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〃It is certainly very pleasant here；〃 said Mrs。 Kenton； cautiously。
〃You're enjoying yourselfI mean； you seem to be getting so much
stronger。〃
〃Why； momma； why do you talk as if I had been sick？〃 Ellen asked。
〃I mean you're so much interested。〃
〃Don't I go about everywhere； like anybody？〃 Ellen pursued； ignoring her
explanation。
〃Yes； you certainly do。 Mr。 Breckon seems to like going about。〃
Ellen did not respond to the suggestion except to say： 〃We go into all
sorts of places。 This morning we went up on that schooner that's drawn
up on the beach； and the old man who was there was very pleasant。
I thought it was a wreck； but Mr。 Breckon says they are always drawing
their ships that way up on the sand。 The old man was patching some of
the wood…work； and he told Mr。 Breckonhe can speak a little Dutchthat
they were going to drag her down to the water and go fishing as soon as
he was done。 He seemed to think we were brother and sister。〃 She
flushed a little； and then she said： 〃I believe I like the dunes as well
as anything。 Sometimes when those curious cold breaths come in from the
sea we climb up in the little hollows on the other side and sit there out
of the draft。 Everybody seems to do it。〃
Apparently Ellen was submitting the propriety of the fact to her mother；
who said： 〃Yes； it seems to be quite the same as it is at home。 I always
supposed that it was different with young people here。 There is
certainly no harm in it。〃
Ellen went on； irrelevantly。 〃I like to go and look at the Scheveningen
women mending the nets on the sand back of the dunes。 They have such
good gossiping times。 They shouted to us last evening； and then laughed
when they saw us watching them。 When they got through their work they
got up and stamped off so strong； with their bare； red arms folded into
their aprons； and their skirts sticking out so stiff。 Yes； I should like
to be like them。〃
〃You； Ellen！〃
〃Yes； why not？〃
Mrs。 Kenton found nothing better to answer than；
〃They were very material looking。〃
〃They are very happy looking。 They live in the present。 That is what I
should like： living in the present； and not looking backwards or
forwards。 After all； the present is the only life we've got； isn't it？〃
〃I suppose you may say it is；〃 Mrs。 Kenton admitted； not knowing just
where the talk was leading； but dreading to interrupt it。
〃But that isn't the Scheveningen woman's only ideal。 Their other ideal
is to keep the place clean。 Saturday afternoon they were all out
scrubbing the brick sidewalks； and clear into the middle of the street。
We were almost ashamed to walk over the nice bricks； and we picked out as
many dirty places as we could find。〃
Ellen laughed； with a light…hearted gayety that was very strange to her；
and Mrs。 Kenton； as she afterwards told her husband； did not know what to
think。
〃I couldn't help wondering；〃 she said； 〃whether the poor child would have
liked to keep on living in the present a month ago。〃
〃Well； I'm glad you didn't say so；〃 the judge answered。
XX。
From the easy conquest of the men who looked at her Lottie proceeded to
the subjection of the women。 It would have been more difficult to put
these down； if the process had not been so largely； so almost entirely
subjective。 As it was； Lottie exchanged snubs with many ladies of the
continental nationalities who were never aware of having offered or
received offence。 In some cases； when they fearlessly ventured to speak
with her； they behaved very amiable； and seemed to find her conduct
sufficiently gracious in return。 In fact； she was approachable enough；
and had no shame； before Boyne； in dismounting from the high horse which
she rode when alone with him； and meeting these ladies on foot； at least
half…way。 She made several of them acquainted with her mother； who；
after a timorous reticence； found them very conversable； with a range of
topics； however； that shocked her American sense of decorum。 One Dutch
lady talked with such manly freedom； and with such untrammelled intimacy；
that she was obliged to send Boyne and Lottie about their business； upon
an excuse that was not apparent to the Dutch lady。 She only complimented
Mrs。 Kenton upon her children and their devotion to each other； and when
she learned that Ellen was also her daughter； ventured the surmise she
was not long married。
〃It isn't her husband；〃 Mrs。 Kenton explained； with inward trouble。
〃It's just a gentleman that came over with us；〃 and she went with her
trouble to her own husband as soon as she could。
〃I'm afraid it isn't the custom to go around alone with young men as much
as Ellen thinks；〃 she suggested。
〃He ought to know；〃 said the judge。 〃I don't suppose he would if it
wasn't。〃
〃That is true；〃 Mrs。 Kenton owned； and for the time she put her
misgivings away。
〃So long as we do nothing wrong；〃 the judge decided； 〃I don't see why we
should not keep to our own customs。〃
〃Lottie says they're not ours； in New York。〃
〃Well； we are not in New York now。〃
They had neither of them the heart to interfere with Ellen's happiness；
for； after all； Breckon was careful enough of the appearances； and it was
only his being constantly with Ellen that suggested the Dutch lady's
surmise。 In fact； the range of their wanderings was not beyond the
dunes； though once they went a little way on one of the neatly bricked
country roads that led towards The Hague。 As yet there had been no
movement in any of the party to see the places that lie within such easy
tram…reach of The Hague； and the hoarded interest of the past in their
keeping。 Ellen chose to dwell in the actualities which were an
enlargement of her own present； and Lottie's active spirit found
employment enough in the amusements at the Kurhaus。 She shopped in the
little bazars which make a Saratoga under the colonnades fronting two
sides of the great space before the hotel； and she formed a critical and
exacting taste in music from a constant attendance at the afternoon
concerts； it is true that during the winter in New York she had cast
forever behind her the unsophisticated ideals of Tuskingum in the art； so
that from the first she was able to hold the famous orchestra that played
in the Kurhaus concert…room up to the highest standard。 She had no use
for anybody who had any use for rag…time； and she was terribly severe
with a young American； primarily of Boyne's acquaintance； who tried to
make favor with her by asking about the latest coon…songs。 She took the
highest ethical ground with him about tickets in a charitable lottery
which he had bought from the portier； but could not move him on the lower
level which he occupied。 He offered to give her the picture which was
the chief prize； in case he won it； and she assured him beforehand that
she should not take it。 She warned Boyne against hin：； under threats of
exposure to their mother； as not a good influence； but one afternoon；
when the young Queen of Holland came to the concert with the queen…
mother； Lottie cast her prejudices to the winds in accepting the places
which the wicked fellow…countryman offered Boyne and herself； when they
had failed to get any where they could see the queens； as the Dutch
called them。
The hotel was draped with flags； and banked with flowers about the main
entrance where the queens were to arrive； and the guests massed
themselves in a dense lane for them to pass through。 Lottie could not
fail to be one of the foremost in this array； and she was able to decide；
when the queens had passed； that the younger would not be considered a
more than average pretty girl in America； and that she was not very well
dressed。 They had all stood within five feet of her； and Boyne had
appropriated one of the prettiest of the pretty bends which the gracious
young creature made to right and left； and had responded to it with an
'empressement' which he hoped had not been a sacrifice of his republican
principles。
During the concert he sat with his eyes fixed upon the Queen where she
sat in the royal box； with her mother and her ladies behind her； and
wondered and blushed to wonder if she had notic