OnthenightofAdrianceHilgarde’sopeningconcertinParisEverettsatbythebedintheranchhouseinWyoming，watchingoverthelastbattlethatwehavewiththefleshbeforewearedonewithitandfreeofitforever。Attimesitseemedthattheserenesoulofhermusthaveleftalreadyandfoundsomerefugefromthestorm，andonlythetenaciousanimallifewerelefttodobattlewithdeath。Shelaboredunderadelusionatoncepitifulandmerciful，thinkingthatshewasinthePullmanonherwaytoNewYork，goingbacktoherlifeandherwork。WhenshearousedfromherstuporitwasonlytoasktheportertowakenherhalfanhouroutofJerseyCity，ortoremonstratewithhimaboutthedelaysandtheroughnessoftheroad。AtmidnightEverettandthenursewereleftalonewithher。PoorCharleyGaylordhadlaindownonacouchoutsidethedoor。Everettsatlookingatthesputteringnightlampuntilitmadehiseyesache。Hisheaddroppedforwardonthefootofthebed，andhesankintoaheavy，distressfulslumber。HewasdreamingofAdriance’sconcertinParis，andofAdriance，thetroubadour，smilinganddebonair，withhisboyishfaceandthetouchofsilvergrayinhishair。Heheardtheapplauseandhesawtherosesgoingupoverthefootlightsuntiltheywerestackedhalfashighasthepiano，andthepetalsfellandscattered，makingcrimsonsplotchesonthefloor。DownthiscrimsonpathwaycameAdriancewithhisyouthfulstep，leadinghisprimadonnabythehand；adarkwomanthistime，withSpanisheyes。
Thenursetouchedhimontheshoulder；hestartedandawoke。
Shescreenedthelampwithherhand。EverettsawthatKatharinewasawakeandconscious，andstrugglingalittle。Heliftedhergentlyonhisarmandbegantofanher。Shelaidherhandslightlyonhishairandlookedintohisfacewitheyesthatseemednevertohaveweptordoubted。“Ah，dearAdriance，dear，dear，“shewhispered。
Everettwenttocallherbrother，butwhentheycamebackthemadnessofartwasoverforKatharine。
TwodayslaterEverettwaspacingthestationsiding，waitingforthewestboundtrain。CharleyGaylordwalkedbesidehim，butthetwomenhadnothingtosaytoeachother。Everett’sbagswerepiledonthetruck，andhisstepwashurriedandhiseyeswerefullofimpatience，ashegazedagainandagainupthetrack，watchingforthetrain。Gaylord’simpatiencewasnotlessthanhisown；thesetwo，whohadgrownsoclose，hadnowbecomepainfulandimpossibletoeachother，andlongedforthewrenchoffarewell。
AsthetrainpulledinEverettwrungGaylord’shandamongthecrowdofalightingpassengers。ThepeopleofaGermanoperacompany，enroutetothecoast，rushedbytheminfrantichastetosnatchtheirbreakfastduringthestop。EverettheardanexclamationinabroadGermandialect，andamassivewomanwhosefigurepersistentlyescapedfromherstaysinthemostimprobableplacesrusheduptohim，herblondhairdisorderedbythewind，andglowingwithjoyfulsurpriseshecaughthiscoatsleevewithhertightlyglovedhands。
“HerrGott，Adriance，lieberFreund，“shecried，emotionally。
Everettquicklywithdrewhisarmandliftedhishat，blushing。“Pardonme，madam，butIseethatyouhavemistakenmeforAdrianceHilgarde。Iamhisbrother，“hesaidquietly，andturningfromthecrestfallensinger，hehurriedintothecar。
End
TheGardenLodgeWhenCarolineNoble’sfriendslearnedthatRaymondd’EsquerrewastospendamonthatherplaceontheSoundbeforehesailedtofillhisengagementfortheLondonoperaseason，theyconsidereditanotherstrikinginstanceoftheperversityofthings。ThatthemonthwasMay，andthemostmildandflorescentofalltheblue-and-whiteMaysthemiddlecoasthadknowninyears，butaddedtotheirsenseofwrong。D’Esquerre，theylearned，wasensconcedinthelodgeintheappleorchard，justbeyondCaroline’sgloriousgarden，andreportwentthatatalmostanyhourthesoundofthetenor’svoiceandofCaroline’scrashingaccompanimentcouldbeheardfloatingthroughtheopenwindows，outamongthesnowyappleboughs。TheSound，steel-blueanddottedwithwhitesails，wassplendidlyseenfromthewindowsofthelodge。Thegardentotheleftandtheorchardtotherighthadneverbeensoriotouswithspring，andhadburstintoimpassionedbloom，asiftoaccommodateCaroline，thoughshewascertainlythelastwomantowhomthewitcheryofFreyacouldbeattributed；thelastwoman，asherfriendsaffirmed，toatalladequatelyappreciateandmakethemostofsuchasettingforthegreattenor。
Ofcourse，theyadmitted，Carolinewasmusical——well，sheoughttobe！——butinthat，asineverything，shewasparamountlycool-headed，slowofimpulse，anddisgustinglypractical；inthat，asineverythingelse，shehadherselfsoprovokinglywellinhand。Ofcourse，itwouldbeshe，alwaysmistressofherselfinanysituation，she，whowouldneverbeliftedoneinchfromthegroundbyit，andwhowouldgoonsuperintendinghergardenersandworkmenasusual——itwouldbeshewhogothim。
Perhapssomeofthemsuspectedthatthiswasexactlywhyshedidgethim，anditbutnettledthemthemore。
Caroline’scoolness，hercapableness，hergeneralsuccess，especiallyexasperatedpeoplebecausetheyfeltthat，forthemostpart，shehadmadeherselfwhatshewas；thatshehadcold-
bloodedlysetaboutcomplyingwiththedemandsoflifeandmakingherpositioncomfortableandmasterful。Thatwaswhy，everyonesaid，shehadmarriedHowardNoble。WomenwhodidnotgetthroughlifesowellasCaroline，whocouldnotmakesuchgoodtermseitherwithfortuneortheirhusbands，whodidnotfindtheirhealthsounfailinglygood，orholdtheirlookssowell，ormanagetheirchildrensoeasily，orgivesuchdistinctiontoalltheydid，werefondofstampingCarolineasamaterialist，andcalledherhard。
Theimpressionofcoldcalculation，ofhavingadefinitepolicy，whichCarolinegave，wasfarfromafalseone；buttherewasthistobesaidforher——thattherewereextenuatingcircumstanceswhichherfriendscouldnotknow。
IfCarolinehelddeterminedlytothemiddlecourse，ifshewasapttoregardwithdistrusteverythingwhichinclinedtowardextravagance，itwasnotbecauseshewasunacquaintedwithotherstandardsthanherown，orhadneverseenanothersideoflife。
ShehadgrownupinBrooklyn，inashabbylittlehouseunderthevacillatingadministrationofherfather，amusicteacherwhousuallyneglectedhisdutiestowriteorchestralcompositionsforwhichtheworldseemedtohavenoespecialneed。Hisspiritwaswarpedbybittervindictivenessandpuerileself-commiseration，andhespenthisdaysinscornofthelaborthatbroughthimbreadandinpitifuldevotiontothelaborthatbroughthimonlydisappointment，writinginterminablescoreswhichdemandedoftheorchestraeverythingunderheavenexceptmelody。
Itwasnotacheerfulhomeforagirltogrowupin。Themother，whoidolizedherhusbandasthemusiclordofthefuture，waslefttoalifelongbattlewithbroomanddustpan，toneverendingconciliatoryoverturestothebutcherandgrocer，tothemakingofherowngownsandofCaroline’s，andtothedelicatetaskofmollifyingAuguste’sneglectedpupils。
Theson，Heinrich，apainter，Caroline’sonlybrother，hadinheritedallhisfather’svindictivesensitivenesswithouthiscapacityforslavishapplication。Hislittlestudioonthethirdfloorhadbeenmuchfrequentedbyyoungmenasunsuccessfulashimself，whomettheretogivethemselvesovertocontemptuousderisionofthisorthatartistwhoseindustryandstupidityhadwonhimrecognition。Heinrich，whenheworkedatall，didnewspapersketchesattwenty-fivedollarsaweek。Hewastooindolentandvacillatingtosethimselfseriouslytohisart，tooirascibleandpoignantlyself-conscioustomakealiving，toomuchaddictedtolyinglateinbed，totheincontinentreadingofpoetry，andtotheuseofchloraltobeanythingverypositiveexceptpainful。Attwenty-sixheshothimselfinafrenzy，andthewholewretchedaffairhadeffectuallyshatteredhismother’shealthandbroughtonthedeclineofwhichshedied。Carolinehadbeenfondofhim，butshefeltacertainreliefwhenhenolongerwanderedaboutthelittlehouse，commentingironicallyuponitsshabbiness，aTurkishcaponhisheadandacigarettehangingfrombetweenhislong，tremulousfingers。
Afterhermother’sdeathCarolineassumedthemanagementofthatbankruptestablishment。Thefuneralexpenseswereunpaid，andAuguste’spupilshadbeenfrightenedawaybytheshockofsuccessivedisastersandthegeneralatmosphereofwretchednessthatpervadedthehouse。Augustehimselfwaswritingasymphonicpoem，Icarus，dedicatedtothememoryofhisson。Carolinewasbarelytwentywhenshewascalledupontofacethistangleofdifficulties，butshereviewedthesituationcandidly。Thehousehadserveditstimeattheshrineofidealism；vague，distressing，unsatisfiedyearningshadbroughtitlowenough。Hermother，thirtyyearsbefore，hadelopedandleftGermanywithhermusicteacher，togiveherselfovertolifelong，drudgingbondageatthekitchenrange。EversinceCarolinecouldremember，thelawinthehousehadbeenasortofmysticworshipofthingsdistant，intangibleandunattainable。Thefamilyhadlivedinsuccessiveebullitionsofgenerousenthusiasm，intalkofmastersandmasterpieces，onlytocomedowntothecoldfactsinthecase；toboiledmuttonandtothenecessityofturningthedining-roomcarpet。Alltheseemotionalpyrotechnicshadendedinpettyjealousies，inneglectedduties，andincowardlyfearofthelittlegroceronthecorner。
Fromherchildhoodshehadhatedit，thathumiliatinganduncertainexistence，withitsglibtongueandemptypockets，itspoeticidealsandsordidrealities，itsindolenceandpovertytrickedoutinpaperroses。Evenasalittlegirl，whenvaguedreamsbesether，whenshewantedtolielateinbedandcommunewithvisions，ortoleapandsingbecausethesootylittletreesalongthestreetwereputtingouttheirfirstpaleleavesinthesunshine，shewouldclenchherhandsandgotohelphermotherspongethespotsfromherfather’swaistcoatorpressHeinrich’strousers。HermotherneverpermittedtheslightestquestionconcerninganythingAugusteorHeinrichsawfittodo，butfromthetimeCarolinecouldreasonatallshecouldnothelpthinkingthatmanythingswentwrongathome。Sheknew，forexample，thatherfather’spupilsoughtnottobekeptwaitinghalfanhourwhilehediscussedSchopenhauerwithsomebeardedsocialistoveradishofherringsandaspottedtablecloth。SheknewthatHeinrichoughtnottogiveadinneronHeine’sbirthday，whenthelaundresshadnotbeenpaidforamonthandwhenhefrequentlyhadtoaskhismotherforcarfare。CertainlyCarolinehadservedherapprenticeshiptoidealismandtoalltheembarrassinginconsistencieswhichitsometimesentails，andshedecidedtodenyherselfthisdiffuse，ineffectualanswertothesharpquestionsoflife。
Whenshecameintothecontrolofherselfandthehousesherefusedtoproceedanyfurtherwithhermusicaleducation。Herfather，whohadintendedtomakeaconcertpianistofher，setthisdownasanotheriteminhislonglistofdisappointmentsandhisgrievancesagainsttheworld。Shewasyoungandpretty，andshehadwornturnedgownsandsoiledglovesandimprovisedhatsallherlife。Shewantedtheluxuryofbeinglikeotherpeople，ofbeinghonestfromherhattoherboots，ofhavingnothingtohide，noteveninthematterofstockings，andshewaswillingtoworkforit。Sherentedalittlestudioawayfromthathouseofmisfortuneandbegantogivelessons。Shemanagedwellandwasthesortofgirlpeoplelikedtohelp。ThebillswerepaidandAugustewentoncomposing，growingindignantonlywhensherefusedtoinsistthatherpupilsshouldstudyhiscompositionsforthepiano。ShebegantogetengagementsinNewYorktoplayaccompanimentsatsongrecitals。Shedressedwell，madeherselfagreeable，andgaveherselfachance。Sheneverpermittedherselftolookfurtherthanastepahead，andsetherselfwithallthestrengthofherwilltoseethingsastheyareandmeetthemsquarelyinthebroadday。Thereweretwothingsshefearedevenmorethanpoverty:thepartofonethatsetsupanidolandthepartofonethatbowsdownandworshipsit。
