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it。〃
〃Oh； Lord！〃 groaned the father。 〃I suppose she does。〃
This was bad enough； it was a blow to his pride in Ellen； but there was
something that hurt him still worse。 When the fellow had made sure of
her； he apparently felt himself so safe in her fondness that he did not
urge his suit with her。 His content with her tacit acceptance gave the
bitterness of shame to the promise Kenton and his wife had made each
other never to cross any of their children in love。 They were ready now
to keep that promise for Ellen； if he asked it of them； rather than
answer for her lifelong disappointment； if they denied him。 But；
whatever he meant finally to do； he did not ask it； he used his footing
in their house chiefly as a basis for flirtations beyond it。 He began to
share his devotions to Ellen with her girl friends； and not with her girl
friends alone。 It did not come to scandal； but it certainly came to
gossip about him and a silly young wife； and Kenton heard of it with a
torment of doubt whether Ellen knew of it； and what she would do； he
would wait for her to do herself whatever was to be done。 He was never
certain how much she had heard of the gossip when she came to her mother；
and said with the gentle eagerness she had； 〃Didn't poppa talk once of
going South this winter？〃
〃He talked of going to New York；〃 the mother answered； with a throb of
hope。
〃Well；〃 the girl returned； patiently； and Mrs。 Kenton read in her
passivity an eagerness to be gone from sorrow that she would not suffer
to be seen； and interpreted her to her father in such wise that he could
not hesitate。
II。
If such a thing could be mercifully ordered； the order of this event had
certainly been merciful； but it was a cruel wrench that tore Kenton from
the home where he had struck such deep root。 When he actually came to
leave the place his going had a ghastly unreality； which was heightened
by his sense of the common reluctance。 No one wanted to go； so far as he
could make out； not even Ellen herself； when he tried to make her say she
wished it。 Lottie was in open revolt； and animated her young men to a
share in the insurrection。 Her older brother was kindly and helpfully
acquiescent； but he was so far from advising the move that Kenton had
regularly to convince himself that Richard approved it； by making him say
that it was only for the winter and that it was the best way of helping
Ellen get rid of that fellow。 All this did not enable Kenton to meet the
problems of his younger son； who required him to tell what he was to do
with his dog and his pigeons； and to declare at once how he was to
dispose of the cocoons he had amassed so as not to endanger the future of
the moths and butterflies involved in them。 The boy was so fertile in
difficulties and so importunate for their solution； that he had to be
crushed into silence by his father； who ached in a helpless sympathy with
his reluctance。
Kenton came heavily upon the courage of his wife； who was urging forward
their departure with so much energy that he obscurely accused her of
being the cause of it； and could only be convinced of her innocence when
she offered to give the whole thing up if he said so。 When he would not
say so； she carried the affair through to the bitter end； and she did not
spare him some； pangs which she perhaps need not have shared with him。
But people are seldom man and wife for half their lives without wishing
to impart their sufferings as well as their pleasures to each other； and
Mrs。 Kenton； if she was no worse； was no better than other wives in
pressing to her husband's lips the cup that was not altogether sweet to
her own。 She went about the house the night before closing it； to see
that everything was in a state to be left； and then she came to Kenton in
his library； where he had been burning some papers and getting others
ready to give in charge to his son； and sat down by his cold hearth with
him； and wrung his soul with the tale of the last things she had been
doing。 When she had made him bear it all； she began to turn the bright
side of the affair to him。 She praised the sense and strength of Ellen；
in the course the girl had taken with herself； and asked him if he；
really thought they could have done less for her than they were doing。
She reminded him that they were not running away from the fellow； as she
had once thought they must； but Ellen was renouncing him； and putting him
out of her sight till she could put him out of her mind。 She did not
pretend that the girl had done this yet； but it was everything that she
wished to do it； and saw that it was best。 Then she kissed him on his
gray head； and left him alone to the first ecstasy of his homesickness。
It was better when they once got to New York； and were settled in an
apartment of an old…fashioned down…town hotel。 They thought themselves
very cramped in it； and they were but little easier when they found that
the apartments over and under them were apparently thought spacious for
families of twice their numbers。 It was the very quietest place in the
whole city； but Kenton was used to the stillness of Tuskingum； where；
since people no longer kept hens； the nights were stiller than in the
country itself； and for a week he slept badly。 Otherwise； as soon as
they got used to living in six rooms instead of seventeen； they were
really very comfortable。
He could see that his wife was glad of the release from housekeeping； and
she was growing gayer and seemed to be growing younger in the inspiration
of the great； good…natured town。 They had first come to New York on
their wedding journey； but since that visit she had always let him go
alone on his business errands to the East； these had grown less and less
frequent； and he had not seen New York for ten or twelve years。 He could
have waited as much longer； but he liked her pleasure in the place； and
with the homesickness always lurking at his heart he went about with her
to the amusements which she frequented； as she said； to help Ellen take
her mind off herself。 At the play and the opera he sat thinking of the
silent； lonely house at Tuakingum； dark among its leafless maples； and
the life that was no more in it than if they had all died out of it； and
he could not keep down a certain resentment； senseless and cruel； as if
the poor girl were somehow to blame for their exile。 When he betrayed
this feeling to his wife； as he sometimes must； she scolded him for it；
and then offered； if he really thought anything like that； to go back to
Tuskingum at once； and it ended in his having to own himself wrong； and
humbly promise that he never would let the child dream how he felt；
unless he really wished to kill her。 He was obliged to carry his self…
punishment so far as to take Lottie very sharply to task when she broke
out in hot rebellion； and declared that it was all Ellen's fault； she was
not afraid of killing her sister； and though she did not say it to her；
she said it of her； that anybody else could have got rid of that fellow
without turning the whole family out of house and home。
Lottie； in fact； was not having a bit good time in New York； which she
did not find equal in any way to Tuskingum for fun。 She hated the dull
propriety of the hotel； where nobody got acquainted； and every one was as
afraid as death of every one else； and in her desolation she was thrown
back upon the society of her brother Boyne。 They became friends in their
common dislike of New York； and pending some chance of bringing each
other under condemnation they lamented their banishment from Tuskingum
together。 But even Boyne contrived to make the heavy time pass more
lightly than she in the lessons he had with a tutor； and the studies of
the city which he carried on。 When the skating was not good in Central
Park he spent most of his afternoons and evenings at the vaudeville
theatres。 None of the dime museums escaped his research； and he
conversed with freaks and monsters of all sorts upon terms of friendly
confidence。 He reported their different theories of themselves to his
family with the same simple…hearted interest that he criticised the song