arch。　　His　ideas　had　taken　a　practical　shape；　and　he　had　distributed　money　very　freely　among　the　investigating　classes；　after　which　he　had　gone　to　spend　a　couple　of　years　in　Germany；　supposing　it　to　be　the　land　of　laboratories。　　Here　we　find　him　at　present；　cultivating　relations　with　several　learned　bodies　and　promoting　the　study　of　various　tough　branches　of　human　knowledge；　by　paying　the　expenses　of　difficult　experiments。　　The　experiments；　it　must　be　added；　were　often　of　his　own　making；　and　he　must　have　the　honor　of　whatever　brilliancy　attaches；　in　the　estimation　of　the　world；　to　such　pursuits。　　It　was　not；　indeed；　a　brilliancy　that　dazzled　Bernard　Longueville；　who；　however；　was　not　easily　dazzled　by　anything。　It　was　because　he　regarded　him　in　so　plain　and　direct　a　fashion；　that　Bernard　had　an　affection　for　his　friendan　affection　to　which　it　would　perhaps　be　difficult　to　assign　a　definite　cause。　Personal　sympathies　are　doubtless　caused　by　something；　but　the　causes　are　remote；　mysterious　to　our　daily　vision；　like　those　of　the　particular　state　of　the　weather。　　We　content　ourselves　with　remarking　that　it　is　fine　or　that　it　rains；　and　the　enjoyment　of　our　likes　and　dislikes　is　by　no　means　apt　to　borrow　its　edge　from　the　keenness　of　our　analysis。　Longueville　had　a　relish　for　fine　qualitysuperior　savour；　and　he　was　sensible　of　this　merit　in　the　simple；　candid；　manly；　affectionate　nature　of　his　comrade；　which　seemed　to　him　an　excellent　thing　of　its　kind。　　Gordon　Wright　had　a　tender　heart　and　a　strong　will　a　combination　which；　when　the　understanding　is　not　too　limited；　is　often　the　motive　of　admirable　actions。　　There　might　sometimes　be　a　question　whether　Gordon's　understanding　were　sufficiently　unlimited；　but　the　impulses　of　a　generous　temper　often　play　a　useful　part　in　filling　up　the　gaps　of　an　incomplete　imagination；　and　the　general　impression　that　Wright　produced　was　certainly　that　of　intelligent　good…nature。　The　reasons　for　appreciating　Bernard　Longueville　were　much　more　manifest。　　He　pleased　superficially；　as　well　as　fundamentally。　Nature　had　sent　him　into　the　world　with　an　armful　of　good　gifts。　He　was　very　good…lookingtall；　dark；　agile；　perfectly　finished；　so　good…looking　that　he　might　have　been　a　fool　and　yet　be　forgiven。　As　has　already　been　intimated；　however；　he　was　far　from　being　a　fool。　He　had　a　number　of　talents；　which；　during　three　or　four　years　that　followed　his　leaving　college；　had　received　the　discipline　of　the　study　of　the　law。　　He　had　not　made　much　of　the　law；　but　he　had　made　something　of　his　talents。　　He　was　almost　always　spoken　of　as　〃accomplished；〃　people　asked　why　he　did　n't　do　something。　This　question　was　never　satisfactorily　answered；　the　feeling　being　that　Longueville　did　more　than　many　people　in　causing　it　to　be　asked。　　Moreover；　there　was　one　thing　he　did　constantly　he　enjoyed　himself。　　This　is　manifestly　not　a　career；　and　it　has　been　said　at　the　outset　that　he　was　not　attached　to　any　of　the　recognized　professions。　　But　without　going　into　details；　he　was　a　charming　fellowclever；　urbane；　free…handed；　and　with　that　fortunate　quality　in　his　appearance　which　is　known　as　distinction。
  CHAPTER　III
  He　had　not　specified；　in　writing　to　Gordon　Wright；　the　day　on　which　he　should　arrive　at　Baden…Baden；　it　must　be　confessed　that　he　was　not　addicted　to　specifying　days。　He　came　to　his　journey's　end　in　the　evening；　and；　on　presenting　himself　at　the　hotel　from　which　his　friend　had　dated　his　letter；　he　learned　that　Gordon　Wright　had　betaken　himself　after　dinner；　according　to　the　custom　of　Baden…Baden；　to　the　grounds　of　the　Conversation…house。　It　was　eight　o'clock；　and　Longueville；　after　removing　the　stains　of　travel；　sat　down　to　dine。　His　first　impulse　had　been　to　send　for　Gordon　to　come　and　keep　him　company　at　his　repast；　but　on　second　thought　he　determined　to　make　it　as　brief　as　possible。　Having　brought　it　to　a　close；　he　took　his　way　to　the　Kursaal。　The　great　German　watering…place　is　one　of　the　prettiest　nooks　in　Europe；　and　of　a　summer　evening　in　the　gaming　days；　five…and…twenty　years　ago；　it　was　one　of　the　most　brilliant　scenes。　The　lighted　windows　of　the　great　temple　of　hazard　（of　as　chaste　an　architecture　as　if　it　had　been　devoted　to　a　much　purer　divinity）　opened　wide　upon　the　gardens　and　groves；　the　little　river　that　issues　from　the　bosky　mountains　of　the　Black　Forest　flowed；　with　an　air　of　brook…like　innocence；　past　the　expensive　hotels　and　lodging…houses；　the　orchestra；　in　a　high　pavilion　on　the　terrace　of　the　Kursaal；　played　a　discreet　accompaniment　to　the　conversation　of　the　ladies　and　gentlemen　who；　scattered　over　the　large　expanse　on　a　thousand　little　chairs；　preferred　for　the　time　the　beauties　of　nature　to　the　shuffle　of　coin　and　the　calculation　of　chance；　while　the　faint　summer　stars；
  twinkling　above　the　vague　black　hills　and　woods；　looked　down　at　the　indifferent　groups　without　venturing　to　drop　their　light　upon　them。
  Longueville；　noting　all　this；　went　straight　into　the　gaming…rooms；　he　was　curious　to　see　whether　his　friend；　being　fond　of　experiments；　was　trying　combinations　at　roulette。　But　he　was　not　to　be　found　in　any　of　the　gilded　chambers；　among　the　crowd　that　pressed　in　silence　about　the　tables；　so　that　Bernard　presently　came　and　began　to　wander　about　the　lamp…lit　terrace；　where　innumerable　groups；　seated　and　strolling；　made　the　place　a　gigantic　conversazione。　It　seemed　to　him　very　agreeable　and　amusing；　and　he　remarked　to　himself　that；　for　a　man　who　was　supposed　not　to　take　especially　the　Epicurean　view　of　life；　Gordon　Wright；　in　coming　to　Baden；　had　certainly　made　himself　comfortable。　　Longueville　went　his　way；　glancing　from　one　cluster　of　talkers　to　another；　and　at　last　he　saw　a　face　which　brought　him　to　a　stop。　He　stood　a　moment　looking　at　it；　he　knew　he　had　seen　it　before。　He　had　an　excellent　memory　for　faces；　but　it　was　some　time　before　he　was　able　to　attach　an　identity　to　this　one。　Where　had　he　seen　a　little　elderly　lady　with　an　expression　of　timorous　vigilance；　and　a　band　of　hair　as　softly　white　as　a　dove's　wing？　　The　answer　to　the　question　presently　came　Where　but　in　a　grass…grown　corner　of　an　old　Italian　town？　The　lady　was　the　mother　of　his　inconsequent　model；　so　that　this　mysterious　personage　was　probably　herself　not　far　off。　Before　Longueville　had　time　to　verify　this　induction；　he　found　his　eyes　resting　upon　the　broad　back　of　a　gentleman　seated　close　to　the　old　lady；　and　who；　turning　away　from　her；　was　talking　to　a　young　girl。　　It　was　nothing　but　the　back　of　this　gentleman　that　he　saw；　but　nevertheless；　with　the　instinct　of　true　friendship；　he　recognized　in　this　featureless　expanse　the　robust　personality　of　Gordon　Wright。　In　a　moment　he　had　stepped　forward　and　laid　his　hand　upon　Wright's　shoulder。
  His　friend　looked　round；　and　then　sprang　up　with　a　joyous　exclamation　and　grasp　of　the　hand。
  〃My　dear　fellowmy　dear　Bernard！　　What　on　earthwhen　did　you　arrive？〃
  While　Bernard　answered　and　explained　a　little；　he　glanced　from　his　friend's　good；　gratified　face　at　the　young　girl　with　whom　Wright　had　been　talking；　and　then　at　the　lady　on　the　other　side；　who　was　giving　him　a　bright　little　stare。　　He　raised　his　hat　to　her　and　to　the　young　girl；　and　he　became　conscious；　as　regards　the　latter；　of　a　certain　disappointment。　　She　was　very　pretty；　she　was　looking　at　him；　but　she　was　not　the　heroine　of　the　little　incident　of　the　terrace　at　Siena。
  〃It　's　just　like　Longueville；　you　know；〃　Gordon　Wright　went　on；　〃he　always　comes　at　you　from　behind；　he　's　so　awfully　fond　of　surprises。〃　He　was　laughing；　he　was　greatly　pleased；　he　introduced　Bernard　to　the　two　ladies。　　〃You　must　know　Mrs。　Vivian；　you　must　know　Miss　Blanche　Evers。〃
  Bernard　took　his　place　in　the　little　circle；　he　wondered　whether　he　ought　to　venture　upon　a　special　recognition　of　Mrs。　Vivian。　Then　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　should　leave　the　option　of　this　step　with　the　lady；　especially　as　he　had　detected　recognition　in　her　eye。　But　Mrs。　Vivian　ventured　upon　nothing　special；　she　contented　herself　with　soft　generalitieswith　remarking　that　she　always　liked　to　know　when　people　would　arrive；　that；　for　herself；　she　never　enjoyed　surprises。
  〃And　yet　I　imagine　you　have　had　your　share；〃　said　Longueville；　with　a　smile。　He　thought　this　might　remind　her　of　the　moment　when　she　came　out　of　the　little　church　at　Siena　and　found　her　daughter　posturing　to　an　unknown　painter。
  But　Mrs。　Vivian；　turning　her　benignant　head　about；　gave　but　a　superficial　reply。
  〃Oh；　I　have　had　my　share　of　everything；　good　and　bad。　I　don't　complain　of　anything。〃　　And　she　gave　a　little　deprecating　laugh。
  Gordon　Wright　shook　hands　with　Bernard　again；　he　seemed　really　very　glad　to　see　him。　　Longueville；　remembering　that
  Gordon　had　written　to　him　that　he　had　been　〃making　love；〃　began　to　seek　in　his　countenance　for　the　ravages　of　passion。　For　the　moment；　however；　they　were　not　apparent；　the　excellent；　honest　fellow　looked　placid　and　contented。　　Gordon　Wright　had　a　clear　gray　eye；　short；　straight；　flaxen　hair；　and　a　healthy　diffusion　of　color。　　His　features　were　thick　and　rather　irregular；　but　his　countenancein　addition　to　the　merit　of　its　expression　derived　a　certain　grace　from　a　powerful　yellow　moustache；　to　which　its　wearer　occasionally　gave　a　martial　twist。　Gordo