The Adventures of a Widow

n her way of referring to the proposed visit. He thought he had never seen her look more attractive than when she received him, already wrapped in a fle

; my men would not presume to be a minute late this evening. The footman must have detected in my manner a great seriousness w

uttered," said Kindelon, i

ss. "I am going to have a fresh, genuine sensation. I am going to emancipate myself-to break my tether, as it were.

uoyant enough, yet always in the same key. He was not sure whether or no her sparkling manner had a certain sincere trepidation behind it. Now and th

y said, while the vehicle rolled them along the wintry, lamplit str

she echoed, with

. You can't think that any human classes are so sharply divi

ight cast an evanescent gleam upon it he thought that he detected something like a look of delica

verybody else disappoints

faltered, in the tone of

" she continued, after a little laugh that was merry, though faint, "I have forgotten nothing. I've a great curiosity to see this young art

nvisible face lent a greater force. "Is it because you think that I like Cora D

ed his words, and then she suddenly responded,

Of course I suppose that you like her. And of

e," she went on, with so altered a voice that her listener felt as if she had indeed been masquerading through some caprice best known to herself, and now chose once and for all to drop masque and cloak. "I really expect a most novel and entertaining experience to-night. You say that I have met all sorts of people

ve all the people whom y

in a tone of p

me nervous fear. Your expe

mness. "Oh, you will find me more

judgments of the fashionable throng. It strikes me that you are a rigid critic of nearly everybody. How can I tell that you will not

ine, in offended reply, "that most

yes, all sort

two or three sorts.-Oh, you need not be afraid that I shall become bored. No, indeed! On the contrary, I expect to

said Kindelon, with

she questioned, on

cordially like you. I don't think it has ever dawned upon me until lately how different you are from these persons whom you wish to make your allies and supporters. That night, when I went into your aunt's opera-box, I had a very slight understanding of the matter. I've always scoffed at the idea of a New York aristocracy. It seemed so absurd, so self-contradictory. And if it existed at all, I've always told myself, it must be the merest nonsensical sham. But now I begin to recogni

literary society of New York." She paused for a moment, and there was a rebuking solemnity in her voice as