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I dressed at George's； then； like one of those bewildering shifts of a
cinematograph； comes the scene in church； the glimpse of my mother's
wistful face in the front pew； and I found myself in front of the austere
Mr。 Doddridge standing beside Maudeor rather beside a woman I tried
hard to believe was Maudeso veiled and generally encased was she。 I
was thinking of this all the time I was mechanically answering Mr。
Doddridge； and even when the wedding march burst forth and I led her out
of the church。 It was as though they had done their best to disguise
her； to put our union on the other…worldly plane that was deemed to be
its only justification； to neutralize her sex at the very moment it
should have been most enhanced。 Well； they succeeded。 If I had not been
as conventional as the rest； I should have preferred to have run away
with her in the lavender dress she wore when I first proposed to her。 It
was only when we had got into the carriage and started for the house and
she turned to me her face from which the veil had been thrown back that I
realized what a sublime meaning it all had for her。 Her eyes were wet。
Once more I was acutely conscious of my inability to feel deeply at
supreme moments。 For months I had looked forward with anticipation and
impatience to my wedding…day。
I kissed her gently。 But I felt as though she had gone to heaven； and
that the face I beheld enshrouded were merely her effigy。 Commonplace
words were inappropriate； yet it was to these I resorted。
〃Wellit wasn't so bad after all！ Was it？〃
She smiled at me。
〃You don't want to take it back？〃
She shook her head。
〃I think it was a beautiful wedding； Hugh。 I'm so glad we had a good
day。〃。。。
She seemed shy； at once very near and very remote。 I held her hand
awkwardly until the carriage stopped。
A little later we were standing in a corner of the parlour； the
atmosphere of which was heavy with the scent of flowers； submitting to
the onslaught of relatives。 Then came the wedding breakfast： croquettes；
champagne； chicken salad； ice…cream； the wedding…cake； speeches and more
kisses。。。。 I remember Tom Peters holding on to both my hands。
〃Good…bye； and God bless you； old boy；〃 he was saying。 Susan； in view of
the occasion； had allowed him a little more champagne than usualenough
to betray his feelings； and I knew that these had not changed since our
college days。 I resolved to see more of him。 I had neglected him and
undervalued his loyalty。。。。 He had followed me to my room in George's
house where I was dressing for the journey； and he gave it as his
deliberate judgment that in Maude I had 〃struck gold。〃
〃She's just the girl for you； Hughie；〃 he declared。 〃Susan thinks so；
too。〃
Later in the afternoon； as we sat in the state…room of the car that was
bearing us eastward； Maude began to cry。 I sat looking at her
helplessly； unable to enter into her emotion； resenting it a little。 Yet
I tried awkwardly to comfort her。
〃I can't bear to leave them；〃 she said。
〃But you will see them often； when we come back；〃 I reassured her。 It
was scarcely the moment for reminding her of what she was getting in
return。 This peculiar family affection she evinced was beyond me； I had
never experienced it in any poignant degree since I had gone as a
freshman to Harvard； and yet I was struck by the fact that her emotions
were so rightly placed。 It was natural to love one's family。 I began to
feel； vaguely； as I watched her； that the new relationship into which I
had entered was to be much more complicated than I had imagined。
Twilight was coming on； the train was winding through the mountain
passes； crossing and re…crossing a swift little stream whose banks were
massed with alder； here and there； on the steep hillsides； blazed the
goldenrod。。。。 Presently I turned； to surprise in her eyes a wide；
questioning look；the look of a child。 Even in this irrevocable hour
she sought to grasp what manner of being was this to whom she had
confided her life； and with whom she was faring forth into the unknown。
The experience was utterly unlike my anticipation。 Yet I responded。 The
kiss I gave her had no passion in it。
〃I'll take good care of you； Maude；〃 I said。
Suddenly； in the fading light； she flung her arms around me； pressing me
tightly； desperately。
〃Oh； I know you will； Hugh； dear。 And you'll forgive me； won't you； for
being so horrid to…day； of all days？ I do love you！〃
Neither of us had ever been abroad。 And although it was before the days
of swimming…pools and gymnasiums and a la carte cafes on ocean liners；
the Atlantic was imposing enough。 Maude had a more lasting capacity for
pleasure than I； a keener enjoyment of new experiences； and as she lay
beside me in the steamer…chair where I had carefully tucked her she would
exclaim：
〃I simply can't believe it； Hugh！ It seems so unreal。 I'm sure I shall
wake up and find myself back in Elkington。〃
〃Don't speak so loud； my dear；〃 I cautioned her。 There were some very
formal…looking New Yorkers next us。
〃No； I won't；〃 she whispered。 〃But I'm so happy I feel as though I
should like to tell everyone。〃
〃There's no need；〃 I answered smiling。
〃Oh； Hugh； I don't want to disgrace you！〃 she exclaimed； in real alarm。
〃Otherwise； so far as I am concerned； I shouldn't care who knew。〃
People smiled at her。 Women came up and took her hands。 And on the
fourth day the formidable New Yorkers unexpectedly thawed。
I had once thought of Maude as plastic。 Then I had discovered she had a
mind and will of her own。 Once more she seemed plastic； her love had
made her so。 Was it not what I had desired？ I had only to express a
wish； and it became her law。 Nay； she appealed to me many times a day to
know whether she had made any mistakes； and I began to drill her in my
silly traditions；gently； very gently。
〃Well； I shouldn't be quite so familiar with people； quite so ready to
make acquaintances； Maude。 You have no idea who they may be。 Some of
them； of course； like the Sardells； I know by reputation。〃
The Sardells were the New Yorkers who sat next us。
〃I'll try； Hugh； to be more reserved； more like the wife of an important
man。〃 She smiled。
〃It isn't that you're not reserved；〃 I replied； ignoring the latter half
of her remark。 〃Nor that I want you to change；〃 I said。 〃I only want to
teach you what little of the world I know myself。〃
〃And I want to learn； Hugh。 You don't know how I want to learn！〃
The sight of mist…ridden Liverpool is not a cheering one for the American
who first puts foot on the mother country's soil； a Liverpool of yellow…
browns and dingy blacks； of tilted funnels pouring out smoke into an
atmosphere already charged with it。 The long wharves and shed roofs
glistened with moisture。
〃Just think； Hugh； it's actually England！〃 she cried； as we stood on the
wet deck。 But I felt as though I'd been there before。
〃No wonder they're addicted to cold baths；〃 I replied。 〃They must feel
perfectly at home in them； especially if they put a little lampblack in
the water。〃
Maude laughed。
〃You grumpy old thing！〃 she exclaimed。
Nothing could dampen her ardour； not the sight of the rain…soaked stone
houses when we got ashore； nor even the frigid luncheon we ate in the
lugubrious hotel。 For her it was all quaint and new。 Finally we found
ourselves established in a compartment upholstered in light grey； with
tassels and arm…supporters； on the window of which was pasted a poster
with the word reserved in large； red letters。 The guard inquired
respectfully； as the porter put our new luggage in the racks； whether we
had everything we wanted。 The toy locomotive blew its toy whistle； and
we were off for the north； past dingy； yellow tenements of the smoking
factory towns； and stretches of orderly； hedge…spaced rain…swept country。
The quaint cottages we glimpsed； the sight of distant； stately mansions
on green slopes caused Maude to cry out with rapture：
〃Oh； Hugh； there's a manor…house！〃
More vivid than were the experiences themselves of that journey are the
memories of them。 We went to windswept； Sabbath…keeping Edinburgh； to
high Stirling and dark Holyrood； and to Abbotsford。 It was through Sir
Walter's eyes we beheld Melrose bathed in autumn light； by his aid
repeopled it with forgotten monks eating their fast…day kale。
And as we sat reading and dreaming in the still； sunny corners I forgot；
that struggle for power in which I had been so furiously engaged since
leaving Cambridge。 Legislatures； politicians and capitalists receded
into a dim background； and the gift I had possessed； in youth； of living
in a realm of fancy showed astonishing signs of revival。
〃Why； Hugh；〃 Maude exclaimed； 〃you ought to have been a writer！〃
〃You've only just begun to fathom my talents；〃 I replied laughingly。
〃Did you think you'd married just a dry old lawyer？〃
〃I believe you capable of anything；〃 she said。。。。
I grew more and more to depend on her for little things。
She was a born housewife。 It was pleasant to have her do all the
packing； while I read or sauntered in the queer streets about the inns。
And she took complete