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you with her。 What I mean is that she isn't at all proud； as I used to
think she was。〃
〃No girl is； under the circumstances。 She has all she can do to be proud
of you。〃
〃Do you think so； mother？〃 〃 he said； enraptured with the notion。 〃I've
done my bestor my worstnot to give her any reason to be so。〃
〃She doesn't 'want anythe less the better。 You silly boy！ Don't you
suppose she wants to make you out of whole cloth just as you do with her？
She doesn't want any facts to start with； they'd be in the way。 Well；
now； I can make out； with your help； what the young lady is； but what are
the father and mother？ They're rather important in these cases。〃
〃Oh； they're the nicest kind of people；〃 said Dan； in optimistic
generalisation。 〃You'd like Mrs。 Pasmer。 She's awfully nice。〃
〃Do you say that because you think I wouldn't？〃 asked his mother。 〃Isn't
she rather sly and hum…bugging？〃
〃Well； yes； she is； to a certain extent；〃 Dan admitted； with a laugh。
〃But she doesn't mean any harm by it。 She's extremely kind…hearted。〃
〃To you？ I dare say。 And Mr。 Pasmer is rather under her thumb？〃
〃Well； yes； you might say thumb；〃 Dan consented； feeling it useless to
defend the Pasmers against this analysis。
〃We won't say heel；〃 returned his mother； 〃we're too polite。 And your
father says he had the reputation in college of being one of the most
selfish fellows in the world。 He's never done anything since but lose
most of his money。 He's been absolutely idle and useless all his days。〃
She turned her vivid blue eyes suddenly upon her son's。
Dan winced。 〃You know how hard father is upon people who haven't done
anything。 It's a mania of his。 Of course Mr。 Pasmer doesn't show to
advantage where there's nono leisure class。〃
〃Poor man！〃
Dan was going to say； 〃He's very amiable； though；〃 but he was afraid of
his mother's retorting； 〃To you？〃 and he held his peace； looking
chapfallen。
Whether his mother took pity on him or not； her next sally was consoling。
〃But your Alice may not take after either of them。 Her father is the
worst of his breed； it seems； the rest are useful people； from what your
father knows； and there's a great deal to be hoped for collaterally。 She
had an uncle in college at the same time who was everything that her
father was not。〃
〃One of her aunts is in one of those Protestant religious houses in
England；〃 repeated Dan。
〃Oh！〃 said his mother shortly； 〃I don't know that I like that
particularly。 But probably she isn't useless there。 Is Alice very
religious？〃
〃Well； I suppose；〃 said Dan； with a smile for the devotions that came into
his thought； 〃 she's what would be called 'Piscopal pious。〃
Mrs。 Mavering referred to the photograph； which she still held in her
hand。 〃Well； she's pure and good； at any rate。 I suppose you look
forward to a long engagement？〃
Dan was somewhat taken aback at a supposition so very contrary to what was
in his mind。 〃Well； I don't know。 Why？〃
〃It might be said that you are very young。 How old is AgnesAlice； I
mean？〃
〃Twenty…one。 But now； look here； mother！ It's no use considering such a
thing in the abstract； is it？〃
〃No；〃 said his mother； with a smile for what might be coming。
〃This is the way I've been viewing it； I may say it's the way Alice has
been viewing itor Mrs。 Pasmer； rather。〃
〃Decidedly Mrs。 Pasmer； rather。 Better be honest； Dan。〃
〃I'll do my best。 I was thinking； hoping； that is； that as I'm going
right into the businesshave gone into it already； in factand could
begin life at once； that perhaps there wouldn't be much sense in waiting a
great while。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃That's all。 That is； if you and father are agreed。〃 He reflected upon
this provision； and added； with a laugh of confusion and pleasure： 〃It
seems to be so very much more of a family affair than I used to think it
was。〃
〃You thought it concerned just you and her？〃 said his mother； with arch
sympathy。
〃Well； yes。〃
〃Poor fellow！ She knew better than that； you may be sure。 At any rate；
her mother did。〃
〃What Mrs。 Pasmer doesn't know isn't probably worth knowing；〃 said Dan；
with an amused sense of her omniscience。
〃I thought so；〃 sighed his mother； smiling too。 〃And now you begin to
find out that it concerns the families in all their branches on both
sides。〃
〃Oh； if it stopped at the families and their ramifications！ But it seems
to take in society and the general public。〃
〃So it doesmore than you can realise。 You can't get married to yourself
alone； as young people think； and if you don't marry happily； you sin
against the peace and comfort of the whole community。〃
〃Yes； that's what I'm chiefly looking out for now。 I don't want any of
those people in Central Africa to suffer。 That's the reason I want to
marry Alice at the earliest opportunity。 But I suppose there'll have to
be a Mavering embassy to the high contracting powers of the other part
now？〃
〃Your father and one of the girls had better go down。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃And invite Mr。 and Mrs。 Pasmer and their daughter to come up here。〃
〃All on probation？〃
〃Oh no。 If you're pleased； Dan〃
I am； mothermeasurably。〃 They both laughed at this mild way of putting
it。
〃Why； then it's to be supposed that we're all pleased。 You needn't bring
the whole Pasmer family home to live with you； if you do marry them all。〃
〃No；〃 said Dan； and suddenly be became very distraught。 It flashed
through him that his mother was expecting him to come home with Alice to
live； and that she would not be at all pleased with his scheme of a
European sojourn； which Mrs。 Pasmer had so cordially adopted。 He was
amazed that he had not thought of that； but he refused to see any
difficulty which his happiness could not cope with。
〃No； there's that view of it；〃 he said jollily； and he buried his
momentary anxiety out of sight； and； as it were； danced upon its grave。
Nevertheless； he had a desire to get quickly away from the spot。 〃I hope
the Mavering embassy won't be a great while getting ready to go；〃 he said。
〃Of course it's all right； but I shouldn't want an appearance of
reluctance exactly； you know； mother； and if there should be much of an
interval between my getting back and their coming on； don't you know； why；
the cat might let herself out of the bag。〃
〃What cat？〃 asked his mother demurely。
〃Well； you know； you haven't received my engagement with unmingled
enthusiasm； andand I suppose they would find it out from mefrom my
manner； andand I wish they'd come along pretty soon； mother。〃
〃Poor boy！ I'm afraid the cat got out of the bag when Mrs。 Pasmer came to
the years of discretion。 But you sha'n't be left a prey to her。 They
shall go back with you。 Ring the bell； and let's talk it over with them
now。〃
Dan joyfully obeyed。 He could see that his mother was all on fire with
interest in his affair； and that the idea of somehow circumventing Mrs。
Pasmer by prompt action was fascinating her。
His sisters came up at once； and his father followed a moment later。 They
all took their cue from the mother's gaiety； and began talking and
laughing； except the father； who sat looking on with