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was willing to allow her to leave the room with her brother unrebuked。
She was even willing to have had the veil lifted from Mrs。 Bittridge's
hair with a rude hand； if it world help Ellen。
〃I don't want you to think； momma；〃 said the girl； 〃that I didn't know
about her hair； or that I don't see how silly she is。 But it's all the
more to his credit if he can be so good to her； and admire her。 Would
yon like him better if he despised her？〃
Mrs。 Kenton felt both the defiance and the secret shame from which it
sprang in her daughter's words； and she waited for a moment before she
answered； 〃I would like to be sure he didn't！〃
〃If he does； and if he hides it from her； it's the same as if he didn't；
it's better。 But you all wish to dislike him。〃
〃We don't wish to dislike him； Ellen； goodness knows。 But I don't think
he would care much whether we disliked him or not。 I am sure your poor
father and I would be only too glad to like him。〃
〃Lottie wouldn't；〃 said Ellen； with a resentment her mother found
pathetic； it was so feeble and aimless。
〃Lottie doesn't matter；〃 she said。 She could not make out how nearly
Ellen was to sharing the common dislike； or how far she would go in
fortifying herself against it。 She kept with difficulty to her negative
frankness； and she let the girl leave the room with a fretful sigh； as if
provoked that her mother would not provoke her further。 There were
moments when Mrs。 Kenton believed that Ellen was sick of her love； and
that she would pluck it out of her heart herself if she were left alone。
She was then glad Bittridge had come； so that Ellen might compare with
the reality the counterfeit presentment she had kept in her fancy； and
she believed that if she could but leave him to do his worst； it would be
the best for Ellen。
In the evening； directly after dinner； Bittridge sent up his name for
Mrs。 Kenton。 The judge had remained to read his paper below； and Lottie
and Boyne had gone to some friends in another apartment。 It seemed to
Mrs。 Kenton a piece of luck that she should be able to see him alone； and
she could not have said that she was unprepared for him to come in；
holding his theatre…tickets explanatorily in his hand； or surprised when
he began：
〃Mrs。 Kenton； my mother's got a bad headache； and I've come to ask a
favor of you。 She can't use her ticket for to…night； and I want you to
let Miss Ellen come with me。 Will you？〃
Bittridge had constituted himself an old friend of the whole family from
the renewal of their acquaintance； and Mrs。 Kenton was now made aware of
his being her peculiar favorite； in spite of the instant repulsion she
felt； she was not averse to what he proposed。 Her fear was that Ellen
would be so； or that she could keep from influencing her to this test of
her real feeling for Bittridge。 〃I will ask her； Mr。 Bittridge；〃 she
said； with a severity which was a preliminary of the impartiality she
meant to use with Ellen。
〃Well； that's right；〃 he answered； and while she went to the girl's room
he remained examining the details of the drawing…room decorations in easy
security； which Mrs。 Kenton justified on her return。
〃Ellen will be ready to go with you； Mr。 Bittridge。〃
〃Well； that's good；〃 said the young man； and while he talked on she sat
wondering at a nature which all modesty and deference seemed left out of；
though he had sometimes given evidence of his intellectual appreciation
of these things。 He talked to Mrs。 Kenton not only as if they were in
every…wise equal； but as if they were of the same age； almost of the same
sex。
Ellen came in； cloaked and hatted； with her delicate face excited in
prospect of the adventure； and her mother saw Bittridge look at her with
more tenderness than she had ever seen in him before。 〃I'll take good
care of her； Mrs。 Kenton；〃 he said； and for the first time she felt
herself relent a little towards him。
A minute after they were gone Lottie bounced into the room； followed by
Boyne。
〃Momma！〃 she shouted； 〃Ellen isn't going to the theatre with that
fellow？〃
〃Yes； she is。〃
〃And you let her； momma！ Without a chaperon？〃
Boyne's face had mirrored the indignation in his sister's； but at this
unprecedented burst of conventionality he forgot their momentary
alliance。 〃Well； you're a pretty one to talk about chaperons！ Walking
all over Tuskingum with fellows at night； and going buggy…riding with
everybody； and out rowing； and here fairly begging Jim Plumpton to come
down to the steamer and see you off again！〃
〃Shut up！〃 Lottie violently returned； 〃or I'll tell momma how you've
been behaving with Rita Plumpton yourself。〃
〃Well； tell！〃 Boyne defied her。
〃Oh； it don't matter what a brat of a boy says or does； anyway；〃 said
Lottie。 〃But I think Ellen is disgracing the family。 Everybody in the
hotel is laughing at that wiggy old Mrs。 Bittridge； with her wobbly eyes；
and they can see that he's just as green！ The Plumptons have been
laughing so about them； and I told them that we had nothing to do with
them at home； and had fairly turned Bittridge out of the house； but he
had impudence enough for anything； and now to find Ellen going off to the
theatre with him alone！〃
Lottie began to cry with vexation as she whipped out of the room； and
Boyne； who felt himself drawn to her side again； said； very seriously：
〃Well； it ain't the thing in New York； you know； momma； and anybody can
see what a jay Bittridge is。 I think it's too bad to let her。〃
〃It isn't for you to criticise your mother； Boyne；〃 said Mrs。 Kenton； but
she was more shaken than she would allow。 Her own traditions were so
simple that the point of etiquette which her children had urged had not
occurred to her。 The question whether Ellen should go with Bittridge at
all being decided； she would； of course； go in New York as she would go
in Tuskingum。 Now Mrs。 Kenton perceived that she must not； and she had
her share of humiliation in the impression which his mother； as her
friend； apparently； was making with her children's acquaintances in the
hotel。 If they would think everybody in Tuskingum was like her； it would
certainly be very unpleasant； but she would not quite own this to
herself； still less to a fourteen…year…old boy。 〃I think what your
father and I decide to be right will be sufficient excuse for you with
your friends。〃
〃Does father know it？〃 Boyne asked； most unexpectedly。
Having no other answer ready； Mrs。 Kenton said； 〃You had better go to
bed； my son。〃
〃Well；〃 he grumbled； as he left the room； 〃I don't know where all the
pride of the Kentons is gone to。〃
In his sense of fallen greatness he attempted to join Lottie in her room；
but she said； 〃Go away； nasty thing！〃 and Boyne was obliged to seek his
own room； where he occupied himself with a contrivance he was inventing
to enable you to close your door and turn off your gas by a system of
pulleys without leaving your bed； when you were tired of reading。
Mrs。 Kenton waited for her husband in much less comfort； and when he
came； and asked； restlessly； 〃Where are the children？〃 she first told
him that Lottie and Boyne were in their rooms before she could bring
herself to say that Ellen had gone to the theatre with Bittridge。
It was some relief to have him take it in the dull way he did； and to say
nothing worse than； 〃Did you think it was well to have her！〃
〃You may be sure I didn't want her to。 But what would she have said if I
had refused to let her go？ I can tell you it isn't an easy matter to
manage her in this business； and it's very easy for you to criticise；
without taking the responsibility。〃
〃I'm not criticising；〃 said Kenton。 〃I know you have acted for the best。〃
〃The children；〃 said Mrs。 Kenton； wishing to be justified further； 〃think
she ought to have had a chaperon。 I didn't think of that； it isn't the
custom at home； but Lottie was very saucy about it； and I had to send
Boyne to bed。 I don't think our children are very much comfort to us。〃
〃They are good children；〃 Kenton said； saidprovisionally。
〃Yes； that is the worst of it。 If they were bad； we wouldn't expect any
comfort from them。 Ellen is about p