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thought her beautiful。 To…night she was radiant for him。 Her eyes shone
with the look in which they should meet and give themselves to each other
before they spokethe look in which they had met already； in which they
had lived that whole day。
XIX。
The evening's entertainment was something that must fail before an
audience which was not very kind。 They were to present a burlesque of
classic fable； and the parts； with their general intention； had been
distributed to the different actors； but nothing had been written down；
and； beyond the situations and a few points of dialogue； all had to be
improvised。 The costumes and properties had been invented from such
things as came to hand。 Sheets sculpturesquely draped the deities who
took part； a fox…pelt from the hearth did duty as the leopard skin of
Bacchus； a feather duster served Neptune for a trident； the lyre of
Apollo was a dust…pan； a gull's breast furnished Jove with his grey
beard。
The fable was adapted to modern life； and the scene had been laid in
Campobello； the peculiarities of which were to be satirised throughout。
The principal situation was to be a passage between Jupiter； represented
by Mavering； and Juno； whom Miss Anderson personated； it was to be a
scene of conjugal reproaches and reprisals； and to end in reconciliation；
in which the father of the gods sacrificed himself on the altar of
domestic peace by promising to bring his family to Campobello every year。
This was to be followed by a sketch of the Judgment of Paris； in which
Juno and Pallas were to be personated by two young men； and Miss Anderson
took the part of Venus。
The pretty drawing…room of the Trevorsyoung people from Albany； and
cousins of Miss Andersonwas curtained off at one end for a stage； and
beyond the sliding doors which divided it in half were set chairs for the
spectators。 People had come in whatever dress they liked； the men were
mostly in morning coats； the ladies had generally made some attempt at
evening toilet； but they joined in admiring Alice Pasmer's costume； and
one of them said that they would let it represent them all； and express
what each might have done if she would。 There was not much time for
their tributes； all the lamps were presently taken away and set along the
floor in front of the curtain as foot…lights； leaving the company in a
darkness which Mrs。 Brinkley pronounced sepulchral。 She made her
reproaches to the master of the house； who had effected this
transposition of the lamps。 〃I was just thinking some very pretty and
valuable things about your charming cottage； Mr。 Trevor： a rug on a bare
floor； a trim of varnished pine； a wall with half a dozen simple etchings
on it； an open fire； and a mantelpiece without bric…a…brac； how entirely
satisfying it all is！ And how it upbraids us for heaping up upholstery
as we do in town！〃
〃Go on；〃 said the host。 〃Those are beautiful thoughts。〃
〃But I can't go on in the dark；〃 retorted Mrs。 Brinkley。 〃You can't
think in the dark； much less talk！ Can you； Mrs。 Pasmer？〃 Mrs。 Pasmer；
with Alice next to her； sat just in front of Mrs。 Brinkley。
〃No；〃 she assented； 〃but if I couldYOU can thick anywhere； Mrs。
BrinkleyMrs。 Trevor's lovely house would inspire me to it。〃
〃Two birds with one stonethank you； Mrs。 Pasmer； for my part of the
compliment。 Pick yourself up； Mr。 Trevor。〃
〃Oh； thank you； I'm all right；〃 said Trevor； panting after the ladies'
meanings； as a man must。 〃I suppose thinking and talking in the dark is
a good deal like smoking in the dark。〃
〃No； thinking and talking are not at all like smoking under any
conditions。 Why in the world should they be？〃
〃Oh； I can't get any fun out of a cigar unless I can see the smoke；〃 the
host explained。
〃Do you follow him； Mrs。 Pasmer？〃
〃Yes； perfectly。〃
〃Thank you； Mrs。 Pasmer；〃 said Trevor。
〃I'll get you to tell me how you did it some time；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley。
〃But your house is a gem； Mr。 Trevor。〃
〃Isn't it？〃 cried Trevor。 〃I want my wife to live here the year round。〃
It was the Trevors' first summer in their cottage； and the experienced
reader will easily recognise his mood。 〃But she's such a worldly spirit；
she won't。〃
〃Oh； I don't know about the year round。 Do you； Mrs。 Pasmer？〃
〃I should；〃 said Alice； with the suddenness of youth； breaking into the
talk which she had not been supposed to take any interest in。
〃Is it proper to kiss a young lady's hand？〃 said Trevor gratefully；
appealing to Mrs。 Brinkley。
〃It isn't very customary in the nineteenth century；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley。
〃But you might kiss her fan。 He might kiss her fan； mightn't he； Mrs。
Pasmer？〃
〃Certainly。 Alice； hold out your fan instantly。〃
The girl humoured the joke； laughing。
Trevor pressed his lips to the perfumed sticks。 〃I will tell Mrs。
Trevor；〃 he said； 〃and that will decide her。〃
〃It will decide her not to come here at all next year if you tell her
all。〃
〃He never tells me all；〃 said Mrs。 Trevor； catching so much of the talk
as she came in from some hospitable cares in the dining…room。 〃They're
incapable of it。 What has he been doing now？〃
〃Nothing。 Or I will tell you when we are alone； Mrs。 Trevor；〃 said Mrs。
Brinkley； with burlesque sympathy。 〃We oughtn't to have a scene on both
sides of the foot…lights。〃
A boyish face； all excitement； was thrust out between the curtains
forming the proscenium of the little theatre。 〃All ready； Mrs。 Trevor？〃
〃Yes； all ready； Jim。〃
He dashed the curtains apart； and marred the effect of his own
disappearance from the scene by tripping over the long legs of Jove；
stretched out to the front； where he sat on Mrs。 Trevor's richest rug；
propped with sofa cushions on either hand。
〃So perish all the impious race of titans； enemies of the gods！〃 said
Mavering solemnly； as the boy fell sprawling。 〃Pick the earth…born giant
up； Vulcan； my son。〃
The boy was very small for his age； every one saw that the accident had
not been premeditated； and when Vulcan appeared； with an exaggerated
limp； and carried the boy off； a burst of laughter went up from the
company。
It did not matter what the play was to have been after that； it all
turned upon the accident。 Juno came on； and began to reproach Jupiter
for his carelessness。 〃I've sent Mercury upstairs for the aynica； but he
says it's no use： that boy won't be able to pass ball for a week。 How
often have I told you not to sit with your feet out that way！ I knew
you'd hurt somebody。〃
〃I didn't have my feet out；〃 retorted Jupiter。 〃Besides；〃 he added； with
dignity； and a burlesque of marital special pleading which every wife and
husband recognised； 〃I always sit with my feet out so； and I always will；
so long as I've the spirit of a god。〃
〃Isn't he delicious？〃 buzzed Mrs。 Pasmer； leaning backward to whisper to
Mrs。 Brinkley； it was not that she thought what Dan had just said was so
very fanny； but people are immoderately applausive of amateur dramatics；
and she was feeling very fond of the young fellow。
The improvisation went wildly and adventurously on； and the curtains
dropped together amidst the facile acclaim of the audience：
〃It'