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〃Oh； I don't think that's her character；〃 said Miss Cotton； ruffling her
feathers defensively。
〃Neither do I。 She has no fixed character。 No girl has。 Nobody has。 We
all have twenty different charactersmore characters than gownsand we
put them on and take them off just as often for different occasions。 I
know you think each person is permanently this or that； but my experience
is that half the time they're the other thing。〃
〃Then why；〃 said Miss Cotton； winking hard； as some weak people do when
they thick they are making a point； 〃do you say that Alice is dull and
selfish？〃
〃I don'tnot always； or not simply so。 That's the character of the
Pasmer blood； but it's crossed with twenty different currents in her； and
from some body that the Pasmer dulness and selfishness must have driven
mad she got a crazy streak of piety； and that's got mixed up in her again
with a nonsensical ideal of duty； and everything she does she not only
thinks is right； but she thinks it's religious； and she thinks it's
unselfish。〃
〃If you'd seen her； if you'd heard her； this morning；〃 said Miss Cotton；
〃you wouldn't say that； Mrs。 Brinkley。〃
Mrs。 Brinkley refused this with an impatient gesture。 〃It isn't what she
is now； or seems to be； or thinks she is。 It's what she's going to
finally harden intowhat's going to be her prevailing character。 Now Dan
Mavering has just the faults that will make such a girl think her own
defects are virtues； because they're so different。 I tell you Alice
Pasmer has neither the head nor the heart to appreciate the goodness； the
loveliness； of a fellow like Dan Mavering。〃
〃I think she feels his sweetness fully；〃 urged Miss Cotton。 〃But she
couldn't endure his uncertainty。 With her the truth is first of all
things。〃
〃Then she's a little goose。 If she had the sense to know it； she would
know that he might delay and temporise and beat about the bush； but he
would be true when it was necessary。 I haven't the least doubt in the
world but that poor fellow was going on in perfect security； because he
felt that it would be so easy for him to give up； and supposed it would be
just as easy for her。 I don't suppose he had a misgiving； and it must
have come upon him like a thunder…clap。〃
〃Don't you think；〃 timidly suggested Miss Cotton； 〃that truth is the first
essential in marriage？〃
〃Of course it is。 And if this girl was worthy of Dan Mavering； if she
were capable of loving him or anybody else unselfishly； she would have
felt his truth even if she couldn't have seen it。 I believe this minute
that that manoeuvring； humbugging mother of hers is a better woman； a
kinder woman； than she is。〃
〃Alice says her mother took his part；〃 said Miss Cotton； with a sigh。
〃She took your view of it。〃
〃She's a sensible woman。 But I hope she won't be able to get him into her
toils again；〃 continued Mrs。 Brinkley； recurring to the conventional
estimate of Mrs。 Pasmer。
〃I can't help feelingbelievingthat they'll come together somehow
still；〃 murmured Miss Cotton。 It seemed to her that she had all along
wished this； and she tried to remember if what she had said to comfort
Alice might be construed as adverse to a reconciliation。
〃I hope they won't； then；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley； 〃for they couldn't help
being unhappy together； with their temperaments。 There's one thing； Miss
Cotton； that's more essential in marriage than Miss Pasmer's instantaneous
honesty； and that's patience。〃
〃Patience with wrong？〃 demanded Miss Cotton。
〃Yes； even with wrong； but I meant patience with each other。 Marriage is
a perpetual pardon； concession； surrender； it's an everlasting giving up；
that's the divine thing about it； and that's just what Miss Passer could
never conceive of； because she is self…righteous and conceited and
unyielding。 She would make him miserable。〃
Miss Cotton rose in a bewilderment which did not permit her to go at once。
There was something in her mind which she wished to urge； but she could
not make it out； though she fingered in vague generalities。 When she got
a block away from the house it suddenly came to her。 Love！ If they loved
each other； would not all be well with them？ She would have liked to run
back and put that question to Mrs。 Brinkley； but just then she met
Brinkley lumbering heavily homeward； she heard his hard breathing from the
exertion of bowing to her as he passed。
His wife met him in the hall； and went up to kiss him。 He smelt
abominably of tobacco smoke。
〃Hullo！〃 said her husband。 〃What are you after？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said his wife； enjoying his joke。 〃Come in here； I want to
tell you how I have just sat upon Miss Cotton。〃
XLVIII。
The relations between Dan and his father had always been kindly and
trustful； they now became； in a degree that touched and flattered the
young fellow； confidential。 With the rest of the family there soon ceased
to be any reference to his engagement； his sisters were glad； each in her
way； to have him back again； and； whatever they may have said between
themselves； they said nothing to him about Alice。 His mother appeared to
have finished with the matter the first night； she had her theory； and she
did it justice； and when Mrs。 Mavering had once done a thing justice； she
did not bring it up again unless somebody disputed it。 But nobody had
defended Mrs。 Pasmer after Dan's feeble protest in her behalf； Mrs。
Mavering's theory was accepted with obedience if not conviction； the whole
affair dropped； except between Dan and his father。
Dan was certainly not so gay as he used to be； he was glad to find that he
was not so gay。 There had been a sort of mercy in the suddenness of the
shock； it benumbed him； and the real stress and pain came during the long
weeks that followed； when nothing occurred to vary the situation in any
manner； he did not hear a word about Alice from Boston； nor any rumour of
her people。
At first he had intended to go back with Boardman and face it out； but
there seemed no use in this； and when it came to the point he found it
impossible。 Boardman went back alone； and he put Dan's things together in
his rooms at Boston and sent them to him； so that Dan remained at home。
He set about helping his father at the business with unaffected docility。
He tried not to pose； and he did his best to bear his loss and humiliation
with manly fortitude。 But his whole life had not set so strongly in one
direction that it could be sharply turned aside now； and not in moments of
forgetfulness press against the barriers almost to bursting。 Now and
then； when he came to himself from the wonted tendency； and remembered
that Alice and he； who had been all in all to each other； were now
nothing； the pain was so sharp； so astonishing； that he could not keep
down a groan； which he then tried to turn off with a cough； or a snatch of
song； or a whistle； looking wildly round to see if any one had noticed。
Once this happened when his father and he were walking silently home from
the works； and his father said； without touching him or showing his
sympathy except in his tone of humorously frank recognition； 〃Does it
still hurt a little occasio