第1章

TOMYFAVOURITEBROKERWITHTHEEARNESTASSURANCETHATMR。BEVERLYISNOT

MEANTFORHIM

NOTE

IN1901，thisstoryappearedanonymouslyastheninthofasequenceofshortstoriesbyvariousauthors，inavolumeentitledAHouseParty。Ithasbeenslightlyremodelledforseparatepublication。

June7，1907，OWENWISTER

MOTHER

WhenhandsomeyoungRichardFieldhewasveryhandsomeandveryyoung

announcedtoourassembledcompanythatifhisturnshouldreallycometotellusastory，thestoryshouldbenoinventionofhisfancy，butapageoftruth，achapterfromhisownlife，inwhichhimselfwastheheroandalovely，innocentgirlwastheheroine，hiswifeatoncelookedextremelyuncomfortable。Shechangedtherecliningpositioninwhichshehadbeenleaningbackinherchair，andshesaterect，withahandcloseduponeacharmofthechair。

\"Richard，\"shesaid。\"doyouthinkthatitisrightofyoutotellanyone，evenfriends，anythingthatyouhaveneveryetconfessedtome？\"

\"Ethel，\"repliedRichard，\"althoughIcannotpromisethatyouwillbeentirelyproudofmyconductwhenyouhaveheardthisepisodeofmypast，IdosaythatthereisnothinginittohurtthetrustyouhaveplacedinmesinceIhavebeenyourhusband。Only，\"headded，\"IhopethatIshallnothavetotellanystoryatall。\"

\"Oh，yesyouwill！\"weallexclaimedtogether；andthemenlookedeagerwhilethewomensighed。

TherestofusweremucholderthanRichard，weweremiddle-aged，infact；andhumannatureissoconstructed，thatwhenitisattheagewhenmakinglovekeepsitbusy，itdoesnotcaresomuchtolistentotalesofothers\'love-making；butthemoreitrecedesfromthatperiodofexuberance，andceasestohaveloveadventuresofitsown，thegreaterbecomeitshungerandthirsttohearaboutthisdeliciousbusinesswhichitcannolongerpersonallypracticewiththefluencyofyore。Itwasforthisreasonthatweallyearnedinourmiddle-agedwayforthetaleoflovewhichweexpectedfromyoungRichard。He，onhispart，repeatedthehopethatbythetimehisturntotellastorywasreachedweshouldbetiredofstoriesandprefertospendtheeveningatthecardtablesorinthemusicroom。

Wewereahouseparty，nobrief\"week-end\"affair，butagatheringwhoseperiodformostoftheguestscoveredagenerousandleisurelytendays，withenoughdeparturesandarrivalstogivethatvarietywhichisnecessaryamongeventhemostentertainingandagreeablepeople。Ourskilfulhostesshadassembledusinthecountry，beneatharoofofNewYorkluxury，aluxurywhichhascomeintheselaterdaystobesomuchmorethanprincely。Byday，thegroundsaffordedusbothgolfandtennis，thestablesprovidedmotorcarsandhorsestorideordriveoveradmirableroads，throughbeautifulscenerythatwasembellishedbyamagnificentautumnseason。Atnightfall，thegreathouseitselfreceivedusinthearmsofsupremecomfort，fedussumptuously，andafterdinnerministeredtoourmiddle-agedbodieswithchairsandsofasofthehighestdevelopment。

Theplandevisedbyourhostess，Mrs。Davenport，thatastoryshouldbetoldbyoneofuseachevening，hadmetwithcourtesy，butnotIwithimmediateenthusiasm。ButMrs。Davenporthadchosenherguestswithherusualwisdom，andafterthefirstexperiment，storytellingprovedsosuccessfulthatnoneofuswouldhavereadilyabandonedit。WhenthetimehadcomeforRichardFieldtoentertainthecompanywiththepromisedtalefromhislifeexperience，hishopeofescapingthisordealhadaltogethervanished。

Mrs。Field，ithadbeennoticedasearlyasbreakfasttime，wasinclinedtobenervousonherhusband\'saccount。Fiveyearsofmarriedlifehadnotcuredherofthisamiablesymptom，andshemadebutalightmeal。He，ontheotherhand，ateheartilyandwithoutsignsofdisturbance。

Apparentlyhewasnotevenconsciousoftheglancesthathiswifesofrequentlystoleathim。

\"Doatleasthavesomeomelet，mydear，\"whisperedMrs。Davenporturgently。\"It\'squitelight。\"

ButMrs。Fieldcouldsummonnoappetite。

\"Iseeyouareanxiousabouthim，\"Mrs。Davenportcontinuedafterbreakfast。\"Youaresurelynotafraidhisstorywillfailtointerestus？\"

\"No，itisnotthat。\"

\"Itcan\'tbethathehasgivenuptheoneheexpectedtotellusandcanthinkofnoother？\"

\"Oh，no；heisgoingtotellthatone。\"

\"Andyoudon\'tlikehischoice？\"

\"Hewon\'ttellmewhatitis！\"Mrs。Davenportputdownherembroidery。

\"Then，Ethel，\"shelaidwithseverity，\"thefaultisyours。WhenIhadbeenfiveyearsmarried，Mr。Davenportconfidedeverythingtome。\"

\"SodoesRichard。ExceptwhenIparticularlyaskhim。\"

\"Thereitis，Ethel。Youlethimseethatyouwanttoknow。\"

\"ButIdowanttoknow。Richardhashadsuchinterestingexperiences，somanyofthem。AndIdosowanthimtotellathoroughlyniceone。There\'stheonewhenhesavedamanfromdrowningjustbelowourhouse，thesecondsummer，andthemanturnedouttobeaburglarandbrokeintothepantrythatverynight，andRichardcaughthiminthedarkwithjustasmuchcourageashehadcaughthiminthewaterandjustasfewclothes，onlyitwassodifferent。Richardmakesitquitethrilling。AndI

mentionedanothertohim。Buthejustwentonshaving。Andnowhehasgoneoutwalking，andIbelieveit\'sgoingtobesomethingIwouldrathernothear。ButImeantohearit。\"

AtlunchMrs。Fieldmadeabettermeal，althoughitwascleartoMrs。

DavenportthatRichardonreturningfromhiswalkhadstillkepthisintentionsfromEthel。\"Shedoesnotmanagehimintheleast，\"Mrs。

Davenportdeclaredtotheotherladies，asEthelandRichardstartedforanafternoondrivetogether。\"Shewillnotknowanythingmorewhenshebringshimback。\"

ButinthisMrs。DavenportdidwrongtoEthel\'sresources。Theyoungwifedidknowsomethingmorewhenshebroughtherhusbandbackfromtheirdrivethroughthepleasantcountry。Theyreturnedlookinglikeanengagedcouple，ratherthanparentswhosenurserywasalreadyasongofthreelittlevoices。

\"Hehastoldher，\"thoughtMrs。Davenportatthefirstsightofthem，astheyenteredthedrawing-roomforanafternoontea。\"Shedoesunderstandsomethings。\"

Andwhenafterdinnertheladieshadwithdrawntothelibrary，andwaitedforthementofinishtheircigars，Mrs。DavenportspoketoEthel。\"Mydear，Icongratulateyou。Isawitatonce。\"