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Better stay。 It would be awkward sending out for you。 You look well
enough。〃
〃Well！〃
The young men came in； Mavering with his nervous laugh first； and then
Boardman with his twinkling black eyes； and his main…force self…
possession。
〃We couldn't go away as far as New London without coming to see whether
you had really survived Class Day；〃 said the former； addressing his
solicitude to Mrs。 Pasmer。 〃I tried to find out from； Mrs。 Saintsbury；
but she was very noncommittal。〃 He laughed again； and shook hands with
Alice； whom he now included in his inquiry。
〃I'm glad she was；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmerinwardly wondering what he meant by
going to New London〃if it sent you to ask in person。〃 She made them
sit down； and she made as little as possible of the young ceremony they
threw into the transaction。 To be cosy； to be at ease instantly； was
Mrs。 Pasmer's way。 〃We've not only survived； we've taken a new lease of
life from Class Day。 I'd for gotten how charming it always was。 Or
perhaps it didn't use to be so charming？ I don't believe they have
anything like it in Europe。 Is it always so brilliant？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Mavering。 〃I really believe it was rather a nice
one。〃
〃Oh； we were both enraptured；〃 cried Mrs。 Pasmer。
Alice added a quiet 〃Yes； indeed；〃 and her mother went on
〃And we thought the Beck Hall spread was the crowning glory of the whole
affair。 We owe ever so much to your kindness。〃
〃Oh； not at all；〃 said Mavering。
〃But we were talking afterward； Alice and I； about the sudden
transformation of all that disheveled crew around the Tree into the
imposing swellsmay I say howling swells？〃
〃Yes； do say 'howling；' Mrs。 Pasmer！〃 implored the young man。
〃whom we met afterward at the spread；〃 she concluded。 〃How did you
manage it all？ Mr。 Irving in the 'Lyons Mail' was nothing to it。 We
thought we had walked directly over from the Tree； and there you were；
all ready to receive us； in immaculate evening dress。〃
〃It was pretty quick work；〃 modestly admitted the young man。 〃Could you
recognise any one in that hurly…burly round the Tree？〃
〃We didn't till you rose； like a statue of Victory； and began grabbing
for the spoils from the heads and shoulders of your friends。 Who was
your pedestal？〃
Mavering put his hand on his friend's broad shoulder； and gave him a
playful push。
Boardman turned up his little black eyes at him； with a funny gleam in
them。
〃Poor Mr。 Boardman！〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer。
〃It didn't hurt him a bit；〃 said Mavering； pushing him。 〃He liked it。〃
〃Of course he did；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； implying； in flattery of Mavering；
that Boardman might be glad of the distinction； and now Boardman looked
as if he were not。 She began to get away in adding； 〃But I wonder you
don't kill each other。〃
〃Oh； we're not so easily killed；〃 said Mavering。
〃And what a fairy scene it was at the spread！〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； turning
to Boardman。 She had already talked its splendours over with Mavering the
same evening。 〃I thought we should never get out of the Hall； but when
we did get out of the window upon that tapestried platform； and down on
the tennis…ground； with Turkey rugs to hide the bare spots in it〃 She
stopped as people do when it is better to leave the effect to the
listener's imagination。
〃Yes； I think it was rather nice；〃 said Boardman。
〃Nice？〃 repeated Mrs。 Pasmer； and she looked at Mavering。 〃Is that the
famous Harvard Indifferentism？〃
〃No； no； Mrs。 Pasmer！ It's just his personal envy。 He wasn't in the
spread； and of course he doesn't like to hear any one praise it。 Go on！〃
They all laughed。
〃Well； even Mr。 Boardman will admit；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； 〃that nothing
could have been prettier than that pavilion at the bottom of the lawn；
and the little tables scattered about over it； and all those charming
young creatures under that lovely evening sky。〃
〃Ah！ Even Boardman can't deny that。 We did have the nicest crowd；
didn't we？〃
〃Well；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； playfully checking herself in a ready adhesion；
〃that depends a good deal upon where Mr。 Boardman's spread was。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Boardman。
〃He wasn't spreading anywhere；〃 cried his friend。 〃Except himselfhe
was spreading himself everywhere。〃
〃Then I think I should prefer to remain neutral；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； with
a mock prudence which pleased the young men。 In the midst of the
pleasure the was giving and feeling she was all the time aware that her
daughter had contributed but one remark to the conversation； and that she
must be seeming very stiff and cold。 She wondered what that meant； and
whether she disliked this little Mr。 Boardman； or whether she was again
trying to punish Mr： Mavering for something； and； if so； what it was。
Had he offended her in some way the other day？ At any rate； she had no
right to show it。 She longed for some chance to scold the girl； and tell
her that it would not do； and make her talk。 Mr。 Mavering was merely a
friendly acquaintance； and there could be no question of anything
personal。 She forgot that between young people the social affair is
always trembling to the personal affair。
In the little pause which these reflections gave her mother； the girl
struck in； with the coolness that always astonished Mrs。 Pasmer； and as
if she had been merely waiting till some phase of the talk interested
her。
〃Are many of the students going to the race？〃 she asked Boardman。
〃Yes； nearly everybody。 That is〃
〃The race？〃 queried Mrs。 Pasmer。
Yes； at New London；〃 Mavering broke in。 〃Don't you know？ The University
raceHarvard and Yale。〃
〃Ohoh yes；〃 cried Mrs。 Pasmer； wondering how her daughter should know
about the race； and she not。 〃Had they talked it over together on Class
Day？〃 she asked herself。 She felt herself； in spite of her efforts to
keep even with them； left behind and left out； as later age must be
distanced and excluded by youth。 〃Are you gentlemen going to row？〃 she
asked Mavering。
〃No； they've ruled the tubs out this time； and we should send anything
else to the bottom。〃
Mrs。 Pasmer perceived that he was joking； but also that they were not of
the crew； and she said that if that was the case the should not go。
〃Oh； don't let that keep you away！ Aren't you going？ I hoped you were
going；〃 continued the young man； speaking with his eyes on Mrs。 Pasmer；
but with his mind； as she could see by his eyes； on her daughter。
〃No； no。〃
〃Oh； do go； Mrs。 Pasmer！〃 he urged： 〃I wish you'd go along to chaperon
us。〃
Mrs。 Pasmer accepted the notion with amusement。 〃I should think you
might look after each other。 At any rate； I think I must trust you to
Mr。 Boardman this time。〃
〃Yes； but he's going on business；〃 persisted Mavering； as if for the
pleasure he found in fencing with the air； 〃and he can't look after me。〃
〃On business？〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； dropping her outspread fan on her lap；
incredulously。
〃Yes； he's going into journalismhe's gone into it；〃 laughed Mavering；
〃and he's going down to report the race for the 'Events'。〃
〃Really！〃 asked Mrs。 Pasmer； with a glance at Boardman； whose droll
embarrassment did not contradict his friend's words