e　thought　it　soso　delightful。〃
  Gordon　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　ground　for　a　moment。
  〃I　owe　it　partly　to　you；〃　he　answered。　　〃You　had　done　so　much　for　Blanche。　You　had　so　cultivated　her　mind　and　polished　her　manners　that　her　attractions　were　doubled；　and　I　fell　an　easy　victim　to　them。〃
  He　uttered　these　words　with　an　exaggerated　solemnity；　the　result　of　which　was　to　produce；　for　a　moment；　an　almost　embarrassing　silence。　Bernard　was　rapidly　becoming　more　and　more　impatient　of　his　own　embarrassment；　and　now　he　exclaimed；　in　a　loud　and　jovial　voice
  〃Blanche　makes　victims　by　the　dozen！　　I　was　a　victim　last　winter；　we　are　all　victims！〃
  〃Dear　little　Blanche！〃　　Mrs。　Vivian　murmured　again。
  Angela　had　said　nothing；　she　had　simply　stood　there；　making　no　attempt　to　address　herself　to　Gordon；　and　yet　with　no　affectation　of　reserve　or　of　indifference。　　Now　she　seemed　to　feel　the　impulse　to　speak　to　him。
  〃When　Blanche　comes　to　see　us；　you　must　be　sure　to　come　with　her；〃　she　said；　with　a　friendly　smile。
  Gordon　looked　at　her；　but　he　said　nothing。
  〃We　were　so　sorry　to　hear　she　is　out　of　health；〃　Angela　went　on。
  Still　Gordon　was　silent；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　her　expressive　and　charming　face。
  〃It　is　not　serious；〃　he　murmured　at　last。
  〃She　used　to　be　so　wellso　bright；〃　said　Angela；　who　also　appeared　to　have　the　desire　to　say　something　kind　and　comfortable。
  Gordon　made　no　response　to　this；　he　only　looked　at　her。
  〃I　hope　you　are　well；　Miss　Vivian；〃　he　broke　out　at　last。
  〃Very　well；　thank　you。〃
  〃Do　you　live　in　Paris？〃
  〃We　have　pitched　our　tent　here　for　the　present。〃
  〃Do　you　like　it？〃
  〃I　find　it　no　worse　than　other　places。〃
  Gordon　appeared　to　desire　to　talk　with　her；　but　he　could　think　of　nothing　to　say。　　Talking　with　her　was　a　pretext　for　looking　at　her；　and　Bernard；　who　thought　she　had　never　been　so　handsome　as　at　that　particular　moment；　smiling　at　her　troubled　ex…lover；　could　easily　conceive　that　his　friend　should　desire　to　prolong　this　privilege。
  〃Have　you　been　sitting　here　long？〃　　Gordon　asked；　thinking　of　something　at　last。
  〃Half　an　hour。　　We　came　out　to　walk；　and　my　mother　felt　tired。　It　is　time　we　should　turn　homeward；〃　Angela　added。
  〃Yes；　I　am　tired；　my　daughter。　　We　must　take　a　voiture；　if　Mr。　Longueville　will　be　so　good　as　to　find　us　one；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。
  Bernard；　professing　great　alacrity；　looked　about　him；　but　he　still　lingered　near　his　companions。　　Gordon　had　thought　of　something　else。　〃Have　you　been　to　Baden　again？〃　　Bernard　heard　him　ask。　　But　at　this　moment　Bernard　espied　at　a　distance　an　empty　hackney…carriage　crawling　up　the　avenue；　and　he　was　obliged　to　go　and　signal　to　it。　When　he　came　back；　followed　by　the　vehicle；　the　two　ladies；　accompanied　by　Gordon；　had　come　to　the　edge　of　the　pavement。　They　shook　hands　with　Gordon　before　getting　into　the　cab；　and　Mrs。　Vivian　exclaimed
  〃Be　sure　you　give　our　love　to　your　dear　wife！〃
  Then　the　two　ladies　settled　themselves　and　smiled　their　adieux；　and　the　little　victoria　rumbled　away　at　an　easy　pace；　while　Bernard　stood　with　Gordon；　looking　after　it。　　They　watched　it　a　moment；　and　then　Gordon　turned　to　his　companion。　　He　looked　at　Bernard　for　some　moments　intently；　with　a　singular　expression。
  〃It　is　strange　for　me　to　see　her！〃　he　said；　presently。
  〃I　hope　it　is　not　altogether　disagreeable；〃　Bernard　answered　smiling。
  〃She　is　delightfully　handsome；〃　Gordon　went　on。
  〃She　is　a　beautiful　woman。〃
  〃And　the　strange　thing　is　that　she　strikes　me　now　so　differently；〃　Gordon　continued。　　〃I　used　to　think　her　so　mysteriousso　ambiguous。　She　seems　to　be　now　so　simple。〃
  〃Ah；〃　said　Bernard；　laughing；　〃that's　an　improvement！〃
  〃So　simple　and　so　good！〃　　Gordon　exclaimed。
  Bernard　laid　his　hand　on　his　companion's　shoulder；　shaking　his　head　slowly。
  〃You　must　not　think　too　much　about　that；〃　he　said。
  〃So　simpleso　goodso　charming！〃　　Gordon　repeated。
  〃Ah；　my　dear　Gordon！〃　　Bernard　murmured。
  But　still　Gordon　continued。
  〃So　intelligent；　so　reasonable；　so　sensible。〃
  〃Have　you　discovered　all　that　in　two　minutes'　talk？〃
  〃Yes；　in　two　minutes'　talk。　　I　should　n't　hesitate　about　her　now！〃
  〃It　's　better　you　should　n't　say　that；〃　said　Bernard。
  〃Why　should　n't　I　say　it？　　It　seems　to　me　it　's　my　duty　to　say　it。〃
  〃Noyour　duty　lies　elsewhere；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃There　are　two　reasons。　One　is　that　you　have　married　another　woman。〃
  〃What　difference　does　that　make？〃　cried　Gordon。
  Bernard　made　no　attempt　to　answer　this　inquiry；　he　simply　went　on
  〃The　other　isthe　other　is〃
  But　here　he　paused。
  〃What　is　the　other？〃　　Gordon　asked。
  〃That　I　am　engaged　to　marry　Miss　Vivian。〃
  And　with　this　Bernard　took　his　hand　off　Gordon's　shoulder。
  Gordon　stood　staring。
  〃To　marry　Miss　Vivian？〃
  Now　that　Bernard　had　heard　himself　say　it；　audibly；　distinctly；　loudly；　the　spell　of　his　apprehension　seemed　broken；　and　he　went　on　bravely。
  〃We　are　to　be　married　very　shortly。　　It　has　all　come　about　within　a　few　weeks。　　It　will　seem　to　you　very　strangeperhaps　you　won't　like　it。　That　's　why　I　have　hesitated　to　tell　you。〃
  Gordon　turned　pale；　it　was　the　first　time　Bernard　had　ever　seen　him　do　so；　evidently　he　did　not　like　it。　　He　stood　staring　and　frowning。
  〃Why；　I　thoughtI　thought；〃　he　began　at　last〃I　thought　that　you　disliked　her！〃
  〃I　supposed　so；　too；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃But　I　have　got　over　that。〃
  Gordon　turned　away；　looking　up　the　great　avenue　into　the　crowd。　Then　turning　back；　he　said
  〃I　am　very　much　surprised。〃
  〃And　you　are　not　pleased！〃
  Gordon　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　ground　a　moment。
  〃I　congratulate　you　on　your　engagement；〃　he　said　at　last；　looking　up　with　a　face　that　seemed　to　Bernard　hard　and　unnatural。
  〃It　is　very　good　of　you　to　say　that；　but　of　course　you　can't　like　it！　I　was　sure　you　would　n't　like　it。　　But　what　could　I　do？　　I　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　I　could　n't　run　away　simply　to　spare　you　a　surprise。　My　dear　Gordon；〃　Bernard　added；　〃you　will　get　used　to　it。〃
  〃Very　likely；〃　said　Gordon；　dryly。　　〃But　you　must　give　me　time。〃
  〃As　long　as　you　like！〃
  Gordon　stood　for　a　moment　again　staring　down　at　the　ground。
  〃Very　well；　then；　I　will　take　my　time；〃　he　said。　　〃Good…bye！〃
  And　he　turned　away；　as　if　to　walk　off　alone。
  〃Where　are　you　going？〃　asked　Bernard；　stopping　him。
  〃I　don't　knowto　the　hotel；　anywhere。　　To　try　to　get　used　to　what　you　have　told　me。〃
  〃Don't　try　too　hard；　it　will　come　of　itself；〃　said　Bernard。
  〃We　shall　see！〃
  And　Gordon　turned　away　again。
  〃Do　you　prefer　to　go　alone？〃
  〃Very　muchif　you　will　excuse　me！〃
  〃I　have　asked　you　to　excuse　a　greater　want　of　ceremony！〃　said　Bernard；　smiling。
  〃I　have　not　done　so　yet！〃　　Gordon　rejoined；　and　marching　off；　he　mingled　with　the　crowd。
  Bernard　watched　him　till　he　lost　sight　of　him；　and　then；　dropping　into　the　first　empty　chair　that　he　saw；　he　sat　and　reflected　that　his　friend　liked　it　quite　as　little　as　he　had　feared。
  CHAPTER　XXVI
  Bernard　sat　thinking　for　a　long　time；　at　first　with　a　good　deal　of　mortificationat　last　with　a　good　deal　of　bitterness。　He　felt　angry　at　last；　but　he　was　not　angry　with　himself。　He　was　displeased　with　poor　Gordon；　and　with　Gordon's　displeasure。　He　was　uncomfortable；　and　he　was　vexed　at　his　discomfort。　It　formed；　it　seemed　to　him；　no　natural　part　of　his　situation；　he　had　had　no　glimpse　of　it　in　the　book　of　fate　where　he　registered　on　a　fair　blank　page　his　betrothal　to　a　charming　girl。　That　Gordon　should　be　surprised；　and　even　a　little　shocked　and　annoyedthis　was　his　right　and　his　privilege；　Bernard　had　been　prepared　for　that；　and　had　determined　to　make　the　best　of　it。　　But　it　must　not　go　too　far；　there　were　limits　to　the　morsel　of　humble　pie　that　he　was　disposed　to　swallow。　Something　in　Gordon's　air　and　figure；　as　he　went　off　in　a　huff；　looking　vicious　and　dangerousyes；　that　was　positively　his　lookleft　a　sinister　impression　on　Bernard's　mind；　and；　after　a　while；　made　him　glad　to　take　refuge　in　being　angry。　One　would　like　to　know　what　Gordon　expected；　par　exemple！　Did　he　expect　Bernard　to　give　up　Angela　simply　to　save　him　a　shock；　or　to　back　out　of　his　engagement　by　way　of　an　ideal　reparation？　No；　it　was　too　absurd；　and；　if　Gordon　had　a　wife　of　his　own；　why　in　the　name　of　justice　should　not　Bernard　have　one？
  Being　angry　was　a　relief；　but　it　was　not　exactly　a　solution；　and　Bernard；　at　last；　leaving　his　place；　where　for　an　hour　or　two　he　had　been　absolutely　unconscious　of　everything　that　went　on　around　him；　wandered　about　for　some　time　in　deep　restlessness　and　irritation。　　At　one　moment　he　thought　of　going　back　to　Gordon's　hotel；　to　see　him；　to　explain。　But　then　he　became　aware　that　he　was　too　angry　for　that　to　say　nothing　of　Gordon's　being　too　angry　also；　and；　moreover；　that　there　was　nothing　to　explain。　　He　was　to　marry　Angela　Vivian；　that　was　a　very　simple　factit　needed　no　explanation。　Was　it　so　wonderful；　so　inconceivable；　an　incident　so　unlikely　to　happen？　　He　went；　as　he　always　did　on　Sunday；　to　dine　with　Mrs。　Vivian；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　perceived　in　the　two　ladies　some　symptoms　of　a　discomposure　which　had　the　same　origin　as　his　own。　　Bernard；　on　this　occasion；　at　dinner；　failed　to　make　himself　particularly　agreeable；　he　ate　fast　as　if　he　had　no　idea　what