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with his confidences。 As you haven't given me YOURS I suppose you
have none； and that I am telling you news when I say that Sir James
wishes to marry you。〃
The unmistakable astonishment in the girl's eye satisfied the
duchess even before her voice。
〃But he scarcely knows me or anything of me！〃 said the young girl
quickly。
〃On the contrary； my dear； he knows EVERYTHING about you。 I have
been particular in telling him all I knowand some things even YOU
don't know and couldn't tell him。 For instance； that you are a
very nice person。 Come； my dear； don't look so stupefied； or I
shall really think there's something in it that I don't know。 It's
not a laughing nor a crying matter yetat present it's only
luncheon again with a civil man who has three daughters and a place
in the county。 Don't make the mistake； however； of refusing him
before he offerswhatever you do afterwards。〃
〃But〃stammered Helen。
〃Butyou are going to say that you don't love him and have never
thought of him as a husband；〃 interrupted the duchess； 〃I read it
in your face；and it's a very proper thing to say。〃
〃It is so unexpected；〃 urged Helen。
〃Everything is unexpected from a man in these matters；〃 said the
duchess。 〃We women are the only ones that are prepared。〃
〃But；〃 persisted Helen； 〃if I don't want to marry at all？〃
〃I should say； then； that it is a sign that you ought； if you were
eager； my dear； I should certainly dissuade you。〃 She paused； and
then drawing Helen closer to her； said； with a certain masculine
tenderness； 〃As long as I live； dear； you know that you have a home
here。 But I am an old woman living on the smallest of settlements。
Death is as inevitable to me as marriage should be to you。〃
Nevertheless； they did not renew the conversation； and later
received the greetings of their host at Moreland Hall with a
simplicity and frankness that were； however； perfectly natural and
unaffected in both women。 Sir James；a tall； well…preserved man
of middle age； with the unmistakable bearing of long years of
recognized and unchallenged position；however； exhibited on this
occasion that slight consciousness of weakness and susceptibility
to ridicule which is apt to indicate the invasion of the tender
passion in the heart of the average Briton。 His duty as host
towards the elder woman of superior rank； however； covered his
embarrassment； and for a moment left Helen quite undisturbed to
gaze again upon the treasures of the long drawing…room of Moreland
Hall with which she was already familiar。 There were the half…
dozen old masters； whose respectability had been as recognized
through centuries as their owner's ancestors； there were the
ancestors themselves；wigged； ruffled； and white…handed； by
Vandyke； Lely； Romney； and Gainsborough； there were the uniform；
expressionless ancestresses in stiff brocade or short…waisted；
clinging draperies； but all possessing that brilliant coloring
which the gray skies outside lacked； and which seemed to have
departed from the dresses of their descendants。 The American girl
had sometimes speculated upon what might have been the appearance
of the lime…tree walk； dotted with these gayly plumaged folk； and
wondered if the tyranny of environment had at last subdued their
brilliant colors。 And a new feeling touched her。 Like most of her
countrywomen； she was strongly affected by the furniture of life；
the thought that all that she saw there MIGHT BE HERS； that she
might yet stand in succession to these strange courtiers and
stranger shepherdesses； and； like them； look down from the canvas
upon the intruding foreigner； thrilled her for a moment with a
half…proud； half…passive sense of yielding to what seemed to be her
fate。 A narrow…eyed； stiff…haired Dutch maid of honor before whom
she was standing gazed at her with staring vacancy。 Suddenly she
started。 Before the portrait upon a fanciful easel stood a small
elaborately framed sketch in oils。 It was evidently some recently
imported treasure。 She had not seen it before。 As she moved
quickly forward； she recognized at a glance that it was Ostrander's
sketch from the Paris grenier。
The wall； the room； the park beyond； even the gray sky； seemed to
fade away before her。 She was standing once more at her attic
window looking across the roofs and chimney stacks upward to the
blue sky of Paris。 Through a gap in the roofs she could see the
chestnut…trees trilling in the little square； she could hear the
swallows twittering in the leaden troughs of the gutter before her；
the call of the chocolate vender or the cry of a gamin floated up
to her from the street below； or the latest song of the cafe
chantant was whistled by the blue…bloused workman on the
scaffolding hard by。 The breath of Paris； of youth； of blended
work and play； of ambition； of joyous freedom； again filled her and
mingled with the scent of the mignonette that used to stand on the
old window…ledge。
〃I am glad you like it。 I have only just put it up。〃
It was the voice of Sir Jamesa voice that had regained a little
of its naturalnessa calm； even lazy English voiceconfident from
the experience of years of respectful listeners。 Yet it somehow
jarred upon her nerves with its complacency and its utter
incongruousness to her feelings。 Nevertheless； the impulse to know
more about the sketch was the stronger。
〃Do you mean you have just bought it？〃 asked Helen。 〃It's not
English？〃
〃No；〃 said Sir James； gratified with his companion's interest。 〃I
bought it in Paris just after the Commune。〃
〃From the artist？〃 continued Helen； in a slightly constrained
voice。
〃No；〃 said Sir James； 〃although I knew the poor chap well enough。
You can easily see that he was once a painter of great promise。 I
rather think it was stolen from him while he was in hospital by
those incendiary wretches。 I recognized it； however； and bought
for a few francs from them what I would have paid HIM a thousand
for。〃
〃In hospital？〃 repeated Helen dazedly。
〃Yes；〃 said Sir James。 〃The fact is it was the ending of the usual
Bohemian artist's life。 Though in this case the man was a real
artist；and I believe； by the way； was a countryman of yours。〃
〃In hospital？〃 again repeated Helen。 〃Then he was poor？〃
〃Reckless； I should rather say； he threw himself into the fighting
before Paris and was badly wounded。 But it was all the result of
the usual love affairthe girl； they say； ran off with the usual
richer man。 At all events； it ruined him for painting； he never
did anything worth having afterwards。〃
〃And now？〃 said Helen in the same unmoved voice。
Sir James shrugged his shoulders。 〃He disappeared。 Probably he'll
turn up some day on the London pavementwith chalks。 That sketch；
by the way； was one that had always attracted me to his studio
though he never would part with it。 I rather fancy； don't you
know； that the gir