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of was the plumbing and that Bay of Naples panorama in the hall。 He made us
look at all the plumbingbath…rooms and everywhere elseand then he made us
look at the Bay of Naples。 He said it was a hundred and eleven feet long； but
I think it's more。 And he led us all into the ready…made library to see a
poem Edith had taken a prize with at school。 They'd had it printed in gold
letters and framed in mother…of…pearl。 But the poem itself was rather simple
and wistful and nicehe read it to us； though Edith tried to stop him。 She
was modest about it； and said she'd never written anything else。 And then；
after a while； Mrs。 Roscoe Sheridan asked me to come across the street to her
house with themher husband and Edith and Mr。 Lamhorn and Jim Sheridan〃
Mrs。 Vertrees was shocked。 〃'Jim'！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Mary； PLEASE〃
〃Of course；〃 said Mary。 〃I'll make it as easy for you as I can； mamma。 Mr。
James Sheridan； Junior。 We went over there； and Mrs。 Roscoe explained that
'the men were all dying for a drink；' though I noticed that Mr。 Lamhorn was
the only one near death's door on that account。 Edith and Mrs。 Roscoe said
they knew I'd been bored at the dinner。 They were objectionably apologetic
about it； and they seemed to think NOW we were going to have a 'good time' to
make up for it。 But I hadn't been bored at the dinner； I'd been amused； and
the 'good time' at Mrs。 Roscoe's was horribly； horribly stupid。〃
〃But； Mary；〃 her mother began； 〃isis〃 And she seemed unable to complete
the question。
〃Never mind； mamma。 I'll say it。 Is Mr。 James Sheridan； Junior； stupid？ I'm
sure he's not at all stupid about business。 OtherwiseOh； what right have I
to be calling people 'stupid' because they're not exactly my kind？ On the big
dinner…table they had enormous icing models of the Sheridan Building〃
〃Oh； no！〃 Mrs。 Vertrees cried。 〃Surely not！〃
〃Yes； and two other things of that kindI don't know what。 But； after all； I
wondered if they were so bad。 If I'd been at a dinner at a palace in Italy；
and a relief or inscription on one of the old silver peices had referred to
some great deed or achievement of the family； I shouldn't have felt superior；
I'd have thought it picturesque and statelyI'd have been impressed。 And
what's the real difference？ The icing is temporary； and that's much more
modest； isn't it？ And why is it vulgar to feel important more on account of
something you've done yourself than because of something one of your ancestors
did？ Besides； if we go back a few generations； we've all got such hundreds of
ancestors it seems idiotic to go picking out one or two to be proud of
ourselves about。 Well； then； mamma； I managed not to feel superior to Mr。
James Sheridan； Junior； because he didn't see anything out of place in the
Sheridan Building in sugar。〃
Mrs。 Vertrees's expression had lost none of its anxiety pending the conclusion
of this lively bit of analysis； and she shook her head gravely。 〃My dear；
dear child；〃 she said； 〃it seems to meIt looksI'm afraid〃
〃Say as much of it as you can； mamma；〃 said Mary； encouragingly。 〃I can get
it； if you'll just give me one key…word。〃
〃Everything you say；〃 Mrs。 Vertrees began； timidly； 〃seems to have the air of
It is as if you were seeking toto make yourself〃
〃Oh； I see！ You mean I sound as if I were trying to force myself to like
him。〃
〃Not exactly； Mary。 That wasn't quite what I meant；〃 said Mrs。 Vertrees；
speaking direct untruth with perfect unconsciousness。 〃But you said that
that you found the latter part of the evening at young Mrs。 Sheridan's
unentertaining〃
〃And as Mr。 James Sheridan was there； and I saw more of him than at dinner；
and had a horribly stupid time in spite of that； you think I〃 And then it
was Mary who left the deduction unfinished。
Mrs。 Vertrees nodded； and though both the mother and the daughter understood；
Mary felt it better to make the understanding definite。
〃Well；〃 she asked； gravely； 〃is there anything else I can do？ You and papa
don't want me to do anything that distresses me； and so； as this is the only
thing to be done； it seems it's up to me not to let it distress me。 That's
all there is about it。 isn't it？〃
〃But nothing MUST distress you！〃 the mother cried。
〃That's what I say！〃 said Mary； cheerfully。 〃And so it doesn't。 It's all
right。〃 She rose and took her cloak over her arm； as if to go to her own
room。 But on the way to the door she stopped； and stood leaning against the
foot of the bed； contemplating a threadbare rug at her feet。 〃Mother； you've
told me a thousand times that it doesn't really matter whom a girl marries。〃
〃No； no！〃 Mrs。 Vertrees protested。 〃I never said such a〃
〃No； not in words； I mean what you MEANT。 It's true； isn't it； that marriage
really is 'not a bed of roses； but a field of battle'？ To get right down to
it； a girl could fight it out with anybody； couldn't she？ One man as well as
another？〃
〃Oh； my dear！ I'm sure your father and I〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Mary； indulgently。 〃I don't mean you and papa。 But isn't it
propinquity that makes marriages？ So many people say so； there must be
something in it。〃
〃Mary； I can't bear for you to talk like that。〃 And Mrs。 Vertrees lifted
pleading eyes to her daughtereyes that begged to be spared。 〃It sounds
almost reckless！〃
Mary caught the appeal； came to her； and kissed her gaily。 〃Never fret； dear！
I'm not likely to do anything I don't want to doI've always been too
thorough…going a little pig！ And if it IS propinquity that does our choosing
for us； well； at least no girl in the world could ask for more than THAT！ How
could there be any more propinquity than the very house next door？〃
She gave her mother a final kiss and went gaily all the way to the door this
time； pausing for her postscript with her hand on the knob。 〃Oh； the one that
caught me looking in the window； mamma； the youngest one〃
〃Did he speak of it？〃 Mrs。 Vertrees asked； apprehensively。
〃No。 He didn't speak at all； that I saw； to any one。 I didn't meet him。 But
he isn't insane； I'm sure； or if he is； he has long intervals when he's not。
Mr。 James Sheridan mentioned that he lived at home when he was 'well enough'；
and it may be he's only an invalid。 He looks dreadfully ill； but he has
pleasant eyes； and it struck me that ifif one were in the Sheridan
family〃she laughed a little ruefully〃he might be interesting to talk to
sometimes； when there was too much stocks and bonds。 I didn't see him after
dinner。〃
〃There must be something wrong with him；〃 said Mrs。 Vertrees。 〃They'd have
introduced him if there wasn't。〃
〃I don't know。 He's been ill so much and away so muchsometimes people like
that just don't seem to 'count' in a family。 His father spoke of sending him
back to a machine…shop or some sort； I suppose he meant when the poor thing
gets better。 I glanced at him just then； when Mr。 Sheridan