THE next day after lunch Ethel said she was going to walk down to Gramercy Park and spend an hour or two with her grandmother, and "Will you send the carriage for me at five o'clock?" she asked.
"Your father has ordered the carriage to be at the Holland House at five o'clock. It can call for you first, and then go to the Holland House. But do not keep your father waiting. If he is not at the entrance give your card to the outside porter; he will have it sent up to Fred's apartments.""Then father is calling on Fred? What for? Is he sick?""Oh, no, business of some kind. I hope you will have a pleasant walk.""There is no doubt of it."
Indeed, she was radiant with its exhilaration when she reached Gramercy Park. As she ran up the steps of the big, old-fashioned house she saw Madam at the window picking up some dropped stitches in her knitting.
Madam saw her at the same moment, and the old face and the young face both alike kindled with love, as well as with happy anticipation of coveted intercourse.
"I am so glad to see you, darling Granny.
I could not wait until to-morrow."
"And why should you, child? I have been watching for you all morning. I want to hear about the Denning dinner. I suppose you went?""Yes, we went; we had to. Dinners in strange houses are a common calamity; Ican't expect to be spared what everyone has to endure.""Don't be affected, Ethel. You like going out to dinner. Of course, you do! It is only natural, considering.""I don't, Granny. I like dances and theaters and operas, but I don't like dinners.
However, the Denning dinner was a grand exception. It gave me and the others a sensation.""I expected that."
"It was beautifully ordered. Major-domo Parkinson saw to that. If he had arranged it for his late employer, the Duke of Richmond, it could not have been finer. There was not a break anywhere.""How many were present?"
"Just a dozen."
"Mr. Denning and Bryce, of course.
Who were the others?"
"Mr. Stanhope, of course. Granny, he wore his clerical dress. It made him look so remarkable.""He did right. A clergyman ought to look different from other men. I do not believe Basil Stanhope, having assumed the dress of a servant of God, would put it off one hour for any social exigency. Why should he? It is a grander attire than any military or naval uniform, and no court dress is comparable, for it is the court dress of the King of kings.""All right, dear Granny; you always make things clear to me, yet I meet lots of clergymen in evening dress.""Then they ought not to be clergymen.
They ought not to wear coats in which they can hold any kind of opinions. Who was your companion?""Jamie Sayer."
"I never heard of the man."
"He is an artist, and is painting Dora's likeness. He is getting on now, but in the past, like all artists, he has suffered a deal.""God's will be done. Let them suffer.
It is good for genius to suffer. Is he in love with you?""Gracious, Granny! His head is so full of pictures that no woman could find room there, and if one did, the next new picture would crowd her out.""End that story, it is long enough."
"Do you know Miss Ullman?"
"I have heard of her. Who has not?"
"She has Bryce Denning on trial now.
If he marries her I shall pity him."
"Pity him! Not I, indeed! He would have his just reward. Like to like, and Amen to it.""Then there was Claudine Jeffrys, looking quite ethereal, but very lovely.""I know. Her lover was killed in Cuba, and she has been the type of faithful grief ever since. She looks it and dresses it to perfection.""And feels it?"
"Perhaps she does. I am not skilled in the feelings of pensive, heart-broken maidens.
But her case is a very common one. Lovers are nowhere against husbands, yet how many thousands of good women lose their husbands every year? If they are poor, they have to hide their grief and work for them-selves and their families; if they are rich, very few people believe that they are really sorry to be widows. Are any poor creatures more jeered at than widows? No man believes they are grieving for the loss of their husbands. Then why should they all sympathize with Claudine about the loss of a lover?""Perhaps lovers are nicer than husbands."
"Pretty much all alike. I have known a few good husbands. Your grandfather was one, your father another. But you have said nothing about Fred. Did he look handsome?
Did he make a sensation? Was he a cousin to be proud of?""Indeed, Granny, Fred was the whole party. He is not naturally handsome, but he has distinction, and he was well-dressed. And I never heard anyone talk as he did. He told the most delightful stories, he was full of mimicry and wit, and said things that brought everyone into the merry talk; and I am sure he charmed and astonished the whole party.
