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and asked my companion if he had been seriously ill。
〃I didn't sleep；〃 he said； after some delay。
〃Ah； that's very annoying。 I suppose you were overworked。〃
〃I didn't eat； I took no interest in my food。〃
〃Well； I hope you both eat and sleep now；〃 I said。
〃I couldn't hold a pen；〃 my neighbour went on。 〃I couldn't sit
still。 I couldn't walk from my house to the carsand it's only a
little way。 I lost my interest in business。〃
〃You needed a holiday；〃 I observed。
〃That's what the doctors said。 It wasn't so very smart of them。 I
had been paying strict attention to business for twenty…three years。〃
〃In all that time you have never had a holiday？〃 I exclaimed with
horror。
My companion waited a little。 〃Sundays；〃 he said at last。
〃No wonder； then； you were out of sorts。〃
〃Well； sir；〃 said my friend； 〃I shouldn't have been where I was three
years ago if I had spent my time travelling round Europe。 I was in a
very advantageous position。 I did a very large business。 I was
considerably interested in lumber。〃 He paused； turned his head； and
looked at me a moment。 〃Have you any business interests yourself？〃
I answered that I had none； and he went on again； slowly； softly；
deliberately。 〃Well； sir； perhaps you are not aware that business in
the United States is not what it was a short time since。 Business
interests are very insecure。 There seems to be a general falling…
off。 Different parties offer different explanations of the fact； but
so far as I am aware none of their observations have set things going
again。〃 I ingeniously intimated that if business was dull； the time
was good for coming away； whereupon my neighbour threw back his head
and stretched his legs a while。 〃Well； sir； that's one view of the
matter certainly。 There's something to be said for that。 These
things should be looked at all round。 That's the ground my wife
took。 That's the ground；〃 he added in a moment； 〃that a lady would
naturally take；〃 and he gave a little dry laugh。
〃You think it's slightly illogical；〃 I remarked。
〃Well； sir； the ground I took was； that the worse a man's business
is； the more it requires looking after。 I shouldn't want to go out
to take a walknot even to go to churchif my house was on fire。
My firm is not doing the business it was； it's like a sick child； it
requires nursing。 What I wanted the doctors to do was to fix me up；
so that I could go on at home。 I'd have taken anything they'd have
given me； and as many times a day。 I wanted to be right there； I had
my reasons； I have them still。 But I came off all the same；〃 said my
friend； with a melancholy smile。
I was a great deal younger than he； but there was something so simple
and communicative in his tone； so expressive of a desire to
fraternise； and so exempt from any theory of human differences； that
I quite forgot his seniority； and found myself offering him paternal
I advice。 〃Don't think about all that；〃 said I。 〃Simply enjoy
yourself； amuse yourself； get well。 Travel about and see Europe。 At
the end of a year； by the time you are ready to go home； things will
have improved over there； and you will be quite well and happy。〃
My friend laid his hand on my knee； he looked at me for some moments；
and I thought he was going to say； 〃You are very young！〃 But he said
presently； 〃YOU have got used to Europe any way！〃
CHAPTER III。
At breakfast I encountered his ladieshis wife and daughter。 They
were placed； however； at a distance from me； and it was not until the
pensionnaires had dispersed； and some of them； according to custom；
had come out into the garden； that he had an opportunity of making me
acquainted with them。
〃Will you allow me to introduce you to my daughter？〃 he said； moved
apparently by a paternal inclination to provide this young lady with
social diversion。 She was standing with her mother； in one of the
paths； looking about with no great complacency； as I imagined； at the
homely characteristics of the place； and old M。 Pigeonneau was
hovering near； hesitating apparently between the desire to be urbane
and the absence of a pretext。 〃Mrs。 RuckMiss Sophy Ruck；〃 said my
friend； leading me up。
Mrs。 Ruck was a large； plump； light…coloured person； with a smooth
fair face； a somnolent eye； and an elaborate coiffure。 Miss Sophy
was a girl of one…and…twenty； very small and very prettywhat I
suppose would have been called a lively brunette。 Both of these
ladies were attired in black silk dresses； very much trimmed； they
had an air of the highest elegance。
〃Do you think highly of this pension？〃 inquired Mrs。 Ruck； after a
few preliminaries。
〃It's a little rough； but it seems to me comfortable；〃 I answered。
〃Does it take a high rank in Geneva？〃 Mrs。 Ruck pursued。
〃I imagine it enjoys a very fair fame；〃 I said； smiling。
〃I should never dream of comparing it to a New York boarding…house；〃
said Mrs。 Ruck。
〃It's quite a different style；〃 her daughter observed。
Miss Ruck had folded her arms； she was holding her elbows with a pair
of white little hands； and she was tapping the ground with a pretty
little foot。
〃We hardly expected to come to a pension；〃 said Mrs。 Ruck。 〃But we
thought we would try； we had heard so much about Swiss pensions。 I
was saying to Mr。 Ruck that I wondered whether this was a favourable
specimen。 I was afraid we might have made a mistake。〃
〃We knew some people who had been here； they thought everything of
Madame Beaurepas；〃 said Miss Sophy。 〃They said she was a real
friend。〃
〃Mr。 and Mrs。 Parkerperhaps you have heard her speak of them；〃 Mrs。
Ruck pursued。
〃Madame Beaurepas has had a great many Americans； she is very fond of
Americans；〃 I replied。
〃Well； I must say I should think she would be； if she compares them
with some others。〃
〃Mother is always comparing；〃 observed Miss Ruck。
〃Of course I am always comparing；〃 rejoined the elder lady。 〃I never
had a chance till now； I never knew my privileges。 Give me an
American！〃 And Mrs。 Ruck indulged in a little laugh。
〃Well； I must say there are some things I like over here；〃 said Miss
Sophy； with courage。 And indeed I could see that she was a young
woman of great decision。
〃You like the shopsthat's what you like；〃 her father affirmed。
The young lady addressed herself to me； without heeding this remark。
〃I suppose you feel quite at home here。〃
〃Oh； he likes it； he has got used to the life！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Ruck。
〃I wish you'd teach Mr。 Ruck；〃 said his wife。 〃It seems as if he
couldn't get used to anything。〃
〃I'm used to you； my dear；〃 the husband retorted； giving me a
humorous look。
〃He's intensely restless；〃 continued Mrs。 Ruck。
〃That's what made me want to come to a pension。 I thought he would
settle down more。〃
〃I don't think I AM used to you； after all；〃 said her husband。
In view of a possible exchange of conjugal repartee I took refuge in
conversation with Miss Ruck； who seemed perfectly able to play her
part in any colloquy。 I learned from this young lady that； with her
parents； after visiting the British Islands； she had been spending a
month in Paris； and that she thought she sh