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The improvisation went wildly and adventurously on； and the curtains
dropped together amidst the facile acclaim of the audience：
〃It's very well for Jupiter that he happened to think of the curtain；〃
said Mrs。 Brinkley。 〃They couldn't have kept it up at that level much
longer。〃
〃Oh； do you think so？〃 softly murmured Mrs。 Pasmer。 〃It seemed as if
they could have kept it up all night if they liked。〃
〃I doubt it。 Mr。 Trevor；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley to the host； who had come
up for her congratulations； 〃do you always have such brilliant
performances？〃
〃Well； we have so far；〃 he answered modestly； and Mrs。 Brinkley laughed
with him。 This was the first entertainment at Trevor cottage。
〃'Sh！〃 went up all round them； and Mrs。 Trevor called across the room； in
a reproachful whisper loud enough for every one to hear； 〃My dear！
enjoying yourself！〃 while Mavering stood between the parted curtains
waiting for the attention of the company。
〃On account of an accident to the call…boy and the mental exhaustion of
some of the deities； the next piece will be omitted； and the performance
will begin with the one after。 While the audience is waiting； Mercury
will go round and take up a collection for the victim of the recent
accident； who will probably be indisposed for life。 The collector will
be accompanied by a policeman； and may be safely trusted。〃
He disappeared behind the curtain with a pas and r swirl of his draperies
like the Lord Chancellor in Iolanthe； and the audience again abandoned
itself to applause。
〃How very witty he is！〃 said Miss Cotton； who sat near John Munt。 〃Don't
you think he's really witty？〃
〃Yes；〃 Munt assented critically。 〃But you should have known his father。〃
〃Oh； do you know his father？〃
〃I was in college with him。〃
〃Oh； do tell me about him； and all Mr。 Mavering's family。 We're so
interested； you know； on account ofIsn't it pretty to have that little
love idyl going on here？ I wonderI've been wondering all the time
what she thinks of all this。 Do you suppose she quite likes it？〃 His
costume is so very remarkable！〃 Miss Cotton； in the absence of any lady
of her intimate circle； was appealing confidentially to John Munt。
〃Why； do you think there's anything serious between them？〃 he asked；
dropping his head forward as people do in church when they wish to
whisper to some one in the same pew。
〃Why； yes； it seems so；〃 murmured Miss Cotton。 〃His admiration is quite
undisguised； isn't it？〃
〃A man never can tell；〃 said Munt。 〃We have to leave those things to you
ladies。〃
〃Oh； every one's talking of it； I assure you。 And you know his family？〃
〃I knew his father once rather better than anybody else。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃Yes。〃 Munt sketched rather a flattered portrait of the elder Mavering；
his ability； his goodness； his shyness； which he had always had to make
such a hard fight with。 Munt was sensible of an access of popularity in
knowing Dan Mavering's people； and he did not spare his colours。
〃Then it isn't from his father that he gets everything。 He isn't in the
least shy；〃 said Miss Cotton。
〃That must be the mother。〃
〃And the mother？〃
〃The mother I don't know。〃
Miss Cotton sighed。 〃Sometimes I wish that he did show a little more
trepidation。 It would seem as if he were more alive to the great
difference that there is between Alice Pasmer and other girls。〃
Munt laughed a man's laugh。 〃I guess he's pretty well alive to that； if
he's in love with her。〃
〃Oh； in a certain way； of course； but not in the highest way。 Now； for
instance； if he felt all her fineness asas we do； I don't believe he'd
be willing to appear before her just like that。〃 The father of the gods
wore a damask tablecloth of a pale golden hue and a classic pattern； his
arms were bare； and rather absurdly white； on his feet a pair of lawn…
tennis shoes had a very striking effect of sandals。
〃It seems to me；〃 Miss Cotton pursued； 〃that if he really appreciated her
in the highest way； he would wish never to do an undignified or trivial
thing in her presence。〃
〃Oh； perhaps it's that that pleases her in him。 They say we're always
taken with opposites。〃
〃Yesdo you think so？〃 asked Miss Cotton。
The curtains were flung apart； and the Judgment of Paris followed rather
tamely upon what had gone before； though the two young fellows who did
Juno and Minerva were very amusing； and the dialogue was full of hits。
Some of the audience； an appreciative minority； were of opinion that
Mavering and Miss Anderson surpassed themselves in it； she promised him
the most beautiful and cultured wife in Greece。 〃That settles it；〃 he
answered。 They came out arm in arm； and Paris； having put on a striped
tennis coat over his short…sleeved Greek tunic； moved round among the
company for their congratulations； Venus ostentatiously showing the apple
she had won。
〃I can haydly keep from eating it；〃 she explained to Alice； before whom
she dropped Mavering's arm。 〃I'm awfully hungry。 It's hayd woyk。〃
Alice stood with her head drawn back； looking at the excited girl with a
smile； in which seemed to hover somewhere a latent bitterness。
Mavering； with a flushed face and a flying tongue； was exchanging sallies
with her mother； who smothered him in flatteries。
Mrs。 Trevor came toward the group； and announced supper。 〃Mr。 Paris；
will you take Miss Aphrodite out？〃
Miss Anderson swept a low bow of renunciation； and tacitly relinquished
Mavering to Alice。
〃Oh； no； no！〃 said Alice； shrinking back from him； with an
intensification of her uncertain smile。 〃A mere mortal？〃
〃Oh； how very good！〃 said Mrs。 Trevor。
There began to be； without any one's intending it； that sort of tacit
misunderstanding which is all the worse because it can only follow upon a
tacit understanding like that which had established itself between Alice
and Mavering。 They laughed and joked together gaily about all that went
on； they were perfectly good friends； he saw that she and her mother were
promptly served； he brought them salad and ice…cream and coffee himself；
only waiting officially upon Miss Anderson first； and Alice thanked him；
with the politest deprecation of his devotion； but if their eyes met； it
was defensively； and the security between them was gone。 Mavering
vaguely felt the loss； without knowing how to retrieve it； and it made
him go on more desperately with Miss Anderson。 He laughed and joked
recklessly； and Alice began to mark a more explicit displeasure with her。
She made her mother go rather early。
On her part； Miss Anderson seemed to find reason for resentment in
Alice's bearing toward her。 As if she had said to herself that her frank
loyalty had been thrown away upon a cold and unresponsive nature； and
that her harmless follies in the play had been met with unjust
suspicions； she began to make reprisals； she began in dead earnest to
flirt with Mavering。 Before the evening passed she had made him seem
taken with her； but how justly she had done this； and with how much fault
of his； no one could have said。 There were some who did not notice it at
all； but these were not people who knew Mavering； or knew Al