ment。　It　was　to　this　source　of　hospitality；　however；　that　Lovelock　mainly　appealed；　following　the　young　girl　out　upon　the　little　balcony　that　was　suspended　above　the　confectioner's　window。　Mrs。　Vivian　sat　writing　at　one　of　the　windows　of　the　sitting…room；　and　Bernard　addressed　his　conversation　to　Angela。
  〃Wright　requested　me　to　keep　an　eye　on　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　seem　very　much　inclined　to　keep　out　of　my　jurisdiction。〃
  〃I　supposed　you　had　gone　away；〃　she　answered〃now　that　your　friend　is　gone。〃
  〃By　no　means。　　Gordon　is　a　charming　fellow；　but　he　is　by　no　means　the　only　attraction　of　Baden。　　Besides；　I　have　promised　him　to　look　after　you　to　take　care　of　you。〃
  The　girl　looked　at　him　a　moment　in　silencea　little　askance。
  〃I　thought　you　had　probably　undertaken　something　of　that　sort；〃　she　presently　said。
  〃It　was　of　course　a　very　natural　request　for　Gordon　to　make。〃
  Angela　got　up　and　turned　away；　she　wandered　about　the　room　and　went　and　stood　at　one　of　the　windows。　　Bernard　found　the　movement　abrupt　and　not　particularly　gracious；　but　the　young　man　was　not　easy　to　snub。　He　followed　her；　and　they　stood　at　the　second　windowthe　long　window　that　opened　upon　the　balcony。　　Miss　Evers　and　Captain　Lovelock　were　leaning　on　the　railing；　looking　into　the　street　and　apparently　amusing　themselves　highly　with　what　they　saw。
  〃I　am　not　sure　it　was　a　natural　request　for　him　to　make；〃　said　Angela。
  〃What　could　have　been　more　sodevoted　as　he　is　to　you？〃
  She　hesitated　a　moment；　then　with　a　little　laugh
  〃He　ought　to　have　locked　us　up　and　said　nothing　about　it。〃
  〃It　's　not　so　easy　to　lock　you　up；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃I　know　Wright　has　great　influence　with　you；　but　you　are　after　all　independent　beings。〃
  〃I　am　not　an　independent　being。　　If　my　mother　and　Mr。　Wright　were　to　agree　together　to　put　me　out　of　harm's　way　they　could　easily　manage　it。〃
  〃You　seem　to　have　been　trying　something　of　that　sort；〃　said　Bernard。　〃You　have　been　so　terribly　invisible。〃
  〃It　was　because　I　thought　you　had　designs　upon　us；　that　you　were　watching　for　usto　take　care　of　us。〃
  〃You　contradict　yourself！　　You　said　just　now　that　you　believed　I　had　left　Baden。〃
  〃That　was　an　artificiala　conventional　speech。　　Is　n't　a　lady　always　supposed　to　say　something　of　that　sort　to　a　visitor　by　way　of　pretending　to　have　noticed　that　she　has　not　seen　him？〃
  〃You　know　I　would　never　have　left　Baden　without　coming　to　bid　you　good…bye；〃　said　Bernard。
  The　girl　made　no　rejoinder；　she　stood　looking　out　at　the　little　sunny；　slanting；　rough…paved　German　street。
  〃Are　you　taking　care　of　us　now？〃　she　asked　in　a　moment。　〃Has　the　operation　begun？　　Have　you　heard　the　news；　mamma？〃　she　went　on。　　〃Do　you　know　that　Mr。　Wright　has　made　us　over　to　Mr。　Longueville；　to　be　kept　till　called　for？　Suppose　Mr。　Wright　should　never　call　for　us！〃
  Mrs。　Vivian　left　her　writing…table　and　came　toward　Bernard；　smiling　at　him　and　pressing　her　hands　together。
  〃There　is　no　fear　of　that；　I　think；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　sure　I　am　very　glad　we　have　a　gentleman　near　us。　I　think　you　will　be　a　very　good　care…taker；　Mr。　Longueville；　and　I　recommend　my　daughter　to　put　great　faith　in　your　judgment。〃　And　Mrs。　Vivian　gave　him　an　intensea　pleading；　almost　affecting　little　smile。
  〃I　am　greatly　touched　by　your　confidence　and　I　shall　do　everything　I　can　think　of　to　merit　it；〃　said　the　young　man。
  〃Ah；　mamma's　confidence　is　wonderful！〃　　Angela　exclaimed。　〃There　was　never　anything　like　mamma's　confidence。　　I　am　very　different；　I　have　no　confidence。　　And　then　I　don't　like　being　deposited；　like　a　parcel；　or　being　watched；　like　a　curious　animal。　　I　am　too　fond　of　my　liberty。〃
  〃That　is　the　second　time　you　have　contradicted　yourself；〃　said　Bernard。　〃You　said　just　now　that　you　were　not　an　independent　being。〃
  Angela　turned　toward　him　quickly；　smiling　and　frowning　at　once。
  〃You　do　watch　one；　certainly！　　I　see　it　has　already　begun。〃　Mrs。　Vivian　laid　her　hand　upon　her　daughter's　with　a　little　murmur　of　tender　deprecation；　and　the　girl　bent　over　and　kissed　her。　〃Mamma　will　tell　you　it　's　the　effect　of　agitation；〃　she　said〃that　I　am　nervous；　and　don't　know　what　I　say。　I　am　supposed　to　be　agitated　by　Mr。　Wright's　departure；　is　n't　that　it；　mamma？〃
  Mrs。　Vivian　turned　away；　with　a　certain　soft　severity。
  〃I　don't　know；　my　daughter。　　I　don't　understand　you。〃
  A　charming　pink　flush　had　come　into　Angela's　cheek　and　a　noticeable　light　into　her　eye。　　She　looked　admirably　handsome；　and　Bernard　frankly　gazed　at　her。　She　met　his　gaze　an　instant；　and　then　she　went　on。
  〃Mr。　Longueville　does　n't　understand　me　either。　　You　must　know　that　I　am　agitated；〃　she　continued。　　〃Every　now　and　then　I　have　moments　of　talking　nonsense。　　It　's　the　air　of　Baden；　I　think；　it　's　too　exciting。　　It　's　only　lately　I　have　been　so。　　When　you　go　away　I　shall　be　horribly　ashamed。〃
  〃If　the　air　of　Baden　has　such　an　effect　upon　you；〃　said　Bernard；　〃it　is　only　a　proof　the　more　that　you　need　the　solicitous　attention　of　your　friends。〃
  〃That　may　be；　but；　as　I　told　you　just　now；　I　have　no　confidence　none　whatever；　in　any　one　or　anything。　　Therefore；　for　the　present；　I　shall　withdraw　from　the　worldI　shall　seclude　myself。　Let　us　go　on　being　quiet；　mamma。　　Three　or　four　days　of　it　have　been　so　charming。　　Let　the　parcel　lie　till　it　's　called　for。　It　is　much　safer　it　should　n't　be　touched　at　all。　　I　shall　assume　that；　metaphorically　speaking；　Mr。　Wright；　who；　as　you　have　intimated；　is　our　earthly　providence；　has　turned　the　key　upon　us。　　I　am　locked　up。　I　shall　not　go　out；　except　upon　the　balcony！〃　　And　with　this；　Angela　stepped　out　of　the　long　window　and　went　and　stood　beside　Miss　Evers。
  Bernard　was　extremely　amused；　but　he　was　also　a　good　deal　puzzled；　and　it　came　over　him　that　it　was　not　a　wonder　that　poor　Wright　should　not　have　found　this　young　lady's　disposition　a　perfectly　decipherable　page。　He　remained　in　the　room　with　Mrs。　Vivianhe　stood　there　looking　at　her　with　his　agreeably　mystified　smile。　　She　had　turned　away；　but　on　perceiving　that　her　daughter　had　gone　outside　she　came　toward　Bernard　again；　with　her　habitual　little　air　of　eagerness　mitigated　by　discretion。　There　instantly　rose　before　his　mind　the　vision　of　that　moment　when　he　had　stood　face　to　face　with　this　same　apologetic　mamma；　after　Angela　had　turned　her　back；　on　the　grass…grown　terrace　at　Siena。　To　make　the　vision　complete；　Mrs。　Vivian　took　it　into　her　head　to　utter　the　same　words。
  〃I　am　sure　you　think　she　is　a　strange　girl。〃
  Bernard　recognized　them；　and　he　gave　a　light　laugh。
  〃You　told　me　that　the　first　time　you　ever　saw　mein　that　quiet　little　corner　of　an　Italian　town。〃
  Mrs。　Vivian　gave　a　little　faded；　elderly　blush。
  〃Don't　speak　of　that；〃　she　murmured；　glancing　at　the　open　window。　〃It　was　a　little　accident　of　travel。〃
  〃I　am　dying　to　speak　of　it；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃It　was　such　a　charming　accident　for　me！　　Tell　me　this；　at　leasthave　you　kept　my　sketch？〃
  Mrs。　Vivian　colored　more　deeply　and　glanced　at　the　window　again。
  〃No；〃　she　just　whispered。
  Bernard　looked　out　of　the　window　too。　　Angela　was　leaning　against　the　railing　of　the　balcony；　in　profile；　just　as　she　had　stood　while　he　painted　her；　against　the　polished　parapet　at　Siena。　　The　young　man's　eyes　rested　on　her　a　moment；　then；　as　he　glanced　back　at　her　mother：
  〃Has　she　kept　it？〃　he　asked。
  〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian；　with　decision。
  The　decision　was　excessiveit　expressed　the　poor　lady's　distress　at　having　her　veracity　tested。　　〃Dear　little　daughter　of　the　Puritans　she　can't　tell　a　fib！〃　　Bernard　exclaimed　to　himself。　　And　with　this　flattering　conclusion　he　took　leave　of　her。
  CHAPTER　XII
  It　was　affirmed　at　an　early　stage　of　this　narrative　that　he　was　a　young　man　of　a　contemplative　and　speculative　turn；　and　he　had　perhaps　never　been　more　true　to　his　character　than　during　an　hour　or　two　that　evening　as　he　sat　by　himself　on　the　terrace　of　the　Conversation…house；　surrounded　by　the　crowd　of　its　frequenters；　but　lost　in　his　meditations。　The　place　was　full　of　movement　and　sound；　but　he　had　tilted　back　his　chair　against　the　great　green　box　of　an　orange…tree；　and　in　this　easy　attitude；　vaguely　and　agreeably　conscious　of　the　music；　he　directed　his　gaze　to　the　star…sprinkled　vault　of　the　night。　There　were　people　coming　and　going　whom　he　knew；　but　he　said　nothing　to　any　onehe　preferred　to　be　alone；　he　found　his　own　company　quite　absorbing。　　He　felt　very　happy；　very　much　amused；　very　curiously　preoccupied。　　The　feeling　was　a　singular　one。　It　partook　of　the　nature　of　intellectual　excitement。　He　had　a　sense　of　having　received　carte　blanche　for　the　expenditure　of　his　wits。　　Bernard　liked　to　feel　his　intelligence　at　play；　this　is；　perhaps；　the　highest　luxury　of　a　clever　man。　It　played　at　present　over　the　whole　field　of　Angela　Vivian's　oddities　of　conductfor；　since　his　visit　in　the　afternoon；　Bernard　had　felt　that　the　spectacle　was　considerably　enlarged。　He　had　come　to　feel；　also；　that　poor　Gordon's　predicament　was　by　no　means　an　unnatural　one。　　Longueville　had　begun　to　take　his　friend's　dilemma　very　seriously　indeed。　　The　girl　was　certainly　a　curious　study。
  The　evening　drew　to　a　close　and　the　crowd　of　Bernard's　fellow…loungers　dispersed。　　The　lighted　windows　of　the　Kursaal　still　glitt