The Europeans

d, was not a reason for rejoicing. She had but a limited confidence in her brother's judgment; his capacity for taking rose-colored views was such as to vulgarize one of the prettiest of tints. Sti

en away some

laimed. "They took me to their hea

to say: they are a c

. "They are a collect

emarked the Baroness.

hing you

that is hardly more definite. Seri

een so lionized! I assure you, I was cock of the walk. My dear sister," sa

ht responsive spark. She touched her lips to a glass of wi

lace, and yet not far from here. Only, such a road, my dear! Imagine one of the Alpine glaciers reprod

"they want me to come and

e's a big wooden house-a kind of three-story bungalow; it looks like a magnified Nuremberg toy. There was a gentleman the

s it elegant?" as

, no gilding, no troops of servants; rather straight-backed chairs. B

And the inhabitants are str

id Felix, "the inhab

hat s

escribe it? It's primitive; it's patria

den but their ton? Are the

hall I call it?-for the senses; but a great aisance, and a lot of money, out of sight, that comes forward very quietly for

adame Münster demanded

o, Charlotte

hey pr

them," s

h is

looking at his sister. "Ch

e in love with Gertrude. They must be Purit

or some depressing expectation. It's not the epicurean temperament. My uncle, Mr. Wentworth, is a tremendously high-toned old fellow; he looks as if he were undergoing martyrdom, not by fire, but by freezing. B

we to be shut up to these three people, Mr. Wentworth and the two

theirs, a very pretty creature; a thorough little

are coming to the gentlemen.

aid he ge

epicurean temperame

tastes. And then there is Mr. Brand-a very tall young man, a sort of lay-prie

s, "between these extremes-this mysteriou

said the young man, with a nod at his

tidious," said the Baroness.

ou. He is a man of the wo

ugh. "A man of the Chinese worl

he brought home a f

esting. Is he young,

says witty things. I rather think," added the youn

d take things; but shortly afterwards she declared that he had made a very

ixed with his new friends the hour at which he should bring his sister; it was four o'clock in the afternoon. The large, clean-faced house wore, to his eyes, as the barouche drove up to it, a very friendly aspect; the high, slender elms made lengthening shadows in front of it. The Baroness descended; her American kinsfolk were stationed in the portico. Felix waved his hat to them, and a tall, lean gentleman, with a high forehead and a clean shaven face, came forward toward the garden gate. Charlotte Wentworth walked at his side. Gertrude came behind, more slowly. Both of these young ladies wore rustling silk dresses. Felix ushered his sister into the gate. "Be very

so distinguished and so unhappy. Felix had observed on the day before his characteristic pallor; and now he perceived that there was something almost cadaverous in his uncle's high-featured white face. But so clever were this young man's quick sympathies and perceptions that he already learned that in these semi-mo

oking at him with her ugly face and her beautifu

his own father's daughter. The idea that his niece should be a German Baroness, married "morganatically" to a Prince, had already given him much to think about. Was it right, was it just, was it acceptable? He always slept badly, and the night before he had lain awake much more even than usual, asking himself these questions. The strange word "morganatic" was constantly in his ears; it reminded him of a certain Mrs. Morgan whom he had once known and who

ficent smile, had been talking to her; he had greeted her as a very old friend. When she kissed the Baroness she had tears in her eyes. Madame Münster took each of these young women by the hand, and looked at them all over. Charlotte thought her very strange-looking and singula

compliment that pleased her; she did not believe it; she thought herself very plain. She could hardly have told you the source of her satisfaction; it came from something in the way the Baro

have some other childr

," Mr. Wentwo

e?" Eugenia cried. "I am afraid he

ll see about it," t

id of ladies," Cha

e," said Gertrude,

ffered it to her, and who, as they walked toward the house, wondered whether he ought to have offered it and whether it was proper for her to

know each other," Mr. Wentworth r

irresistibly, to one's natural ties-to one's natural

iant, and the information had held him in some suspense. This was the cleverness, he suppose

ent on; "such lilies and roses?" The roses in poor Charlotte's countenance began speedily to predominate over the lilies, and she quickened her step and reached the portico. "This is the country of complexions

this country is superior in many respects to thos

better, after all, this way," she said. They were entering the house; she paused and looked r

ed Mr. Wentworth. "General Wash

on," cried the Baroness. "My

t, and then, "I found he was ver

e and he had changed everything; the others had seen him, they had talked with him; but that he should come again, that he should be part of the future, part of her small, familiar, much-meditating l

n't tell yet. She seems to me like a singer singi

" exclaimed the young man, laughi

rs, and which the younger Miss Wentworth had always greatly admired. But the Baroness was not at all like that-not at all. Though different, however, she was very wonderful, and Gertrude felt herself most suggestively corrected.

ome great friends," Felix declared, as if

r the Baroness, suspended to her father's arm. It w

ttle cousin, of yesterday," he said, "who was

her duty to take him straight into the house, to where he might be near her cousin. But aft

"You didn't know, then, the impression m

her cousin Lizzie had made. "Well," she said,

id you think wou

I thought you w

I melt very often," said Felix, "but

he others did," Gertrude went on. "But if you had

ooking at her, "that you wo

a little, and shoo

young man. "You deserve tha

foot to the other-a slim, mild-faced young man, with neatly-arranged features, like those of Mr. Wentworth. Two other gentlemen, behind him, had risen from their seats, and a little apart, ne

name?" said Eugenia, s

ntworth, ma'am," he sai

Mr. Clifford Wentworth?" the Barone

want me," said the young

o the other persons present. It rested first upon the candid countenance and long-skirted figure of Mr. Brand, whose eyes were intently fixed upon Mr. Wentworth, as i

ets; and when Eugenia looked at him he took them out. But he did not, like Mr. Brand, look evasively and urgently at their host. He met Eugenia's eyes; he appeared to appreciate the privilege of meeting them. Madame Münster instantly felt that

ot mine?" said

on you," Mr. Acton

r behavior," she said. "I think I had better wait. I have cousins enough. Unless I can also claim rela

t, apparently, that she needed much leading. She came toward the Baroness with a light, quick step, and with perfect self-

ther type," she said; she pronounced the word in the French manner. "This is a different outline, my uncle, a different character,

at everyone in turn, and at Felix out of turn. "I find onl

ectation, of modesty. They were all standing round his sister, as if they were expecting her to acquit herself of the exhibition of some peculiar faculty, some brilliant talent. Their attitude seemed to imply that she was a kind of conversational mountebank, attir

hey are always dropping in a

" And she turned her sweet, serious face, that seemed at once timid and

aid the Baroness, smiling. "

you will let me. You mus

harming-very charming," she said; and her eyes wandered over the company, over the room. She wished to gain time before committing herself. Her glance fell upon young Mr. Brand, who st

ter," answered

ant?" aske

madam," replied Mr.

omething new." She had never

h, and Gertrude looked

very far," said

with a graceful shake of her head-a shake t

tworth, with that dryness of utterance which, as Eugenia was too int

image of her mother. Eugenia was a woman of sudden emotions, and now, unexpectedly, she felt one rising in her heart. She kept

luminous interior, the gentle, tranquil people, the simple, serious life-the sense of these things pressed upon her with an overmastering force,

niece," said Mr. Wentworth, softly. And Charlotte put out her arms and drew the Barones