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If the Rev。 Mr。 Breckon was making an early breakfast in the hope of
sooner meeting Lottie； who had dismissed him the night before without
encouraging him to believe that she wished ever to see him again； he was
destined to disappointment。 The deputation sent to breakfast by the
paradoxical family whose acquaintance he had made on terms of each
forbidding intimacy； did not include the girl who had frankly provoked
his confidence and severely snubbed it。 He had left her brother very
sea…sick in their state…room； and her mother was reported by her father
to be feeling the motion too much to venture out。 The judge was； in
fact； the only person at table when Breckon sat down； but when he had
accounted for his wife's absence； and confessed that he did not believe
either of his daughters was coming； Ellen gainsaid him by appearing and
advancing quite steadily along the saloon to the place beside him。 It
had not gone so far as this in the judge's experience of a neurotic
invalid without his learning to ask her no questions about herself。 He
had always a hard task in refraining； but he had grown able to refrain；
and now he merely looked unobtrusively glad to see her； and asked her
where Lottie was。
〃Oh； she doesn't want any breakfast； she says。 Is momma sick； too？
Where's Boyne？〃
The judge reported as to her mother； and Mr。 Breckon； after the exchange
of a silent salutation with the girl； had a gleeful moment in describing
Boyne's revolt at the steward's notion of gruel。 〃I'm glad to see you so
well； Miss Kenton；〃 he concluded。
〃I suppose I will be sick； too； if it gets rougher；〃 she said； and she
turned from him to give a rather compendious order to the table steward。
〃Well； you've got an appetite； Ellen；〃 her father ventured。
〃I don't believe I will eat anything；〃 she checked him； with a falling
face。
Breckon came to the aid of the judge。 〃If you're not sick now； I
prophesy you won't be； Miss Kenton。 It can't get much rougher； without
doing something uncommon。〃
〃Is it a storm？〃 she asked； indifferently。
〃It's what they call half a gale； I believe。 I don't know how they
measure it。〃
She smiled warily in response to his laugh； and said to her father； 〃Are
you going up after breakfast； poppa？〃
〃Why； if you want to go； Ellen〃
〃Oh； I wasn't asking for that； I am going back to Lottie。 But I should
think you would like the air。 Won't it do you good？〃
〃I'm all right；〃 said the judge； cheered by her show of concern for some
one else。 〃I suppose it's rather wet on deck？〃 he referred himself to
Breckon。
〃Well； not very； if you keep to the leeward。 She doesn't seem a very wet
boat。〃
〃What is a wet boat〃 Ellen asked； without lifting her sad eyes。
〃Well； really； I'm afraid it's largely a superstition。 Passengers like
to believe that some boats are less liable to ship seasto run into
wavesthan others； but I fancy that's to give themselves the air of old
travellers。〃
She let the matter lapse so entirely that he supposed she had forgotten
it in all its bearings； when she asked； 〃Have you been across many
times？〃
〃Not many…four or five。〃
〃This is our first time；〃 she volunteered。
〃I hope it won't be your last。 I know you will enjoy it。〃 She fell
listless again； and Breckon imagined he had made a break。 〃Not；〃 he
added； with an endeavor for lightness； 〃that I suppose you're going for
pleasure altogether。 Women； nowadays； are above that； I understand。
They go abroad for art's sake； and to study political economy； and
history； and literature〃
〃My daughter；〃 the judge interposed； 〃will not do much in that way； I
hope。〃
The girl bent her head over her plate and frowned。
〃Oh； then；〃 said Breckon； 〃I will believe that she's going for purely
selfish enjoyment。 I should like to be justified in making that my
object by a good example。〃
Ellen looked up and gave him a look that cut him short in his glad note。
The lifting of her eyelids was like the rise of the curtain upon some
scene of tragedy which was all the more impressive because it seemed
somehow mixed with shame。 This poor girl； whom he had pitied as an
invalid； was a sufferer from some spiritual blight more pathetic than
broken health。 He pulled his mind away from the conjecture that tempted
it and went on： 〃One of the advantages of going over the fourth or fifth
time is that you're relieved from a discoverer's duties to Europe。 I've
got absolutely nothing before me now； but at first I had to examine every
object of interest on the Continent； and form an opinion about thousands
of objects that had no interest for me。 I hope Miss Kenton will take
warning from me。〃
He had not addressed Ellen directly； and her father answered： 〃We have no
definite plans as yet； but we don't mean to overwork ourselves even if
we've come for a rest。 I don't know；〃 he added； 〃but we had better spend
our summer in England。 It's easier getting about where you know the
language。
The judge seemed to refer his ideas to Breckon for criticism； and the
young man felt authorized to say； 〃Oh； so many of them know the language
everywhere now； that it's easy getting about in any country。〃
〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 the judge vaguely deferred。
〃Which；〃 Ellen demanded of the young man with a nervous suddenness； 〃do
you think is the most interesting country？〃
He found himself answering with equal promptness； 〃Oh； Italy； of course。〃
〃Can we go to Italy； poppa？〃 asked the girl。
〃I shouldn't advise you to go there at once〃 Breckon intervened； smiling。
〃You'd find it Pretty hot there now。 Florence； or Rome； or Naples〃you
can't think of them。〃
〃We have it pretty hot in Central Ohio；〃 said the judge； with latent
pride in his home climate； 〃What sort of place is Holland？〃
〃Oh； delightful！ And the boat goes right on to Rotterdam； you know。〃
〃Yes。 We had arranged to leave it at Boulogne；〃 but we could change。
Do you think your mother would like Holland？〃 The judge turned to his
daughter。
〃I think she would like Italy better。 She's read more about it；〃 said
the girl。
〃Rise of the Dutch Republic；〃 her father suggested。
〃Yea； I know。 But she's read more about Italy！〃
〃Oh； well；〃 Breckon yielded； 〃the Italian lakes wouldn't be impossible。
And you might find Venice fairly comfortable。〃
〃We could go to Italy； then；〃 said the judge to his daughter； 〃if your
mother prefers。〃
Breckon found the simplicity of this charming； and he tasted a yet finer
pleasure in the duplicity； for he divined that the father was seeking
only to let his daughter have her way in pretending to yield to her
mother's preference。
It was plain that the family's life centred； as it ought； about this sad；
sick girl； the heart of whose mystery he perceived； on reflection； he had
not the wish to pluck out。 He might come to know it； but he would not
try to know it； if it offered itself he might even try not to know it。
He had sometimes found it more helpful with trouble to be ignorant of its
cause。
In the mean time he had seen that these Kentons were sweet； good people；
as he phrased their quality to himself。 He had come to terms of
impersonal confidence the night before with Boyne； who had consulted him
upon many more problems and predicaments of life than could have yet
beset any boy's experience； probably with the wish to make provision for
any possible contingency of the future。 The admirable principles which
Boyne evolved for his guidance from their conversation were formulated
with a gravity which Breckon could outwardly respect only by stifling his
laughter in his pillow。 He rather liked the way Lottie had tried to
weigh him in her balance and found him； as it were； of an imponderable
levity。 With his sense of being really very light at most times； and
with most people； he was aware of having been particularly light with
Lottie； of having been slippery； of having； so far as responding to her
frankness was concerned； been close。 He relished the unsparing honesty
with which she had denounced him； and though he did not yet know his
outcast condition with relation to her； he could not think of her without
a smile of wholly disinterested liki