great
fidelity
.
A
trace
of
recalcitrance
at
the
beginning
—
for
it
was
his
opinion
that
Miss
Boyson
,
like
most
American
women
,
talked
decidedly
too
much
—
gave
way
to
close
attention
tion
,
then
to
astonishment
,
and
finally
to
a
very
animated
observation
of
Miss
Floyd
's
slender
person
as
she
sat
a
yard
or
two
from
him
on
the
other
side
of
the
car
,
laughing
,
frowning
,
or
chattering
with
Roger
.
“
And
that
poor
child
has
the
management
of
it
all
?
”
he
said
at
last
,
in
a
tone
which
did
him
credit
.
He
himself
had
lost
an
only
daughter
at
twenty-one
,
and
he
held
old-fashioned
views
as
to
the
helplessness
of
women
.
But
Cecilia
Boyson
again
misunderstood
him
.
“
Oh
,
yes
!
”
she
said
,
with
a
cool
smile
.
“
Everything
is
in
her
own
hands
—
everything
!
Mrs.
Phillips
would
not
dare
to
interfere
.
Daphne
always
has
her
own
way
.
”
The
General
said
no
more
.
Cecilia
Boyson
looked
out
of
the
window
at
the
darkening
landscape
,
thinking
with
malice
of
Daphne
's
dealings
with
the
male
sex
.
It
had
been
a
Sleeping
Beauty
story
so
far
.
Treasure
for
the
winning
—
a
thorn
hedge
—
and
slain
lovers
!
The
handsome
Englishman
would
try
it
next
,
no
doubt
.
All
young
Englishmen
,
according
to
her
,
were
on
the
look-out
for
American
heiresses
.
Music
teacher
indeed
!
She
would
have
given
a
good
deal
to
hear
the
conversation
of
the
uncle
and
nephew
when
the
party
broke
up
.
The
General
and
young
Barnes
made
their
farewells
at
the
railway
station
,
and
took
their
way
on
foot
to
their
hotel
.
Washington
was
steeped
in
sunset
.
The
White
House
,
as
they
passed
it
,
glowed
amid
its
quiet
trees
.
Lafayette
Square
,
with
its
fountains
and
statues
,
its
white
and
pink
magnolias
,
its
strolling
,
chatting
crowd
,
the
fronts
of
the
houses
,
the
long
vistas
of
tree-lined
avenues
,
the
street
cars
,
the
houses
,
the
motors
,
all
the
openings
and
distances
of
the
beautiful
,
leisurely
place
—
they
saw
them
rosily
transfigured
under
a
departing
sun
,
which
throughout
the
day
had
been
weaving
the
quick
