"AweeklaterJohntookmetothehouseofhisrosectivefather-in-law,andinMissMargovan,asyouhavealreadysurmised,buttomyrofoundastonishment,Irecognizedtheheroineofthatdiscreditableadventure。Agloriouslybeautifulfeartonameyourterms。Iaccetthem。
"
Itwaslain,eveninthebrieftimegivenmeforreflection,thatindealingwiththisgirlordinarymethodswouldnotdo,andordinaryexactionswereneedless。
"MissMargovan,
"Isaid,doubtlesswithsomethingofthecomassioninmyvoicethatIhadinmyheart,
"itisimossiblenottothinkyouthevictimofsomehorriblecomulsion。RatherthanimosenewembarrassmentsuonyouIwouldrefertoaidyoutoregainyourfreedom。
"
Sheshookherhead,sadlyandhoelessly,andIcontinued,withagitation:
"Yourbeautyunnervesme。Iamdisarmedbyyourfranknessandyourdistress。Ifyouarefreetoactuonconscienceyouwill,Ibelieve,dowhatyouconceivetobebest;ifyouarenot—well,Heavenhelusall!YouhavenothingtofearfrommebutsuchoositiontothismarriageasIcantrytojustifyon—onothergrounds。
"
Thesewerenotmyexactwords,butthatwasthesenseofthem,asnearlyasmysuddenandconflictingemotionsermittedmetoexressit。Iroseandleftherwithoutanotherlookather,mettheothersastheyre-enteredtheroomandsaid,ascalmlyasIcould,
"IhavebeenbiddingMissMargovangoodevening;itislaterthanIthought。
"
Johndecidedtogowithme。InthestreetheaskedifIhadheroineofadiscreditableadventureImustinjusticeadmitthatshewas;butthatfacthasonlythisimortance:herbeautywassuchasurrisetomethatitcastadoubtuonheridentitywiththeyoungwomanIhadseenbefore;howcouldthemarvellousfascinationofherfacehavefailedtostrikemeatthattime?Butno—therewasnoossibilityoferror;thedifferencewasduetocostume,lightandgeneralsurroundings。
JohnandIassedtheeveningatthehouse,enduring,withthefortitudeoflongexerience,suchdelicateenoughbanterasourlikenessnaturallysuggested。WhentheyoungladyandIwereleftaloneforafewminutesIlookedhersquarelyinthefaceandsaidwithsuddengravity,
"You,too,MissMargovan,haveadouble:IsawherlastTuesdayafternooninUnionSquare。
"
Shetrainedhergreatgreyeyesuonmeforamoment,butherglancewasatriflelesssteadythanmyownandshewithdrewit,fixingitonthetiofhershoe。
"Wassheverylikeme?
"sheasked,withanindifferencewhichIthoughtalittleoverdone。
"Solike,
"saidI,
"thatIgreatlyadmiredher,andbeingunwillingtolosesightofherIconfessthatIfollowedheruntil—MissMargovan,areyousurethatyouunderstand?
"
Shewasnowale,butentirelycalm。Sheagainraisedhereyestomine,withalookthatdidnotfalter。
"Whatdoyouwishmetodo?
"sheasked。
"YouneednotobservedanythingsingularinJuliasmanner。
"
"Ithoughtherill,
"Irelied,
"thatiswhyIleft。
"Nothingmorewassaid。