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Nettlepoint beforehand； that day； to tell her what they wanted： then
they wouldn't seem to spring it on her just as she was leaving。 She
herself （Mrs。 Allen） would call and say a word for them if she could
save ten minutes before catching her train。 If she hadn't come it
was because she hadn't saved her ten minutes but she had made them
feel that they must come all the same。 Mrs。 Mavis liked that better；
because on the ship in the morning there would be such a confusion。
She didn't think her daughter would be any troubleconscientiously
she didn't。 It was just to have some one to speak to her and not
sally forth like a servant…girl going to a situation。
〃I see； I'm to act as a sort of bridesmaid and to give her away；〃
Mrs。 Nettlepoint obligingly said。 Kind enough in fact for anything；
she showed on this occasion that it was easy enough to know her。
There is notoriously nothing less desirable than an imposed
aggravation of effort at sea； but she accepted without betrayed
dismay the burden of the young lady's dependence and allowed her； as
Mrs。 Mavis said； to hook herself on。 She evidently had the habit of
patience； and her reception of her visitors' story reminded me
afreshI was reminded of it whenever I returned to my native land
that my dear compatriots are the people in the world who most freely
take mutual accommodation for granted。 They have always had to help
themselves； and have rather magnanimously failed to learn just where
helping others is distinguishable from that。 In no country are there
fewer forms and more reciprocities。
It was doubtless not singular that the ladies from Merrimac Avenue
shouldn't feel they were importunate： what was striking was that
Mrs。 Nettlepoint didn't appear to suspect it。 However； she would in
any case have thought it inhuman to show thisthough I could see
that under the surface she was amused at everything the more
expressive of the pilgrims from the South End took for granted。 I
scarce know whether the attitude of the younger visitor added or not
to the merit of her good nature。 Mr。 Porterfield's intended took no
part in the demonstration； scarcely spoke； sat looking at the Back
Bay and the lights on the long bridge。 She declined the lemonade and
the other mixtures which； at Mrs。 Nettlepoint's request； I offered
her； while her mother partook freely of everything and I reflected
for I as freely drained a glass or two in which the ice tinkledthat
Mr。 Jasper had better hurry back if he wished to enjoy these
luxuries。
Was the effect of the young woman's reserve meanwhile ungracious； or
was it only natural that in her particular situation she shouldn't
have a flow of compliment at her command？ I noticed that Mrs。
Nettlepoint looked at her often； and certainly though she was
undemonstrative Miss Mavis was interesting。 The candlelight enabled
me to see that though not in the very first flower of her youth she
was still fresh and handsome。 Her eyes and hair were dark； her face
was pale； and she held up her head as if； with its thick braids and
everything else involved in it； it were an appurtenance she wasn't
ashamed of。 If her mother was excellent and common she was not
commonnot at least flagrantly soand perhaps also not excellent。
At all events she wouldn't be； in appearance at least； a dreary
appendage； which in the case of a person 〃hooking on〃 was always
something gained。 Was it because something of a romantic or pathetic
interest usually attaches to a good creature who has been the victim
of a 〃long engagement〃 that this young lady made an impression on me
from the firstfavoured as I had been so quickly with this glimpse
of her history？ I could charge her certainly with no positive
appeal； she only held her tongue and smiled； and her smile corrected
whatever suggestion might have forced itself upon me that the spirit
within her was deadthe spirit of that promise of which she found
herself doomed to carry out the letter。
What corrected it less； I must add； was an odd recollection which
gathered vividness as I listened to ita mental association evoked
by the name of Mr。 Porterfield。 Surely I had a personal impression；
over…smeared and confused； of the gentleman who was waiting at
Liverpool； or who presently would be； for Mrs。 Nettlepoint's
protegee。 I had met him； known him； some time； somewhere； somehow；
on the other side。 Wasn't he studying something； very hard；
somewhereprobably in Paristen years before； and didn't he make
extraordinarily neat drawings； linear and architectural？ Didn't he
go to a table d'hote； at two francs twenty…five； in the Rue
Bonaparte； which I then frequented； and didn't he wear spectacles and
a Scotch plaid arranged in a manner which seemed to say 〃I've
trustworthy information that that's the way they do it in the
Highlands〃？ Wasn't he exemplary to positive irritation； and very
poor； poor to positive oppression； so that I supposed he had no
overcoat and his tartan would be what he slept under at night？
Wasn't he working very hard still； and wouldn't he be； in the natural
course； not yet satisfied that he had found his feet or knew enough
to launch out？ He would be a man of long preparationsMiss Mavis's
white face seemed to speak to one of that。 It struck me that if I
had been in love with her I shouldn't have needed to lay such a train
for the closer approach。 Architecture was his line and he was a
pupil of the Ecole des Beaux Arts。 This reminiscence grew so much
more vivid with me that at the end of ten minutes I had an odd sense
of knowingby implicationa good deal about the young lady。
Even after it was settled that Mrs。 Nettlepoint would do everything
possible for her the other visitor sat sipping our iced liquid and
telling how 〃low〃 Mr。 Mavis had been。 At this period the girl's
silence struck me as still more conscious； partly perhaps because she
deprecated her mother's free flowshe was enough of an 〃improvement〃
to measure thatand partly because she was too distressed by the
idea of leaving her infirm； her perhaps dying father。 It wasn't
indistinguishable that they were poor and that she would take out a
very small purse for her trousseau。 For Mr。 Porterfield to make up
the sum his own case would have had moreover greatly to change。 If
he had enriched himself by the successful practice of his profession
I had encountered no edifice he had rearedhis reputation hadn't
come to my ears。
Mrs。 Nettlepoint notified her new friends that she was a very
inactive person at sea： she was prepared to suffer to the full with
Miss Mavis； but not prepared to pace the deck with her； to struggle
with her； to accompany her to meals。 To this the girl replied that
she would trouble her little； she was sure： she was convinced she
should prove a wretched sailor and spend the voyage on her back。 Her
mother scoffed at this picture； prophesying perfect weather and a
lovely time； and I interposed to the effect that if I might be
trusted； as a tame bachelor fairly sea…seasoned； I should be
delighted to give the new member of our party an arm or any other
countenance whenever she should require it。 Both the ladies thanked
me for thistaking my professions with no sort of abatementand the
elder one declared that we were evidently going to be such a sociable
group that it was too bad to have to stay at home。 She asked Mrs。
Nettlepoint if there were any one else in our party； and when our
hostess mentioned her sonthere was a chance of his embarking but
（wasn't it absurd？） he hadn't decided yetshe returned with
extraordinary candour： 〃Oh dear； I do hope he'll go： that would be
so lovely for Grace。〃
Somehow the words made me think of poor Mr。 Porterfield's tartan；
especially as Jasper Nettlepoint strolled in again at that moment。
His mother at once challenged him： it was ten o'clock； had he by
chance made up his great mind？ Apparently he failed to hear her；
being in the f