“Youwilljoinus，M。Roux？“
“Thankyou，butIhavesomeletterstowrite，“repliedthenovelist，bowing。
AsFlaviahadremarkedtoImogen，“Arthurreallyplayedaccompanimentsremarkablywell。“Tohearhimrecalledvividlythedaysofherchildhood，whenhealwaysusedtospendhisbusinessvacationsathermother’shomeinMaine。Hehadpossessedforherthatalmosthypnoticinfluencewhichyoungmensometimesexertuponlittlegirls。Itwasasortofphantomloveaffair，subjectiveandfanciful，aprecocityofinstinct，likethattenderandmaternalconcernwhichsomelittlegirlsfeelfortheirdolls。Yetthischildishinfatuationiscapableofallthedepressionsandexaltationsofloveitself，ithasitsbitterjealousies，crueldisappointments，itsexactingcaprices。
Summeraftersummershehadawaitedhiscomingandweptathisdeparture，indifferenttothegayeryoungmenwhohadcalledhertheirsweetheartandlaughedateverythingshesaid。AlthoughHamiltonneversaidso，shehadbeenalwaysquitesurethathewasfondofher。Whenhepulledheruptherivertohuntforfairyknollsshutaboutbylow，hangingwillows，hewasoftensilentforanhouratatime，yetsheneverfelthewasboredorwasneglectingher。Hewouldlieinthesandsmoking，hiseyeshalf-closed，watchingherplay，andshewasalwaysconsciousthatshewasentertaininghim。Sometimeshewouldtakeacopyof“AliceinWonderland“inhispocket，andnoonecouldreaditashecould，laughingatherwithhisdarkeyes，whenanythingamusedhim。Nooneelsecouldlaughso，withjusttheireyes，andwithoutmovingamuscleoftheirface。Thoughheusuallysmiledatpassagesthatseemednotatallfunnytothechild，shealwayslaughedgleefully，becausehewassoseldommovedtomirththatanysuchdemonstrationdelightedherandshetookthecreditofitentirelytoherselfHerowninclinationhadbeenforseriousstories，withsadendings，liketheLittleMermaid，whichhehadoncetoldherinanunguardedmomentwhenshehadacold，andwasputtobedearlyonherbirthdaynightandcriedbecauseshecouldnothaveherparty。Buthehighlydisapprovedofthispreference，andhadcalleditamorbidtaste，andalwaysshookhisfingeratherwhensheaskedforthestory。Whenshehadbeenparticularlygood，orparticularlyneglectedbyotherpeople，thenhewouldsometimesmeltandtellherthestory，andneverlaughatherifsheenjoyedthe“sadending“eventotears。WhenFlaviahadtakenhimawayandhecamenomore，sheweptinconsolablyforthespaceoftwoweeks，andrefusedtolearnherlessons。ThenshefoundthestoryoftheLittleMermaidherself，andforgothim。
Imogenhaddiscoveredatdinnerthathecouldstillsmileatonesecretly，outofhiseyes，andthathehadtheoldmannerofoutwardlyseemingbored，butlettingyouknowthathewasnot。
Shewasintenselycuriousabouthisexactstateoffeelingtowardhiswife，andmorecuriousstilltocatchasenseofhisfinaladjustmenttotheconditionsoflifeingeneral。This，shecouldnothelpfeeling，shemightgetagain——ifshecouldhavehimaloneforanhour，insomeplacewheretherewasalittleriverandasandycoveborderedbydroopingwillows，andablueskyseenthroughwhitesycamoreboughs。
Thatevening，beforeretiring，Flaviaenteredherhusband’sroom，wherebesatinhissmokingjacket，inoneofhisfavoritelowchairs。
“Isupposeit’sagraveresponsibilitytobringanardent，seriousyoungthinglikeImogenhereamongallthesefascinatingpersonages，“sheremarkedreflectively。“But，afterall，onecannevertell。Thesegrave，silentgirlshavetheirowncharm，evenforfacilepeople。“
“Oh，sothatisyourplan？“queriedherhusbanddryly。“I
waswonderingwhyyougotheruphere。Shedoesn’tseemtomixwellwiththefaciles。Atleast，soitstruckme。“
Flaviapaidnoheedtothisjeeringremark，butrepeated，“No，afterall，itmaynotbeabadthing。“
“Thendoconsignhertothatshakenreed，thetenor，“saidherhusbandyawning。“Iremembersheusedtohaveatasteforthepathetic。“
“Andthen，“remarkedFlaviacoquettishly，“afterall，Iowehermotherareturninkind。Shewasnotafraidtotriflewithdestiny。“
ButHamiltonwasasleepinhischair。
NextmorningImogenfoundonlyMissBroadwoodinthebreakfastroom。
“Goodmorning，mydeargirl，whateverareyoudoingupsoearly？Theyneverbreakfastbeforeeleven。Mostofthemtaketheircoffeeintheirroom。Takethisplacebyme。“
MissBroadwoodlookedparticularlyfreshandencouraginginherbluesergewalkingskirt，heropenjacketdisplayinganexpanseofstiff，whiteshirtbosom，dottedwithsomealmostimperceptiblefigure，andadarkblue-and-whitenecktie，neatlyknottedunderherwide，rollingcollar。Sheworeawhiterosebudinthelapelofhercoat，anddecidedlysheseemedmorethaneverlikeanice，cleanboyonhisholiday。ImogenwasjusthopingthattheywouldbreakfastalonewhenMissBroadwoodexclaimed，“Ah，therecomesArthurwiththechildren。That’stherewardofearlyrisinginthishouse；younevergettoseetheyoungstersatanyothertime。“
Hamiltonentered，followedbytwodark，handsomelittleboys。Thegirl，whowasverytiny，blondelikehermother，andexceedinglyfrail，hecarriedinhisarms。Theboyscameupandsaidgoodmorningwithaneaseandcheerfulnessuncommon，eveninwell-bredchildren，butthelittlegirlhidherfaceonherfather’sshoulder。
“She’sashylittlelady，“heexplainedasheputhergentlydowninherchair。“I’mafraidshe’slikeherfather；shecan’tseemtogetusedtomeetingpeople。Andyou，MissWillard，didyoudreamoftheWhiteRabbitortheLittleMermaid？“
“Oh，Idreamedofthemall！Allthepersonagesofthatburiedcivilization，“criedImogen，delightedthathisestrangedmannerofthenightbeforehadentirelyvanishedandfeelingthat，somehow，theoldconfidentialrelationshadbeenrestoredduringthenight。
“Come，William，“saidMissBroadwood，turningtotheyoungerofthetwoboys，“andwhatdidyoudreamabout？“
“Wedreamed，“saidWilliamgravely——hewasthemoreassertiveofthetwoandalwaysspokeforboth——“wedreamedthattherewerefireworkshiddeninthebasementofthecarriagehouse；lotsandlotsoffireworks。“
Hiselderbrotherlookedupathimwithapprehensiveastonishment，whileMissBroadwoodhastilyputhernapkintoherlipsandHamiltondroppedhiseyes。“Iflittleboysdreamthings，theyaresoaptnottocometrue，“hereflectedsadly。
ThisshookeventheredoubtableWilliam，andheglancednervouslyathisbrother。“Butdothingsvanishjustbecausetheyhavebeendreamed？“heobjected。
“Generallythatistheverybestreasonfortheirvanishing，“
saidArthurgravely。
“But，Father，peoplecan’thelpwhattheydream，“
remonstratedEdwardgently。
“Oh，come！You’remakingthesechildrentalklikeaMaeterlinckdialogue，“laughedMissBroadwood。
Flaviapresentlyentered，abookinherhand，andbadethemallgoodmorning。“Come，littlepeople，whichstoryshallitbethismorning？“sheaskedwinningly。Greatlyexcited，thechildrenfollowedherintothegarden。“Shedoesthen，sometimes，“murmuredImogenastheyleftthebreakfastroom。
“Oh，yes，tobesure，“saidMissBroadwoodcheerfully。“Shereadsastorytothemeverymorninginthemostpicturesquepartofthegarden。ThemotheroftheGracchi，youknow。Shedoessolong，shesays，forthetimewhentheywillbeintellectualcompanionsforher。Whatdoyousaytoawalkoverthehills？“
AstheyleftthehousetheymetFrauLichtenfeldandthebushyHerrSchotte——theprofessorcutanastonishingfigureingolfstockings——returningfromawalkandengagedinananimatedconversationonthetendenciesofGermanfiction。
“Aren’ttheythemostattractivelittlechildren，“exclaimedImogenastheywounddowntheroadtowardtheriver。
“Yes，andyoumustnotfailtotellFlaviathatyouthinkso。Shewilllookatyouinasortofstartledwayandsay，’Yes，aren’tthey？’andmaybeshewillgooffandhuntthemupandhaveteawiththem，tofullyappreciatethem。Sheisawfullyafraidofmissinganythinggood，isFlavia。ThewaythoseyoungstersmanagetoconcealtheirguiltypresenceintheHouseofSongisawonder。“
“Butdon’tanyoftheartist-folkfancychildren？“askedImogen。
“Yes，theyjustfancythemandnomore。Thechemistremarkedtheotherdaythatchildrenarelikecertainsaltswhichneednotbeactualizedbecausetheformulaearequitesufficientforpracticalpurposes。Idon’tseehowevenFlaviacanenduretohavethatmanabout。“
“IhavealwaysbeenrathercurioustoknowwhatArthurthinksofitall，“remarkedImogencautiously。
“Thinksofit！“ejaculatedMissBroadwood。“Why，mydear，whatwouldanymanthinkofhavinghishouseturnedintoanhotel，habitedbyfreakswhodischargehisservants，borrowhismoney，andinsulthisneighbors？Thisplaceisshunnedlikealazaretto！“
Well，then，whydoeshe——whydoeshe——“persistedImogen。
“Bah！“interruptedMissBroadwoodimpatiently，“whydidheinthefirstplace？That’sthequestion。“
“Marryher，youmean？“saidImogencoloring。
“Exactlyso，“saidMissBroadwoodsharply，asshesnappedthelidofhermatchbox。
“Isupposethatisaquestionratherbeyondus，andcertainlyonewhichwecannotdiscuss，“saidImogen。“Buthistolerationonthisonepointpuzzlesme，quiteapartfromothercomplications。“
“Toleration？Whythispoint，asyoucallit，simplyisFlavia。Whocouldconceiveofherwithoutit？Idon’tknowwhereit’sallgoingtoend，I’msure，andI’mequallysurethat，ifitwerenotforArthur，Ishouldn’tcare，“declaredMissBroadwood，drawinghershoulderstogether。
“Butwillitendatall，now？“
“Suchanabsurdstateofthingscan’tgoonindefinitely。A
