s　perfectly　free　to　try　and　please　her。　　Only　I　should　drop　my　proposal；　and　be　free　to　take　it　up　again　or　leave　it　alone；　later；　as　I　should　choose。　If　she　felt　differently　then；　I　should　have　the　benefit　of　it；　and　if　I　myself　felt　differently；　I　should　also　have　the　benefit　of　it。〃
  〃That　's　a　very　comfortable　arrangement。　　And　that　's　your　present　situation？〃　asked　Bernard。
  Gordon　hesitated　a　moment。
  〃More　or　less；　but　not　exactly。〃
  〃Miss　Vivian　feels　differently？〃　said　Bernard。
  〃Not　that　I　know　of。〃
  Gordon's　companion；　with　a　laugh；　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder　again。
  〃Admirable　youth；　you　are　a　capital　match！〃
  〃Are　you　alluding　to　my　money？〃
  〃To　your　money　and　to　your　modesty。　　There　is　as　much　of　one　as　of　the　other　which　is　saying　a　great　deal。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　Gordon；　〃in　spite　of　that　enviable　combination；　I　am　not　happy。〃
  〃I　thought　you　seemed　pensive！〃　　Bernard　exclaimed。　〃It　's　you；　then；　who　feel　differently。〃
  Gordon　gave　a　sigh。
  〃To　say　that　is　to　say　too　much。〃
  〃What　shall　we　say；　then？〃　his　companion　asked；　kindly。
  Gordon　stopped　again；　he　stood　there　looking　up　at　a　certain　particularly　lustrous　star　which　twinkledthe　night　was　cloudy　in　an　open　patch　of　sky；　and　the　vague　brightness　shone　down　on　his　honest　and　serious　visage。
  〃I　don't　understand　her；〃　he　said。
  〃Oh；　I　'll　say　that　with　you　any　day！〃　cried　Bernard。　〃I　can't　help　you　there。〃
  〃You　must　help　me；〃　and　Gordon　Wright　deserted　his　star。　〃You　must　keep　me　in　good　humor。〃
  〃Please　to　walk　on；　then。　　I　don't　in　the　least　pity　you；　she　is　very　charming　with　you。〃
  〃True　enough；　but　insisting　on　that　is　not　the　way　to　keep　me　in　good　humor　when　I　feel　as　I　do。〃
  〃How　is　it　you　feel？〃
  〃Puzzled　to　deathbewildereddepressed！〃
  This　was　but　the　beginning　of　Gordon　Wright's　list；　he　went　on　to　say　that　though　he　〃thought　as　highly〃　of　Miss　Vivian　as　he　had　ever　done；　he　felt　less　at　his　ease　with　her　than　in　the　first　weeks　of　their　acquaintance；　and　this　condition　made　him　uncomfortable　and　unhappy。
  〃I　don't　know　what　's　the　matter；〃　said　poor　Gordon。　〃I　don't　know　what　has　come　between　us。　　It　is　n't　her　fault　I　don't　make　her　responsible　for　it。　　I　began　to　notice　it　about　a　fortnight　agobefore　you　came；　shortly　after　that　talk　I　had　with　her　that　I　have　just　described　to　you。　Her　manner　has　n't　changed　and　I　have　no　reason　to　suppose　that　she　likes　me　any　the　less；　but　she　makes　a　strange　impression　on　meshe　makes　me　uneasy。　　It　's　only　her　nature　coming　out；　I　supposewhat　you　might　call　her　originality。　She　's　thoroughly　originalshe　's　a　kind　of　mysterious　creature。　I　suppose　that　what　I　feel　is　a　sort　of　fascination；　but　that　is　just　what　I　don't　like。　　Hang　it；　I　don't　want　to　be　fascinated　I　object　to　being　fascinated！〃
  This　little　story　had　taken　some　time　in　the　telling；　so　that　the　two　young　men　had　now　reached　their　hotel。
  〃Ah；　my　dear　Gordon；〃　said　Bernard；　〃we　speak　a　different　language。　If　you　don't　want　to　be　fascinated；　what　is　one　to　say　to　you？　'Object　to　being　fascinated！'　　There　's　a　man　easy　to　satisfy！　Raffine；　va！〃
  〃Well；　see　here　now；〃　said　Gordon；　stopping　in　the　door…way　of　the　inn；　〃when　it　comes　to　the　point；　do　you　like　it　yourself？〃
  〃When　it　comes　to　the　point？〃　　Bernard　exclaimed。　　〃I　assure　you　I　don't　wait　till　then。　　I　like　the　beginningI　delight　in　the　approach　of　it　I　revel　in　the　prospect。〃
  〃That's　just　what　I　did。　　But　now　that　the　thing　has　comeI　don't　revel。　To　be　fascinated　is　to　be　mystified。　　Damn　it；　I　like　my　liberty　I　like　my　judgment！〃
  〃So　do　Ilike　yours；〃　said　Bernard；　laughing；　as　they　took　their　bedroom　candles。
  CHAPTER　IX
  Bernard　talked　of　this　matter　rather　theoretically；　inasmuch　as　to　his　own　sense；　he　was　in　a　state　neither　of　incipient　nor　of　absorbed　fascination。　　He　got　on　very　easily；　however；　with　Angela　Vivian；　and　felt　none　of　the　mysterious　discomfort　alluded　to　by　his　friend。　The　element　of　mystery　attached　itself　rather　to　the　young　lady's　mother；　who　gave　him　the　impression　that　for　undiscoverable　reasons　she　avoided　his　society。　　He　regretted　her　evasive　deportment；　for　he　found　something　agreeable　in　this　shy　and　scrupulous　little　woman；　who　struck　him　as　a　curious　specimen　of　a　society　of　which　he　had　once　been　very　fond。　He　learned　that　she　was　of　old　New　England　stock；　but　he　had　not　needed　this　information　to　perceive　that　Mrs。　Vivian　was　animated　by　the　genius　of　Boston。　　〃She　has　the　Boston　temperament；〃　he　said；　using　a　phrase　with　which　he　had　become　familiar　and　which　evoked　a　train　of　associations。　But　then　he　immediately　added　that　if　Mrs。　Vivian　was　a　daughter　of　the　Puritans；　the　Puritan　strain　in　her　disposition　had　been　mingled　with　another　element。　　〃It　is　the　Boston　temperament　sophisticated；〃　he　said；　〃perverted　a　littleperhaps　even　corrupted。　　It　is　the　local　east…wind　with　an　infusion　from　climates　less　tonic。〃　　It　seemed　to　him　that　Mrs。　Vivian　was　a　Puritan　grown　worldlya　Bostonian　relaxed；　and　this　impression；　oddly　enough；　contributed　to　his　wish　to　know　more　of　her。　　He　felt　like　going　up　to　her　very　politely　and　saying；　〃Dear　lady　and　most　honored　compatriot；　what　in　the　world　have　I　done　to　displease　you？　You　don't　approve　of　me；　and　I　am　dying　to　know　the　reason　why。　I　should　be　so　happy　to　exert　myself　to　be　agreeable　to　you。　It　's　no　use；　you　give　me　the　cold　shoulder。　　When　I　speak　to　you；　you　look　the　other　way；　it　is　only　when　I　speak　to　your　daughter　that　you　look　at　me。　　It　is　true　that　at　those　times　you　look　at　me　very　hard；　and　if　I　am　not　greatly　mistaken；　you　are　not　gratified　by　what　you　see。　You　count　the　words　I　address　to　your　beautiful　Angelayou　time　our　harmless　little　interviews。　　You　interrupt　them　indeed　whenever　you　can；　you　call　her　awayyou　appeal　to　her；　you　cut　across　the　conversation。　You　are　always　laying　plots　to　keep　us　apart。　　Why　can't　you　leave　me　alone？　I　assure　you　I　am　the　most　innocent　of　men。　　Your　beautiful　Angela　can't　possibly　be　injured　by　my　conversation；　and　I　have　no　designs　whatever　upon　her　peace　of　mind。　　What　on　earth　have　I　done　to　offend　you？〃
  These　observations　Bernard　Longueville　was　disposed　to　make；　and　one　afternoon；　the　opportunity　offering；　they　rose　to　his　lips　and　came　very　near　passing　them。　　In　fact；　however；　at　the　last　moment；　his　eloquence　took　another　turn。　It　was　the　custom　of　the　orchestra　at　the　Kursaal　to　play　in　the　afternoon；　and　as　the　music　was　often　good；　a　great　many　people　assembled　under　the　trees；　at　three　o'clock；　to　listen　to　it。　This　was　not；　as　a　regular　thing；　an　hour　of　re…union　for　the　little　group　in　which　we　are　especially　interested；　Miss　Vivian；　in　particular；　unless　an　excursion　of　some　sort　had　been　agreed　upon　the　day　before；　was　usually　not　to　be　seen　in　the　precincts　of　the　Conversation…house　until　the　evening。　Bernard；　one　afternoon；　at　three　o'clock；　directed　his　steps　to　this　small　world…centre　of　Baden；　and；　passing　along　the　terrace；　soon　encountered　little　Blanche　Evers　strolling　there　under　a　pink　parasol　and　accompanied　by　Captain　Lovelock。　　This　young　lady　was　always　extremely　sociable；　it　was　quite　in　accordance　with　her　habitual　geniality　that　she　should　stop　and　say　how　d'　ye　do　to　our　hero。
  〃Mr。　Longueville　is　growing　very　frivolous；〃　she　said；　〃coming　to　the　Kursaal　at　all　sorts　of　hours。〃
  〃There　is　nothing　frivolous　in　coming　here　with　the　hope　of　finding　you；〃　the　young　man　answered。　　〃That　is　very　serious。〃
  〃It　would　be　more　serious　to　lose　Miss　Evers　than　to　find　her；〃　remarked　Captain　Lovelock；　with　gallant　jocosity。
  〃I　wish　you　would　lose　me！〃　cried　the　young　girl。　　〃I　think　I　should　like　to　be　lost。　　I　might　have　all　kinds　of　adventures。〃
  〃I　'guess'　so！〃　said　Captain　Lovelock；　hilariously。
  〃Oh；　I　should　find　my　way。　　I　can　take　care　of　myself！〃　Blanche　went　on。
  〃Mrs。　Vivian　does　n't　think　so；〃　said　Bernard；　who　had　just　perceived　this　lady；　seated　under　a　tree　with　a　book；　over　the　top　of　which　she　was　observing　her　pretty　protege。　Blanche　looked　toward　her　and　gave　her　a　little　nod　and　a　smile。　Then　chattering　on　to　the　young　men
  〃She　's　awfully　careful。　　I　never　saw　any　one　so　careful。　But　I　suppose　she　is　right。　　She　promised　my　mother　she　would　be　tremendously　particular；　but　I　don't　know　what　she　thinks　I　would　do。〃
  〃That　is　n't　flattering　to　me；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock。　〃Mrs。　Vivian　does　n't　approve　of　meshe　wishes　me　in　Jamaica。　What　does　she　think　me　capable　of？〃
  〃And　me；　now？〃　　Bernard　asked。　　〃She　likes　me　least　of　all；　and　I；　on　my　side；　think　she　's　so　nice。〃
  〃Can't　say　I　'm　very　sweet　on　her；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃She　strikes　me　as　feline。〃
  Blanche　Evers　gave　a　little　cry　of　horror。
  〃Stop；　sir；　this　instant！　　I　won't　have　you　talk　that　way　about　a　lady　who　has　been　so　kind　to　me。〃
  〃She　is　n't　so　kind　to　you。　　She　would　like　to　lock　you　up　where　I　can　never　see　you。〃
  〃I　'm　sure　I　should　n't　mind　that！〃　cried　the　young　girl；　with　a　little　laugh　and　a　toss　of　her　head。　　〃Mrs。　Vivian　has　the　most　perfect　character　that　's　why　my　mother　wanted　me　to　come　with　her。　　And　if　she　promised　my　mother　she　would　be　careful；　is　n't　she　right　to　keep　her　promise？　She　's　a　great　deal　more　careful　than　mamma　ever　was；　and　tha