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telegram。〃
〃Oh your telegram！〃I ventured a little to jeer。
〃That charming girl's your telegram。〃
He gave me a look； but in the dusk I couldn't make out very well what
it conveyed。 Then he bent over his mother； kissing her。 〃My news
isn't particularly satisfactory。 I'm going for YOU。〃
〃Oh you humbug！〃 she replied。 But she was of course delighted。
CHAPTER II
People usually spend the first hours of a voyage in squeezing
themselves into their cabins； taking their little precautions； either
so excessive or so inadequate； wondering how they can pass so many
days in such a hole and asking idiotic questions of the stewards； who
appear in comparison rare men of the world。 My own initiations were
rapid； as became an old sailor； and so； it seemed； were Miss Mavis's；
for when I mounted to the deck at the end of half an hour I found her
there alone； in the stern of the ship； her eyes on the dwindling
continent。 It dwindled very fast for so big a place。 I accosted
her； having had no conversation with her amid the crowd of leave…
takers and the muddle of farewells before we put off； we talked a
little about the boat； our fellow…passengers and our prospects； and
then I said： 〃I think you mentioned last night a name I knowthat
of Mr。 Porterfield。〃
〃Oh no I didn't！〃 she answered very straight while she smiled at me
through her closely…drawn veil。
〃Then it was your mother。〃
〃Very likely it was my mother。〃 And she continued to smile as if I
ought to have known the difference。
〃I venture to allude to him because I've an idea I used to know him；〃
I went on。
〃Oh I see。〃 And beyond this remark she appeared to take no interest；
she left it to me to make any connexion。
〃That is if it's the same one。〃 It struck me as feeble to say
nothing more； so I added 〃My Mr。 Porterfield was called David。〃
〃Well； so is ours。〃 〃Ours〃 affected me as clever。
〃I suppose I shall see him again if he's to meet you at Liverpool；〃 I
continued。
〃Well； it will be bad if he doesn't。〃
It was too soon for me to have the idea that it would be bad if he
did： that only came later。 So I remarked that； not having seen him
for so many years； it was very possible I shouldn't know him。
〃Well； I've not seen him for a considerable time； but I expect I
shall know him all the same。〃
〃Oh with you it's different；〃 I returned with harmlessly bright
significance。 〃Hasn't he been back since those days？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she sturdily professed； 〃what days you mean。〃
〃When I knew him in Parisages ago。 He was a pupil of the Ecole des
Beaux Arts。 He was studying architecture。〃
〃Well； he's studying it still；〃 said Grace Mavis。
〃Hasn't he learned it yet？〃
〃I don't know what he has learned。 I shall see。〃 Then she added for
the benefit of my perhaps undue levity： 〃Architecture's very
difficult and he's tremendously thorough。〃
〃Oh yes； I remember that。 He was an admirable worker。 But he must
have become quite a foreigner if it's so many years since he has been
at home。〃
She seemed to regard this proposition at first as complicated； but
she did what she could for me。 〃Oh he's not changeable。 If he were
changeable〃
Then； however； she paused。 I daresay she had been going to observe
that if he were changeable he would long ago have given her up。
After an instant she went on： 〃He wouldn't have stuck so to his
profession。 You can't make much by it。〃
I sought to attenuate her rather odd maidenly grimness。 〃It depends
on what you call much。〃
〃It doesn't make you rich。〃
〃Oh of course you've got to practise itand to practise it long。〃
〃Yesso Mr。 Porterfield says。〃
Something in the way she uttered these words made me laughthey were
so calm an implication that the gentleman in question didn't live up
to his principles。 But I checked myself； asking her if she expected
to remain in Europe longto what one might call settle。
〃Well； it will be a good while if it takes me as long to come back as
it has taken me to go out。〃
〃And I think your mother said last night that it was your first
visit。〃
Miss Mavis； in her deliberate way； met my eyes。 〃Didn't mother
talk！〃
〃It was all very interesting。〃
She continued to look at me。 〃You don't think that；〃 she then simply
stated。
〃What have I to gain then by saying it？〃
〃Oh men have always something to gain。〃
〃You make me in that case feel a terrible failure！ I hope at any
rate that it gives you pleasure；〃 I went on； 〃the idea of seeing
foreign lands。〃
〃MercyI should think so！〃
This was almost genial； and it cheered me proportionately。 〃It's a
pity our ship's not one of the fast ones； if you're impatient。〃
She was silent a little after which she brought out： 〃Oh I guess
it'll be fast enough！〃
That evening I went in to see Mrs。 Nettlepoint and sat on her sea…
trunk； which was pulled out from under the berth to accommodate me。
It was nine o'clock but not quite dark； as our northward course had
already taken us into the latitude of the longer days。 She had made
her nest admirably and now rested from her labours； she lay upon her
sofa in a dressing…gown and a cap that became her。 It was her
regular practice to spend the voyage in her cabin； which smelt
positively goodsuch was the refinement of her art； and she had a
secret peculiar to herself for keeping her port open without shipping
seas。 She hated what she called the mess of the ship and the idea；
if she should go above； of meeting stewards with plates of
supererogatory food。 She professed to be content with her situation…
…we promised to lend each other books and I assured her familiarly
that I should be in and out of her room a dozen times a daypitying
me for having to mingle in society。 She judged this a limited
privilege； for on the deck before we left the wharf she had taken a
view of our fellow…passengers。
〃Oh I'm an inveterate； almost a professional observer；〃 I replied；
〃and with that vice I'm as well occupied as an old woman in the sun
with her knitting。 It makes me； in any situation； just inordinately
and submissively SEE things。 I shall see them even here and shall
come down very often and tell you about them。 You're not interested
today； but you will be tomorrow； for a ship's a great school of
gossip。 You won't believe the number of researches and problems
you'll be engaged in by the middle of the voyage。〃
〃I？ Never in the world！lying here with my nose in a book and not
caring a straw。〃
〃You'll participate at second hand。 You'll see through my eyes； hang
upon my lips； take sides； feel passions； all sorts of sympathies and
indignations。 I've an idea；〃 I further developed； 〃that your young
lady's the person on board who will interest me most。〃
〃'Mine' indeed！ She hasn't been near me since we left the dock。〃
〃There you a