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〃Do you know them？〃
〃Bridge Mavering and I were at Harvard together。〃
〃Tell me about them。〃 Mrs。 Brinkley listened to Munt's praises of his old
friend with an attention superficially divided with the people to whom she
bowed and smiled。 The room was filling up。 〃Well；〃 she said at the end；
〃he's a sweet young fellow。 I hope he likes his Pasmers。〃
〃I guess there's no doubt about his liking one of themthe principal
one。〃
〃Yes； if she is the principal one。〃 There was an implication in
everything she said that Dan Mavering had been hoodwinked by Mrs。 Pasmer。
Mature ladies always like to imply something of the sort in these cases。
They like to ignore the prime agency of youth and love； and pretend that
marriage is a game that parents play at with us； as if we were in an old
comedy； it is a tradition。 〃Will he take her home to live？〃
〃No。 I heard that they're all going abroadfor a year； or two at least。〃
〃Ah！ I thought so；〃 cried Mrs。 Brinkley。 She looked up with whimsical
pleasure in the uncertainty of an old gentleman who is staring hard at her
through his glasses。 〃Well；〃 she said with a pleasant sharpness； 〃do you
make me out？〃
〃As nearly as my belief in your wisdom will allow；〃 said the old
gentleman； as distinctly as his long white moustache and an apparent
absence of teeth behind it would let him。 John Munt had eagerly abandoned
the seat he was keeping at Mrs。 Brinkley's side； and had launched himself
into the thickening crowd。 The old gentleman； who was lank and tall；
folded himself down into it； He continued as tranquilly as if seated quite
alone with Mrs。 Brinkley； and not minding that his voice； with the senile
crow in it； made itself heard by others。 〃I'm always surprised to find
sensible people at these things of Jane's。 They're most extraordinary
things。 Jane's idea of society is to turn a herd of human beings loose in
her house； and see what will come of it。 She has no more sense of
hospitality or responsibility than the Elements or Divine Providence。 You
may come here and have a good timeif you can get it； she won't object；
or you may die of solitude and inanition； she'd never know it。 I don't
know but it's rather sublime in her。 It's like the indifference of fate；
but it's rather rough on those who don't understand it。 She likes to see
her rooms filled with pretty dresses； but she has no social instincts and
no social inspiration whatever。 She lights and heats and feeds her
guests； and then she leaves them to themselves。 She's a kind womanJane
is a very good…natured woman； and I really think she'd be grieved if she
thought any one went away unhappy； but she does nothing to make them at
home in her houseabsolutely nothing。〃
〃Perhaps she does all they deserve for them。 I don't know that any one
acquires merit by coming to an evening party； and it's impossible to be
personally hospitable to everybody in such a crowd。〃
Yes； I've sometimes taken that view of it。 And yet if you ask a stranger
to your house； you establish a tacit understanding with him that you won't
forget him after you have him there。 I like to go about and note the
mystification of strangers who've come here with some notion of a little
attention。 It's delightfully poignant； I suffer with them； it's a cheap
luxury of woe； I follow them through all the turns and windings of their
experience。 Of course the theory is that； being turned loose here with
the rest； they may speak to anybody； but the fact is； they can't。
Sometimes I should like to hail some of these unfriended spirits； but I
haven't the courage。 I'm not individually bashful； but I have a thousand
years of Anglo…Saxon civilisation behind me。 There ought to be policemen；
to show strangers about and be kind to them。 I've just seen two pretty
women cast away in a corner； and clinging to a small water…colour on the
wall with a show of interest that would melt a heart of stone。 Why do you
come； Mrs。 Brinkley？ I should like to know。 You're not obliged to。〃
〃No；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley； lowering her voice instinctively； as if to bring
his down。 〃I suppose I come from force of habit I've been coming a long
time； you know。 Why do you come？〃
〃Because I can't sleep。 If I could sleep； I should be at home in bed。〃 A
weariness came into his thin face and dim eyes that was pathetic； and
passed into a whimsical sarcasm。 〃I'm not one of the great leisure class；
you know； that voluntarily turns night into day。 Do you know what I go
about saying now？〃
〃Something amusing； I suppose。〃
〃You'd better not be so sure of that。 I've discovered a fact； or rather
I've formulated an old one。 I've always been troubled how to classify
people here； there are so many exceptions； and I've ended by broadly
generalising them as women and men。〃
Mrs。 Brinkley was certainly amused at this。 〃It seems to me that there
you've been anticipated by naturenot to mention art。〃
〃Oh； not in my particular view。 The women in America represent the
aristocracy which exists everywhere else in both sexes。 You are born to
the patrician leisure； you have the accomplishments and the clothes and
manners and ideals； and we men are a natural commonalty； born to business；
to newspapers； to cigars； and horses。 This natural female aristocracy of
ours establishes the forms； usages； places； and times of society。 The
epicene aristocracies of other countries turn night into day in their
social pleasures； and our noblesse sympathetically follows their example。
You ladies； who can lie till noon next day； come to Jane's reception at
eleven o'clock； and you drag along with you a herd of us brokers； bankers；
merchants； lawyers； and doctors； who must be at our offices and counting…
rooms before nine in the morning。 The hours of us work…people are
regulated by the wholesome industries of the great democracy which we're a
part of； and the hours of our wives and daughters by the deleterious
pleasures of the Old World aristocracy。 That's the reason we're not all
at home in bed。〃
〃I thought you were not at home in bed because you couldn't sleep。〃
〃I know it。 And you've no idea how horrible a bed is that you can't sleep
in。〃 The old man's voice broke in a tremor。 〃Ah； it's a bed of torture！
I spend many a wicked hour in mine； envying St。 Lawrence his gridiron。
But what do you think of my theory？〃
〃It's a very pretty theory。 My only objection to it is that it's too
flattering。 You know I rather prefer to abuse my sex； and to be set up as
a natural aristocracyI don't know that I can quite agree to that； even
to account satisfactorily for being at your sister…in…law's reception。〃
〃You're too modest； Mrs。 Brinkley。〃
〃No； really。 There ought to be some men among usmen without morrows。
Now； why don't you and my husband set an example to your sex？ Why don't
you relax your severe sense of duty？ Why need you insist upon being at
your offices every morning at nine？ Why don't you fling off these habits
of lifelong industry； and be gracefully indolent in the interest of the
higher civilisation？〃
Bromfield Corey looked round at her with a smile of relish for her satire。
Her husband was a notori