The Europeans

d for the moment as quickly leaped into summer. This was an observation made by a young girl who came out of a l

fair and perfectly straight; her eyes were dark, and they had the singularity of seeming at once dull and restless-differing herein, as you see, fatally from the ideal "fine eyes," which we always imagine to be both brilliant and tranquil. The doors and windows of the large square house were all wide open, to admit the purifying sunshine, which lay in generous patches upon the floor of a wide, high, covered piazza adjusted to two sides of the mansion-a piazza on which several straw-bottomed rocking-chairs and half a dozen of those small cylindrical stools in green and blue porcelain, which suggest an affiliation between the residents and the Eastern trade, were symmetrically disposed. It was an ancient house-ancient in the sense of being eighty years old; it was built of wood, painted a clean, clear, faded gray, and adorned along the front, at intervals, with flat wooden pila

s also thin and pale; but she was older than the other; she was shorter; she had dark, smooth hair. Her eyes, unlike the other's, were quick and bright; but they were not at al

re you very sure you had

prig from a lilac-bush, smelled it and threw it aw

ween the long banks of fir trees. Then she said in a very soft voice, "This is the key of

g?" Gertrude demanded. "I sha

come," said h

mean Mr.

He may like a

eating cake!" Gertrude declared,

on the ground. "I think father expected you would c

ve a bad

d the elder lady, looking

" said the youn

yes to her companion's face. "I a

ays feel," Gertrude re

ly she looked down at the front of her dress. "Doesn't it se

looking at the scarf. "I don't t

ld I wear

draw it differently over your shoulders, round

look?" Charl

lucking out the scarf a little behind. "I could

m her companion's touch. "Well, some day you must do it for me. It doesn't mat

hen you don't know who may be observing you. You a

reme gravity. "I don't think one should ever

Then she said, "Well, perh

and then kissed her. "I hope you

I am very well!

e gate Charlotte met a young man, who was coming in-a tall, fair young man, wearing a high hat and a pair of threa

r sister was not going to

e. I think if you were to talk to her a little".... And Cha

all be very glad to talk to her. For that I should be willing to abs

, as if positive acceptance of this proposition mi

e a pleasant sermon,

leasant," Charlotte answere

ead as he approached. Then he put on his hat again and held out his hand. His hat being removed, you would have perceived that his forehead was very large and smooth, and his hair abundant but rather colorless. His nose was too large, and his mouth and eyes were too small; but for all th

to church," he said. "I

you," Gertrude answered.

held her hand a moment. "Have you

and," said t

ask wha

here was a certain dullness. But mingled with this dullness was som

ave heard of young ladies staying at home for bad weather, but never for good

I am never

r. Brand, as if he thought this a

I am sometimes wicked. When I am wicked I am in

d you do

that puzzled

t, Miss Gertrude?"

again. "Because t

hat puzzle me," M

d Gertrude. "But people puzzle me more

resting," Mr. Bran

about my-my struggles,"

them. I have so m

and then, turning back, "You ha

an urged, "that I have

him a moment. "Plea

taking off his hat; "all alone i

sky to which she had referred as a pretext for her irregularities. "That's the

n I come back?"

ill disposed,"

re wicked," he said, "but y

ds to her ears. He looked at her a mome

h thin-legged mahogany furniture, and, on the walls, with old-fashioned engravings, chiefly of scriptural subjects, hung very high. This agreeable sense of solitude, of having the house to herself, of which I have spoken, always excited Gertrude's imagination; she could not have told you why, and neither can her humble historian. It always seemed to her that she must do something particular-that she must honor the occasion; and while she roamed about, wondering what she could do, the occasion usually came to an end. Today she wondered more than ever. At last she took down a book; there was no library in the house, but there were books in all the rooms. None of them were forbidden books, and Gertrude had not stopped at home for the sake of a chance to climb to the inaccessible shelves. She possessed herse

erious visitor, at last, "whether I have

e Wentworth," murmu

honor-the pleasure-o

tion that this announcement seemed to complete his u

eem to you very strange," he said. There was, after all, something substantial in his laughter. Gertrude looked at him from head to foot. Yes, he was remarkably hand

one to church,"

oung man exclaimed. "But I ho

me who you are,"

expected the servant would take in my card, and that you would put

the result seemed an answer-a wondrous, delightful answer-to her vague wish tha

You have heard of us, t

said Gertrude, "that we

wanted to see us?"

a moment. "I have

ou I have found. We wante

se?" aske

ound as if we should bore you?" he added. "I don't think we shall-I really don't t

have just

o have heard of him. I determined to come, without ceremony. So, this lovely morning, they set my face in the right direction, and told me to wal

igner, and she had often thought it would be delightful to do so. Here was one who had suddenly been engendered by the Sabbath stillness for her private use; and such a brilliant, polite, smiling one! She found time and m

then?" asked the young man

and then, "We are not

They gave her something of a sensation. Her companion followed her, watching, with a certain excitement of his own, this tall, interesting-looking girl, dressed in her clear

high, clean, rather empty-looking room. Here they stood looking at each other,

am called Felix Young. Your father is my uncle.

d she turned Roman Cathol

er's family didn't like her husband. They called him a foreigner; but he w

?" Gertrud

ey had spent their lives in Europe. But

Sicilian,"

t a little place-a dear little place-i

French," s

re fixed upon him almost insistently. He began to laugh

gner of some sor

e have ever had occasion to settle the question. You know there are people lik

o sit down. She had never heard of people like that;

e a little long soft exhalation. It made the young man smile at her again; and his smile made her blush a little. To take refuge from blushing she asked him if, after his long walk, he was not hungry or thirsty.

turned and smiled at her, as if they had been old friends meeting after a separation. "You wait upon me yourself?" he asked. "I am served like the gods!" She had waited upon a great many people, but none of them had ever told her that. The observation added a certain lightness to the step with which she went to a little table where there were some curious red glasses-glasses covered with little gold sprigs, which Charlotte used to dust every morning with her own hands. Gertrude thought the glasses very

"At two o'clock. They will all have come b

asked the young man.

It is you that must tell m

e Baroness Münst

walked about slowly, in front of him. She was silent a moment

she is in Bosto

e her," said Gertr

e sends you her love; she sent me to announce her.

the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon, to pay her "respects" to quiet Mr. Wentworth-such a personage presented herself to Gertrude'

row. She is very impatient," answere

re about her; but she hardly knew what could be pred

bright, expressive eyes. "She is married to a German prince-Prince Adolf, of Sil

r lips were slightly parted. "Is sh

er position is rather a singular

re new names and new w

could do. Now they want to dissolve the marriage. Prince Adolf, between ourselves, is a ninny; but his brother, who is a clever man, has plans for him. Eugenia, naturally enough

seemed also to convey a certain flattery to herself, a recognition of her wisdom and dignity. She felt a dozen impressions

t app

ainst h

st her

ery unhappy!"

e back of his head and held it there a moment. "So she says,

ore," said

that to her; she

again. "Well, if she is unhappy," sh

ere all coming back from church-her father, her sister and brother, and their cousins, who always came to dinner on Sunday. Mr. Brand had come in first; he was in advance of the others, because, apparently, he was stil

cousin?"

ympathy, her lips, were full of all that he had been telling her. "Thi

aring, while the others, who had passed into the