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。"