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all took their cue from the mother's gaiety； and began talking and
laughing； except the father； who sat looking on with a smile at their
lively spirits and the jokes of which Dan became the victim。 Each family
has its own fantastic medium； in which it gets affairs to relieve them of
their concrete seriousness； and the Maverings now did this with Dan's
engagement； and played with it as an airy abstraction。 They debated the
character of the embassy which was to be sent down to Boston on their
behalf； and it was decided that Eunice had better go with her father； as
representing more fully the age and respectability of the family： at first
glance the Pasmers would take her for Dan's mother； and this would be a
tremendous advantage。
〃And if I like the ridiculous little chit；〃 said Eunice； 〃I think I shall
let Dan marry her at once。 I see no reason why he shouldn't and I
couldn't stand a long engagement； I should break it off。〃
〃I guess there are others who will have something to say about that；〃
retorted the younger sister。 〃I've always wanted a long engagement in
this family； and as there seems to be no chance for it with the ladies； I
wish to make the most of Dan's。 I always like it where the hero gets sick
and the heroine nurses him。 I want Dan to get sick； and have Alice come
here and take care of him。〃
〃No； this marriage must take place at once。 What do you say； father？〃
asked Eunice。
Her father sat； enjoying the talk； at the foot of the bed； with a tendency
to doze。 〃You might ask Dan；〃 he said； with a lazy cast of his eye toward
his son。
〃Dan has nothing to do with it。〃
〃Dan shall not be consulted。〃
The two girls stormed upon their father with their different reasons。
〃Now I will tell you Girls； be still！〃 their mother broke in。 〃Listen
to me： I have an idea。〃
〃Listen to her： she has an idea！〃 echoed Eunice； in recitative。
〃Will you be quiet？〃 demanded the mother。
〃We will be du…u…mb！〃
When they became so； at the verge of their mother's patience； of which
they knew the limits； she went on： 〃I think Dan had better get married at
once。〃
〃There； Minnie！〃
〃But what does Dan say？〃
〃I willmake the sacrifice；〃 said Dan meekly。
〃Noble boy！ That's exactly what Washington said to his mother when she
asked him not to go to sea；〃 said Minnie。
〃And then he went into the militia； and made it all right with himself
that way；〃 said Eunice。 〃Dan can't play his filial piety on this family。
Go on； mother。〃
〃I want him to bring his wife home； and live with us；〃 continued his
mother。
〃In the L part！〃 cried Minnie； clasping her hands in rapture。 〃I've
always said what a perfect little apartment it was by itself。〃
〃Well； don't say it again； then；〃 returned her sister。 〃Always is often
enough。 Well； in the L part Go on； mother！ Don't ask where you were；
when it's so exciting。〃
〃I don't care whether it's in the L part or not。 There's plenty of room
in the great barn of a place everywhere。〃
〃But what about his taking care of the business in Boston？〃 suggested
Eunice； looking at her father。
〃There's no hurry about that。〃
〃And about the excursion to aesthetic centres abroad？〃 Minnie added。
〃That could be managed；〃 said her father； with the same ironical smile。
The mother and the girls went on wildly planning Dan's future for him。 It
was all in a strain of extravagant burlesque。 But he could not take his
part in it with his usual zest。 He laughed and joked too； but at the
bottom of his heart was an uneasy remembrance of the different future he
had talked over with Mrs。 Pasmer so confidently。 But he said to himself
buoyantly at last that it would come out all right。 His mother would give
in； or else Alice could reconcile her mother to whatever seemed really
best。
He parted from his mother with fond gaiety。 His sisters came out of the
room with him。
〃I'm perfectly sore with laughing；〃 said Minnie。 〃It seems like old
timesdoesn't it； Dan？such a gale with mother。〃
XXXI。
An engagement must always be a little incredible at first to the families
of the betrothed； and especially to the family of the young man； in the
girl's； the mother； at least； will have a more realising sense of the
situation。 If there are elder sisters who have been accustomed to regard
their brother as very young； he will seem all the younger because in such
a matter he has treated himself as if he were a man； and Eunice Mavering
said； after seeing the Pasmers； 〃Well； Dan； it's all well enough； I
suppose； but it seems too ridiculous。〃
〃What's ridiculous about it； I should like to know？〃 he demanded。
〃Oh； I don't know。 Who'll look after you when you're married？ Oh； I
forgot Ma'am Pasmer！〃
〃I guess we shall be able to look after ourselves；〃 said Dan； a little
sulkily。
〃Yes； if you'll be allowed to；〃 insinuated his sister。
They spoke at the end of a talk in which he had fretted at the reticence
of both his sister and his father concerning the Pasmers； whom they had
just been to see。 He was vexed with his father； because he felt that he
had been influenced by Eunice； and had somehow gone back on him。 He was
vexed and he was grieved because his father had left them at the door of
the hotel without saying anything in praise of Alice； beyond the
generalities that would not carry favour with Eunice； and he was depressed
with a certain sense of Alice's father and mother； which seemed to have
imparted itself to him from the others； and to be the Mavering opinion of
them。 He could no longer see Mrs。 Pasmer harmless if trivial； and good…
hearted if inveterately scheming； he could not see the dignity and
refinement which he had believed in Mr。 Pasmer； they had both suffered a
sort of shrinkage or collapse； from which he could not rehabilitate them。
But this would have been nothing if his sister's and his father's eyes；
through which he seemed to have been looking； had not shown him Alice in a
light in which she appeared strange and queer almost to eccentricity。 He
was hurt at this effect from their want of sympathy； his pride was
touched； and he said to himself that he should not fish for Eunice's
praise； but he found himself saying； without surprise； 〃I suppose you will
do what you can to prejudice mother and Min。〃
〃Isn't that a little previous？〃 asked Eunice。 〃Have I said anything
against Miss Pasmer？〃
〃You haven't because you couldn't；〃 said Dan； with foolish bitterness。
〃Oh； I don't know about that。 She's a human being； I supposeat least
that was the impression I got from her parentage。〃
〃What have you got to say against her parents？〃 demanded Dan savagely。
〃Oh； nothing。 I didn't come down to Boston to denounce the Pasmer
family。〃
〃I suppose you didn't like their being in a flat； you'd have liked to find
them in a house on Commonwealth Avenue or Beacon Street。〃
〃I'll own I'm a snob；〃 said Eunice； with maddening meekness。 〃So's
father。〃
〃They are connected with the best families in the city； and they are in
the best society。 They do what they please； and they live where they
like。 They have been so long in Europe that they don't care for those
silly distin