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folle。 But she gives me information； she tells me about America。
Mamma has always tried to prevent my knowing anything about it； and I
am all the more curious。 And then Miss Ruck is very fresh。〃
〃I may not be so fresh as Miss Ruck；〃 I said； 〃but in future； when
you want information； I recommend you to come to me for it。〃
〃Our friend offers to take me to America； she invites me to go back
with her； to stay with her。 You couldn't do that； could you？〃 And
the young girl looked at me a moment。 〃Bon； a false note I can see
it by your face； you remind me of a maitre de piano。〃
〃You overdo the characterthe poor American girl；〃 I said。 〃Are you
going to stay with that delightful family？〃
〃I will go and stay with any one that will take me or ask me。 It's a
real nostalgie。 She says that in New Yorkin Thirty…Seventh Street…
…I should have the most lovely time。〃
〃I have no doubt you would enjoy it。〃
〃Absolute liberty to begin with。〃
〃It seems to me you have a certain liberty here；〃 I rejoined。
〃Ah； THIS？ Oh； I shall pay for this。 I shall be punished by mamma；
and I shall be lectured by Madame Galopin。〃
〃The wife of the pasteur？〃
〃His digne epouse。 Madame Galopin； for mamma； is the incarnation of
European opinion。 That's what vexes me with mamma； her thinking so
much of people like Madame Galopin。 Going to see Madame Galopin
mamma calls that being in European society。 European society！ I'm
so sick of that expression； I have heard it since I was six years
old。 Who is Madame Galopinwho thinks anything of her here？ She is
nobody； she is perfectly third…rate。 If I like America better than
mamma； I also know Europe better。〃
〃But your mother； certainly；〃 I objected； a trifle timidly； for my
young lady was excited； and had a charming little passion in her eye…
…〃your mother has a great many social relations all over the
Continent。〃
〃She thinks so； but half the people don't care for us。 They are not
so good as we； and they know itI'll do them that justiceand they
wonder why we should care for them。 When we are polite to them； they
think the less of us； there are plenty of people like that。 Mamma
thinks so much of them simply because they are foreigners。 If I
could tell you all the dull； stupid； second…rate people I have had to
talk to； for no better reason than that they were de leur pays！
Germans； French； Italians； Turks； everything。 When I complain； mamma
always says that at any rate it's practice in the language。 And she
makes so much of the English； too； I don't know what that's practice
in。〃
Before I had time to suggest an hypothesis； as regards this latter
point； I saw something that made me rise； with a certain solemnity；
from my chair。 This was nothing less than the neat little figure of
Mrs。 Churcha perfect model of the femme comme il fautapproaching
our table with an impatient step； and followed most unexpectedly in
her advance by the pre…eminent form of Mr。 Ruck。 She had evidently
come in quest of her daughter； and if she had commanded this
gentleman's attendance； it had been on no softer ground than that of
his unenvied paternity to her guilty child's accomplice。 My movement
had given the alarm； and Aurora Church and M。 Pigeonneau got up； Miss
Ruck alone did not； in the local phrase； derange herself。 Mrs。
Church； beneath her modest little bonnet； looked very serious； but
not at all fluttered； she came straight to her daughter； who received
her with a smile； and then she looked all round at the rest of us；
very fixedly and tranquilly； without bowing。 I must do both these
ladies the justice to mention that neither of them made the least
little 〃scene。〃
〃I have come for you； dearest；〃 said the mother。
〃Yes； dear mamma。〃
〃Come for youcome for you；〃 Mrs。 Church repeated； looking down at
the relics of our little feast。 〃I was obliged to ask Mr。 Ruck's
assistance。 I was puzzled； I thought a long time。〃
〃Well； Mrs。 Church； I was glad to see you puzzled once in your life！〃
said Mr。 Ruck； with friendly jocosity。 〃But you came pretty straight
for all that。 I had hard work to keep up with you。〃
〃We will take a cab； Aurora；〃 Mrs。 Church went on； without heeding
this pleasantry〃a closed one。 Come； my daughter。〃
〃Yes； dear mamma。〃 The young girl was blushing； yet she was still
smiling； she looked round at us all； and； as her eyes met mine； I
thought she was beautiful。 〃Good…bye；〃 she said to us。 〃I have had
a LOVELY TIME。〃
〃We must not linger；〃 said her mother； 〃it is five o'clock。 We are
to dine； you know； with Madame Galopin。〃
〃I had quite forgotten；〃 Aurora declared。 〃That will be charming。〃
〃Do you want me to assist you to carry her back； ma am？〃 asked Mr。
Ruck。
Mrs。 Church hesitated a moment； with her serene little gaze。 〃Do you
prefer； then； to leave your daughter to finish the evening with these
gentlemen？〃
Mr。 Ruck pushed back his hat and scratched the top of his head。
〃Well； I don't know。 How would you like that； Sophy？〃
〃Well； I never！〃 exclaimed Sophy； as Mrs。 Church marched off with her
daughter。
CHAPTER VIII。
I had half expected that Mrs。 Church would make me feel the weight of
her disapproval of my own share in that little act of revelry in the
English Garden。 But she maintained her claim to being a highly
reasonable womanI could not but admire the justice of this
pretensionby recognising my irresponsibility。 I had taken her
daughter as I found her； which was； according to Mrs。 Church's view；
in a very equivocal position。 The natural instinct of a young man；
in such a situation； is not to protest but to profit； and it was
clear to Mrs。 Church that I had had nothing to do with Miss Aurora's
appearing in public under the insufficient chaperonage of Miss Ruck。
Besides； she liked to converse； and she apparently did me the honour
to believe that of all the members of the Pension Beaurepas I had the
most cultivated understanding。 I found her in the salon a couple of
evenings after the incident I have just narrated； and I approached
her with a view of making my peace with her； if this should prove
necessary。 But Mrs。 Church was as gracious as I could have desired；
she put her marker into her book； and folded her plump little hands
on the cover。 She made no specific allusion to the English Garden；
she embarked； rather； upon those general considerations in which her
refined intellect was so much at home。
〃Always at your studies； Mrs。 Church；〃 I ventured to observe。
〃Que voulez…vous？ To say studies is to say too much； one doesn't
study in the parlour of a boarding…house。 But I do what I can； I
have always done what I can。 That is all I have ever claimed。〃
〃No one can do more； and you seem to have done a great deal。〃
〃Do you know my secret？〃 she asked； with an air of brightening
confidence。 And she paused a moment before she imparted her secret
〃To care only for the BEST！ To do the best； to know the bestto
have； to desire； to recognise； only the best。 That's what I have
always done； in my quiet little way。 I have gone through Europe on
my devoted little errand； seeking； seeing； heeding； only the best。
And it has no