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regarding her with a sort of tolerance which he now blushed for； he
thought he had been a great ass。 She seemed to know all sorts of nice
people； and she strove with generous hospitality to make him have a good
time。 She said it was Cabinet Day； and that all the secretaries' wives
were receiving； and she told him he had better make the rounds with them。
He assented very willingly； and at six o'clock he was already so much in
the spirit of this free and simple society； so much opener and therefore
so much wiser than any other； that he professed a profound disappointment
with the two or three Cabinet ladies whose failure to receive brought his
pleasure to a premature close。
〃But I suppose you're going to Mrs。 Whittington's to…night！〃 Miss
Anderson said to him； as they drove up to Wormley's； where she set him
down。 Miss Van Hook had long ceased to say anything； Dan thought her a
perfect duenna。 〃You know you can go late there；〃 she added。
〃No； I can't go at all；〃 said Dan。 〃I don't know them。〃
〃They're New England people；〃 urged Miss Anderson； as if to make him try
to think that he was asked to Mrs。 Whittington's。
〃I don't know more than half the population of New England；〃 said Dan；
with apparent levity； but real forlornness。
〃If you'd like to goif you're sure you've no other engagement〃
〃Oh； I'm certain of that？〃
〃we would come for you。〃
〃Do！〃
〃At half…past ten； then。〃
Miss Anderson explained to her aunt； who cordially confirmed her
invitation； and they both shook hands with him upon it； and he backed out
of the carriage with a grin of happiness on his face； it remained there
while he wrote out the order for his dinner； which they require at
Wormley's in holograph。 The waiter reflected his smile with ethnical
warm…heartedness。 For a moment Dan tried to think what it was he had
forgotten； he thought it was some other dish； then he remembered that it
was his broken heart。 He tried to subdue himself； but there was something
in the air of the place； the climate； perhaps； or a pleasant sense of its
facile social life； that kept him buoyant in spite of himself。 He went
out after dinner； and saw part of a poor play； and returned in time to
dress for his appointment with Miss Anderson。 Her aunt was with her； of
course； she seemed to Dan more indefatigable than she was by day。 He
could not think her superfluous； and she was very good…natured。 She made
little remarks full of conventional wisdom； and appealed to his judgment
on several points as they drove along。 When they came to a street lamp
where she could see him； he nodded and said yes； or no； respectfully。
Between times he talked with Miss Anderson； who lectured him upon
Washington society； and prepared him for the difference he was to find
between Mrs。 Whittington's evening of invited guests and the Cabinet
ladies' afternoon of volunteer guests。
〃Volunteer guests is good；〃 he laughed。 〃Do you mean that anybody can
go？〃
〃Anybody that is able to be about。 This is Cabinet Day。 There's a
Supreme Court Day and a Senators' Day； and a Representatives' Day。 Do you
mean to say you weren't going to call upon your Senator？〃
〃I didn't know I had any。〃
〃Neither did I till I came here。 But you've got two； everybody's got two。
And the President's wife receives three times a week； and the President
has two or three days。 They say the public days at the White House are
great fun。 I've been to some of the invited； or semi…invited or official
evenings。〃
He could not see that difference from the great public receptions which
Miss Anderson had promised him at Mrs。 Whittington's； though he pretended
afterward that he had done so。 The people were more uniformly well
dressed； there were not so many of them； and the hostess was sure of
knowing her acquaintances at first glance； but there was the same ease；
the same unconstraint； the same absence of provincial anxiety which makes
a Washington a lighter and friendlier London。 There were rather more
sallow attaches； in their low…cut white waistcoats； with small brass
buttons； they moved more consciously about； and looked weightier
personages than several foreign ministers who were present。
Dan was soon lost from the side of Miss Anderson； who more and more seemed
to him important socially。 She seemed； in her present leadership； to know
more of life； than he； to be maturer。 But she did not abuse her
superiority； she kept an effect of her last summer's friendliness for him
throughout。 Several times； finding herself near him； she introduced him
to people。
Guests kept arriving till midnight。 Among the latest； when Dan had lost
himself far from Boston in talk with a young lady from Richmond； who spoke
with a slur of her vowels that fascinated him； came Mr。 and Mrs。 Brinkley。
He felt himself grow pale and inattentive to his pretty Virginian。 That
accent of Mrs。 Brinkley's recalled him to his history。 He hoped that she
would not see him； but in another moment he was greeting her with a warmth
which Bostonians seldom show in meeting at Boston。
〃When did you come to Washington？〃 she asked； trying to keep her
consciousness out of her eyes； which she let dwell kindly upon him。
〃Day before yesterdayno； yesterday。 It seems a month； I've seen and
done so much；〃 he said； with his laugh。 〃Miss Anderson's been showing me
the whole of Washington society。 Have you been here long？〃
〃Since morning；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley。 And she added； 〃Miss Anderson？〃
〃YesCampobello； don't you know？〃
〃Oh yes。 Is she here to…night？〃
〃I came with her and her aunt。〃
〃Oh yes。〃
〃How is all Boston？〃 asked Dan boldly。
〃I don't know； I'm just going down to Old Point Comfort to ask。 Every
other house on the Back Bay has been abandoned for the Hygeia。〃 Mrs。
Brinkley stopped； and then she asked。 〃Are you just up from there？〃
〃No； but I don't know but I shall go。〃
〃Hello； Mavering！〃 said Mr。 Brinkley； coming up and taking his hand into
his fat grasp。 〃On your way to Fortress Monroe？ Better come with us。
Why； Munt！〃
He turned to greet this other Bostonian； who had hardly expressed his joy
at meeting with his fellow…townsmen when the hostess rustled softly up；
and said； with the irony more or less friendly； which everybody uses in
speaking of Boston； or recognising the intellectual pre…eminence of its
people； 〃I'm not going to let you keep this feast of reason all to your
selves。 I want you to leaven the whole lump；〃 and she began to disperse
them； and to introduce them about right and left。
Dan tried to find his Virginian again； but she was gone。 He found Miss
Anderson； she was with her aunt。 〃Shall we be tearing you away？〃 she
asked。
〃Oh no。 I'm quite ready to go。〃
His nerves were in a tremble。 Those Boston faces and voices had brought
it all back again； it seemed as if he had met Alice。 He was silent and
incoherent as they drove home； but Miss Anderson apparently did not want
to talk much； and apparently did not notice his reticence。
He fell asleep with the pang in his heart which had been there so often。
When Dan came down to breakfast he found the Brinkleys at a pleasant place
by one of