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family rite； and he would have excused himself if the invitation had been
of the form that one might decline。 〃What do I want to see him for？〃 he
puffed。 〃He never cared anything about me in Tuskingum。 What's he want
here； anyway？〃
〃I wish you to come in； my son；〃 said his mother； and that ended it。
Lottie was not so tractable。 〃Very well； momma；〃 she said。 〃But don't
expect me to speak to him。 I have some little self…respect； if the rest
of you haven't。 Am I going to shake hands with him！ I never took the
least notice of him at home； and I'm not going to here。〃
Bittridge decided the question of hand…shaking for her when they met。 He
greeted her glooming brother with a jolly 〃Hello； Boyne！〃 and without
waiting for the boy's tardy response he said 〃Hello； Lottie！〃 to the
girl； and took her hand and kept it in his while he made an elaborate
compliment to her good looks and her gain in weight。 She had come
tardily as a proof that she would not have come in at all if she had not
chosen to do so； and Mrs。 Bittridge was already seated beside Ellen on
the sofa； holding her hand； and trying to keep her mobile； inattentive
eyes upon Ellen's face。 She was a little woman； youthfully dressed； but
not dressed youthfully enough for the dry； yellow hair which curled
tightly in small rings on her skull； like the wig of a rag…doll。 Her
restless eyes were round and deep…set； with the lids flung up out of
sight； she had a lax； formless mouth； and an anxious smile； with which
she constantly watched her son for his initiative； while she recollected
herself from time to time； long enough to smooth Ellen's hand between her
own； and say； 〃Oh； I just think the world of Clarence； and I guess he
thinks his mother is about right； too；〃 and then did not heed what Ellen
answered。
The girl said very little； and it was Bittridge who talked for all；
dominating the room with a large； satisfied presence； in which the judge
sat withdrawn； his forehead supported on his hand； and his elbow on the
table。 Mrs。 Kenton held herself upright； with her hands crossed before
her； stealing a look now and then at her daughter's averted face； but
keeping her eyes from Mrs。 Bittridge； who； whenever she caught Mrs。
Kenton's glance； said something to her about her Clarence； and how he
used to write home to her at Ballardsville about the Kentons； so that she
felt acquainted with all of them。 Her reminiscences were perfunctory；
Mrs。 Bittridge had voluntarily but one topic； and that was herself；
either as she was included in the interest her son must inspire； or as
she included him in the interest she must inspire。 She said that； now
they had met at last； she was not going to rest till the Kentons had been
over to Ballardsville； and made her a good； long visit； her son had some
difficulty in making her realize that the Kentons were going to Europe。
Then she laughed； and said she kept forgetting； and she did wish they
were all coming back to Tuskingum。
If it is a merit to treat a fatuous mother with deference； Bittridge had
that merit。 His deference was of the caressing and laughing sort； which
took the spectator into the joke of her peculiarities as something they
would appreciate and enjoy with him。 She had been a kittenish and petted
person in her youth； perhaps； and now she petted herself； after she had
long ceased to be a kitten。 What was respectable and what was pathetic
in her was her wish to promote her son's fortunes with the Kentons； but
she tried to do this from not a very clear understanding of her part；
apparently； and little sense of the means。 For Ellen's sake； rather than
hers； the father and mother received her overtures to their liking
kindly； they answered her patiently； and Mrs。 Kenton even tried to lead
the way for her to show herself at her best； by talking of her journey on
to New York； and of the city； and what she would see there to interest
her。 Lottie and Boyne； sternly aloof together in one of their momentary
alliances； listened to her replies with a silent contempt that almost
included their mother； Kenton bore with the woman humbly and sadly。
He was； in fact； rather bewildered with the situation； for which he felt
himself remotely if not immediately responsible。 Bittridge was there
among them not only on good terms； but apparently in the character of a
more than tolerated pretendant to Ellen's favor。 There were passages of
time is which the father was not sure that the fellow was not engaged to
his daughter； though when these instants were gone he was aware that
there had been no overt love…making between them and Bittridge had never
offered himself。 What was he doing there； then？ The judge asked himself
that； without being able to answer himself。 So far as he could make out；
his wife and he were letting him see Ellen； and show her off to his
mother； mainly to disgust her with them both； and because they were
afraid that if they denied her to him； it would be the worse for them
through her suffering。 The judge was not accustomed to apply the tests
by which people are found vulgar or not； these were not of his simple
world； all that he felt about Mrs。 Bittridge was that she was a very
foolish； false person； who was true in nothing but her admiration of her
rascal of a son； he did not think of Bittridge as a rascal violently； but
helplessly； and with a heart that melted in pity for Ellen。
He longed to have these people gone； not so much because he was so
unhappy in their presence as because he wished to learn Ellen's feeling
about them from his wife。 She would know； whether Allen said anything to
her or not。 But perhaps if Mrs。 Kenton had been asked to deliver her
mind on this point at once she would have been a little puled。 All that
she could see； and she saw it with a sinking of the heart； was that Ellen
looked more at peace than she had been since Bittridge was last in their
house at Tuskingum。 Her eyes covertly followed him as he sat talking； or
went about the room； making himself at home among them； as if he were
welcome with every one。 He joked her more than the rest； and accused her
of having become a regular New…Yorker； he said he supposed that when she
came back from Europe she would not know anybody in Tuskingum； and his
mother； playing with Ellen's fingers； as if they had been the fringe of a
tassel； declared that she must not mind him； for he carried on just so
with everybody； at the same time she ordered him to stop； or she would go
right out of the room。
She gave no other sign of going； and it was her son who had to make the
movement for her at last； she apparently did not know that it was her
part to make it。 She said that now the Kentons must come and return her
call； and be real neighborly； just the same as if they were all at home
together。 When her son shook hands with every one she did so too； and
she said to each； 〃Well； I wish you good…morning；〃 and let him push her
before him； in high delight with the joke； out of the room。
When they were gone the Kentons sat silent； Ellen with a rapt smile on
her thin； flushed face； till Lottie said； 〃You forgot to ask him if we
might BREATHE； poppa；〃 and paced out of the room in stately scorn；
followed by Boyne； who had apparently no words at the command of his dumb
rage。 Kenton wished to remain； and he looked at his wife for
instruction。 She frowned； and he took this for a sign that he had better
go； and he went with a light sigh。
He did not know what else to do with himself； and he went down to the
reading…room。 He found Bittridge there； smoking a cigar； and the young
man companionably offered to bestow one upon him； but the judge stiffly
refused； saying he did not wish to smoke just then。 He noted that
Bittridge was still in his character of family favorite； and his hand
trembled as he passed it over the smooth knob of his stick； while he sat
waiting for the fellow to take himself away。 But Bittridge had
apparently no thought of going。 He was looking at the amusements for the
evening in a paper he had bought； and he wished to consult the judge as
to which was the best theatre to go to that night； he said he wanted to
take h