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the way the differences and resemblances were so mixed up that on
certain questions you couldn't tell where you'd find her。 You'd
think she'd feel as you did because you had found her feeling so； and
then suddenly； in regard to some other matterwhich was yet quite
the sameshe'd be utterly wanting。 Mrs。 Nettlepoint proceeded to
observeto such idle speculations does the vacancy of sea…hours give
encouragementthat she wondered whether it were better to be an
ordinary girl very well brought up or an extraordinary girl not
brought up at all。
〃Oh I go in for the extraordinary girl under all circumstances。〃
It's true that if you're VERY well brought up you're not； you can't
be； ordinary；〃 said Mrs。 Nettlepoint； smelling her strong salts。
〃You're a lady； at any rate。〃
〃And Miss Mavis is fifty miles outis that what you mean？〃
〃Wellyou've seen her mother。〃
〃Yes； but I think your contention would be that among such people the
mother doesn't count。〃
〃Precisely； and that's bad。〃
〃I see what you mean。 But isn't it rather hard？ If your mother
doesn't know anything it's better you should be independent of her；
and yet if you are that constitutes a bad note。〃 I added that Mrs。
Mavis had appeared to count sufficiently two nights before。 She had
said and done everything she wanted； while the girl sat silent and
respectful。 Grace's attitude； so far as her parent was concerned；
had been eminently decent。
〃Yes； but she 'squirmed' for her；〃 said Mrs。 Nettlepoint。
〃Ah if you know it I may confess she has told me as much。〃
My friend stared。 〃Told YOU？ There's one of the things they do！〃
〃Well； it was only a word。 Won't you let me know whether you do
think her a flirt？〃
〃Try her yourselfthat's better than asking another woman；
especially as you pretend to study folk。〃
〃Oh your judgement wouldn't probably at all determine mine。 It's as
bearing on YOU I ask it。〃 Which； however； demanded explanation； so
that I was duly frank； confessing myself curious as to how far
maternal immorality would go。
It made her at first but repeat my words。 〃Maternal immorality？〃
〃You desire your son to have every possible distraction on his
voyage； and if you can make up your mind in the sense I refer to that
will make it all right。 He'll have no responsibility。〃
〃Heavens； how you analyse！〃 she cried。 〃I haven't in the least your
passion for making up my mind。〃
〃Then if you chance it；〃 I returned； 〃you'll be more immoral still。〃
〃Your reasoning's strange；〃 said Mrs。 Nettlepoint； 〃when it was you
who tried to put into my head yesterday that she had asked him to
come。〃
〃Yes； but in good faith。〃
〃What do you mean； in such a case； by that？〃
〃Why； as girls of that sort do。 Their allowance and measure in such
matters；〃 I expounded； 〃is much larger than that of young persons who
have been； as you say； VERY well brought up； and yet I'm not sure
that on the whole I don't think them thereby the more innocent。 Miss
Mavis is engaged； and she's to be married next week； but it's an old
old story； and there's no more romance in it than if she were going
to be photographed。 So her usual life proceeds； and her usual life
consistsand that of ces demoiselles in generalin having plenty of
gentlemen's society。 Having it I mean without having any harm from
it。〃
Mrs。 Nettlepoint had given me due attention。 〃Well； if there's no
harm from it what are you talking about and why am I immoral？〃
I hesitated； laughing。 〃I retractyou're sane and clear。 I'm sure
she thinks there won't be any harm；〃 I added。 〃That's the great
point。〃
〃The great point？〃
〃To be settled； I mean。〃
〃Mercy； we're not trying them！〃 cried my friend。 〃How can WE settle
it？〃
〃I mean of course in our minds。 There will be nothing more
interesting these next ten days for our minds to exercise themselves
upon。〃
〃Then they'll get terribly tired of it；〃 said Mrs。 Nettlepoint。
〃No； nobecause the interest will increase and the plot will
thicken。 It simply can't NOT；〃 I insisted。 She looked at me as if
she thought me more than Mephistophelean； and I went back to
something she had lately mentioned。 〃So she told you everything in
her life was dreary？〃
〃Not everything； but most things。 And she didn't tell me so much as
I guessed it。 She'll tell me more the next time。 She'll behave
properly now about coming in to see me； I told her she ought to。〃
〃I'm glad of that；〃 I said。 〃Keep her with you as much as possible。〃
〃I don't follow you closely；〃 Mrs。 Nettlepoint replied； 〃but so far
as I do I don't think your remarks in the best taste。〃
〃Well； I'm too excited； I lose my head in these sports；〃 I had to
recognise〃cold…blooded as you think me。 Doesn't she like Mr。
Porterfield？〃
〃Yes； that's the worst of it。〃
I kept making her stare。 〃The worst of it？〃
〃He's so goodthere's no fault to be found with him。 Otherwise
she'd have thrown it all up。 It has dragged on since she was
eighteen： she became engaged to him before he went abroad to study。
It was one of those very young and perfectly needless blunders that
parents in America might make so much less possible than they do。
The thing is to insist on one's daughter waiting； on the engagement's
being long； and then； after you've got that started； to take it on
every occasion as little seriously as possibleto make it die out。
You can easily tire it to death；〃 Mrs。 Nettlepoint competently
stated。 〃However；〃 she concluded； 〃Mr。 Porterfield has taken this
one seriously for some years。 He has done his part to keep it alive。
She says he adores her。〃
〃His part？ Surely his part would have been to marry her by this
time。〃
〃He has really no money。〃 My friend was even more confidently able
to report it than I had been。
〃He ought to have got some； in seven years；〃 I audibly reflected。
〃So I think she thinks。 There are some sorts of helplessness that
are contemptible。 However； a small difference has taken place。
That's why he won't wait any longer。 His mother has come out； she
has somethinga littleand she's able to assist him。 She'll live
with them and bear some of the expenses； and after her death the son
will have what there is。〃
〃How old is she？〃 I cynically asked。
〃I haven't the least idea。 But it doesn't； on his part； sound very
heroicor very inspiring for our friend here。 He hasn't been to
America since he first went out。〃
〃That's an odd way of adoring her；〃 I observed。
〃I made that objection mentally； but I didn't express it to her。 She
met it indeed a little by telling me that he had had other chances to
marry。〃
〃That surprises me；〃 I remarked。 〃But did she say；〃 I asked； 〃that
SHE had had？〃
〃No； and that's one of the things I thought nice in her； for she must
have had。 She didn't try to make out that he had spoiled her life。
She has three other sisters and there's very little money at home。
She has tried to make money； she has written little things and
painted little thingsand dreadful little things they must have
been； too bad to think of。 Her father has had a long illness and has
lost his placehe was in receipt of a salary in connexion with some
waterworksand one of her sisters has lately become a widow； with
children and without means。 And so as in fact she never has married
any one else； whatever opportunities she may have encountered； she
appears to have just made up her mind to go out to Mr。 Porterfield as
the least of her evils。 But it isn't very amusing。〃
〃Well；〃 I judged after all； 〃that only makes her doing it the more
honourable。 She'll go through with it； whatever it costs； rather
than disappoint him after he has waited so long。 It's true；〃 I
continued； 〃that when a woman acts from a sense of honour！〃
〃Well； when she does？〃 said Mrs。 Nettlepoint； for I hung back