The Europeans

he had become for the time the pivot and the centre. I am afraid it must be confessed that he was a decidedly flattering painter, and that he imparted to h

the studio which he had extemporized in the little house among the apple trees. The grave gentleman felt himself more and more fascinated by his clever nephew, whose fresh, demonstrative youth seemed a compendium of experiences so strangely numerous. It appeared to him that Felix must know a great deal; he would like to learn what he thought about some of those things as regards which his own conversation had always been formal, but his knowledge vague. Felix had a confident, gayly trenchant way of judging human actions which Mr. Wentworth grew little by little to envy; it seemed like criticism made easy. Forming an opinion-

ing in the United States?" he asked one morn

rather, I know what you think, for I don't think you will say it-that this is very frivolous and loose-minded on my part. So it is; but I am made like that; I take things as they come, and somehow there is always some new thing to follow the la

and resume your irregular manner

pend a good deal upon my sister. She's even more of a European than I; here, you know, she's a picture out of her setting. And as fo

Mr. Wentworth, wi

aternizing with Charlotte and Gertrude; calling upon twenty young ladies and going out to walk with them; s

" said Mr. Wentworth; "but I see no

like it if it were improper. I assure you I don't like improper thi

er accused

because, you see, at bottom

?" repeated M

nd Felix continued, "I trust I shall enjoy a venerable and venerated old age. I mean to live long. I can hardly call

rolong an agreeable life. We have perhaps a selfish indisposition to bring o

ous of a luxurious preference for the society-if possible unshared with others-of Gertrude Wentworth; but he had relegated this young lady, for the moment, to the coldly brilliant category of unattainable possessions. She was not the first woman for whom he had entertained an unpractical admiration. He had been in love with duchesses and countesses, and he had made, once or twice, a perilously near approach to cynicism in declaring that the disinterestedness of women had been overrated. On the whole, he had tempered audacity with modesty; and it is but fair to him now to say explicitly that he would have be

id Mr. Wentworth presently, "it

brush, he looked at his uncle with a smile. "There is

I am very safe; I don't repeat things." B

aughing at

e happy. I don't think you know yourself,

y dignity that suddenly touched his nephew: "We may

ned. "I didn't suppose it, and I didn't mean to allude to

ves? We are n

e. I was saying that the other day to Gertrude

ix would have thought him capable of, "it was but your way of

th some spirit; "before I knew better

ence more expressive than a deep-drawn sig

, "that your charming young peop

tworth continued, "I don't speak of Gertrude. But I feel consi

oung man of remarkable discretion. Indeed, he is only too discreet; he seems on his guard against me-as if he thought me rather light company. The other day he told his siste

tter," said Mr. Wentworth. "It is very

is love affair

s absence from college. He has been suspended. We h

d?" Felix

himself for six months. Meanwhile he is studying with Mr. Br

He was too fond of pleasure? Mr. Brand certa

ch he should not have been fond. I s

is there any doubt about its being a pleasur

it was a vice of later li

lifted eyebrows, and then, "Of what a

on in which Cli

found-he w

caught. He couldn't

I observed the first day I came here. I quite agree with you that it i

," Mr. Wentworth went on. "He has talked to him fro

will talk to him!" F

him?" asked his uncle,

othing. "Do you mean to marry him

rth. "I shouldn't think his co

rstanding, then,

blankly. "I have never disc

d Felix. "Lizzie Acton is admirably pr

r. Wentworth. "I have no reaso

e, Clifford, as I say, is a charming boy. He is incapable of t

, with a vague sense of jealousy being a

looked with bright communicativeness at his uncle. "You see, I believe greatly in the influence of women. Living with women helps to make a man a gentleman. It is very true Cliffo

ked to him, reasoned with

Clifford ought to frequent some agreeable woman, who, without ever mentioning such unsavory subjects, would give him a sense of its be

should you suggest?"

r woman under you

r my hand?" Mr. W

r two or three times to drive. But I don't think he comes to see her. Give him a hint to com

"You think she will exerc

ays does-especially if she is a little of a coquette. My dear uncle, the society of such women has been

oughtful. "You think Eugen

did not think his niece pretty. "With Clifford," the young man pursued, "Eugenia will simply be enough of a coquette to be a li

t I am to suggest to my son to make a-a pr

ssion!" cried Fel

d it, Madame Münster

f course she can't marry him.

nk," he said, "that I can undertake to recommend my son any such course." And without meeti

es and geraniums, wore a conversational smile. Felix, standing on the threshold of the cottage, hesitated for a moment as to whether he should retrace his steps and enter the parlor. Then he went his way and passed into Mr. Wentworth's garden. That civilizing process to which he had suggested that Clifford should be subjected appeared to have come on of itself. Felix was very sure, at least, that Mr. Wentworth had not adopted his ingenious device for stimulating the young man's aesthetic consciousness. "Doubtless he supposes," he said to himself, after the conversation that has been narrated, "that I desire, out of fraternal benevolence, to procure for Eugenia the amusement of a flirtation-or, as he probably calls it, an intrigue-with the too

n-a substitute for a brandy bottle, eh?" asked the Baro

uneasy. "What if Eugenia-what if Eugenia"-he asked himself softly; the question dying away in his sense of Eugenia's undetermined capacity. But before Felix had time either to accept or to reject its admonition, even in this vague form, he saw Robert Acton turn out of Mr. Wentworth's enclosure, by a distant gate, and come tow

t; then, without saying anything, she turned away. But she soon reappeared below in one of those quaint and charming Leghorn hats, tied with white satin bows, that were worn at that period; she also carried a green parasol. She went with him to the edge of the lake, where a couple of boats were always moored; they got into one of them, and Felix, with gentle strokes, propelled it to the opposite shore. The day was the perfection of summer weather; the little lake was the color of sunshine; the plash of the oars was the only sound, and t

ay?" said Gertrud

s begin to fall. You kno

ter prospect, and then, after a pause,

"We shall probably bot

never hear of you," she went on. "I shall know nothing about you

, unfortunately," said Felix.

shall not answer you

se burn your lett

n. "Burn my letters? You so

young man answered. "They are only strange

was interested in her earnestness; for some moments he hesitated. "You can't tell me that," sh

ters," said Felix, pre

ched themselves; and the light grew deeper in the western sky. Two persons appeared on the opposite side of the lake, coming from the house and crossing the meadow. "It is Charlotte and Mr. Brand," said Gertrude. "They are coming over here." But Charlotte and Mr. Brand only came do

, looking at me. Sometimes he looks away. Your father tells me he is so eloquent; and I should like to hear him talk. He

lliant imagery. I have heard him talk a great deal. I kn

as they say, to your sister

y, "they have no such reaso

o Charlotte?" Felix inquired. "She

scussing. Mr. Brand and Charlotte were walking side by side. They might have been a pa

ght you didn't h

ere are a great many thin

s an elder sister and a clergyman, are free to walk about together, come over and

thing they would d

gures of this critical pair. "You may say what you please," he declared; "it is evident to me that your sister is not indifferent to her clever com

ed rather in another direction. Felix's words had struck her; but a certain delicacy check

one side. Gertrude turned her back to the opposite shore; it was disagreeable to her to look, but

is not in love with him," she sa

of her kind. She reminds me of a pair of old-fashioned silver sugar-tongs; you know I am very fo

a great resolution. "She wants him to marry

u! Ah, ah, this is interesting. And you think one mu

e pale, but she went on, "M

at her. "I see-I see," he said quickly.

of it even now. I wished simply t

h to marry Mr.

d Gertrud

your fathe

y mu

like him-you ha

wish to m

sister think yo

re are good reasons. I can't explain it. They think

ry about someone else. "I can't tell you how this interests me," h

d she picked up her parasol and tur

ing with her: "are you likely to

e had constantly worn, in opposition to his almost e

r," he then resumed; "but do you know, I am not altogether glad? If it were settled that you were to marry Mr. Brand I should take a certain comfort

eplied Gertrude qu

; I haven't a penny. Mr. Brand, of

property; but that has

and sister it must have. So, as I say, if thi

rtrude repeated. "Ple

saying now," he went on. "I could tell you how much I admire you, without seeming to pretend to that which I have no right to p

another man? That is strange

ou would not ta

Gertrude. And without his help s

ing about? It seemed to me you had something on your mind. I wish very much," he

ons," said Gertrude, looking at the

a handsome girl has had a spark

t's not that. I ha

t troubles you, at a

it used to," G

le of which she had just told him. Felix felt, at all times, much the same impulse to dissipate visible melancholy that a good housewife feels to brush away dust. There was something he wished

of something; so that, raising her eyes toward him, she tried intently, for some moments, to conjure up this wonderful image of a love-affair between her own sister and her own suit

arry? Try and make th

nd mak

they will leave you alone. I

sting proposed to her before. Felix had begun to row again, and he now sent the boat home wit

ill make them happy; it will make everyone happy. We

would make me hap

Brand, eh? To rec

To see my sister marr

afraid, here, of being selfish. I don't think you know how," he went on. "Let me show you! It will make me happy for myself, a

ean anything," said Gertru

a license to say everythi