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〃But you are not an old woman； grandmother。〃
Nor was she。 In spite of her seventy…five years she stood erect at the
side of her grand… daughter。 Her abundant hair was partly gray； but the
gray mingled with the little oval of costly lace that lay upon it； and the
effect was soft and fair as powdering。 She had been very handsome； and
her beauty lingered as the beauty of some flowers linger； in fainter tints
and in less firm outlines； for she had never fallen from that 〃grace of God
vouchsafed to children；〃 and therefore she had kept not only the
enthusiasms of her youth； but that sweet promise of the 〃times of
restitution〃 when the child shall die one hundred years old； because the
child…heart shall be kept in all its freshness and trust。 Yes； in Rachel
Rawdon's heart the well… springs of love and life lay too deep for the frosts
of age to touch。 She would be eternally young before she grew old。
She sat down as Ethel spoke； and drew the girl to her side。 〃I hear your
friend is going to marry；〃 she said。
〃Dora？ Yes。〃
〃Are you sorry？〃
〃Perhaps not。 Dora has been a care to me for four years。 I hope her
husband may manage her as well as I have done。〃
〃Are you afraid he will not？〃
〃I cannot tell； grandmother。 I see all Dora's faults。 Mr。 Stanhope is
certain that she has no faults。 Hitherto she has had her own way in
everything。 Excepting myself； no one has ventured to contradict her。 But；
then； Dora is over head and ears in love； and love； it is said； makes all
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things easy to bear and to do。〃
〃One thing； girls； amazes meit is how readily women go to church
and promise to love； honor； and obey their husbands； when they never
intend to do anything of the kind。〃
〃There is a still more amazing thing； Madam；〃 answered Ruth； 〃that is
that men should be so foolish as to think； or hope； they perhaps might do
so。〃
〃Old…fashioned women used to manage it some way or other； Ruth。
But the old…fashioned woman was a very soft…hearted creature； and； maybe；
it was just as well that she was。〃
〃But Woman's Dark Ages are nearly over； Madam； and is not the New
Woman a great improvement on the Old Woman？〃
〃I haven't made up my mind yet； Ruth； about the New Woman。 I notice
one thing that a few of the new kind have got into their pretty heads； and
that is； that they ought to have been men； and they have followed up that
idea so far that there is now very little difference in their looks； and still
less in their walk； they go stamping along with the step of an athlete and
the stride of a peasant on fresh plowed fields。 It is the most hideous of
walks imaginable。 The Grecian bend； which you cannot remember； but
may have heard of； was a lackadaisical； vulgar walking fad； but it was
grace itself compared with the hideous stride which the New Woman has
acquired on the golf links or somewhere else。〃
〃But men stamp and stride in the same way； grandmother。〃
〃A long stride suits a man's anatomy well enough； it does not suit a
woman'sshe feels every stride she takes； I'll warrant her。〃
〃If she plays golf〃
〃My dear Ethel； there is no need for her to play golf。 It is a man's game
and was played for centuries by men only。 In Scotland； the home of golf； it
was not thought nice for women to even go to the links； because of the
awful language they were likely to hear。〃
〃Then； grandmother； is it not well for ladies to play golf if it keeps
men from using ‘awful language' to each other）〃
〃God love you； child！ Men will think what they dare not speak。〃
〃If we could only have some new men！〃 sighed Ethel。 〃The lover of
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to…day is just what a girl can pick up； he has no wit and no wisdom and no
illusions。 He talks of his muscles and smells of cigarettesperhaps of
whisky〃and at these words； Judge Rawdon； accompanied by Mr。 Fred
Mostyn； entered the room。
The introductions slipped over easily； they hardly seemed to be
necessary； and the young man took the chair offered as naturally as if he
had sat by the hearth all his life。 There was no pause and no
embarrassment and no useless polite platitudes； and Ethel's first feeling
about her kinsman was one of admiration for the perfect ease and almost
instinctive at…homeness with which he took his place。 He had come to his
own and his own had received him； that was the situation； a very pleasant
one； which he accepted with the smiling trust that was at once the most
perfect and polite of acknowledgments。
〃So you do not enjoy traveling？〃 said Judge Rawdon as if continuing a
conversation。
〃I think it the most painful way of taking pleasure； sirthat is the
actual transit。 And sleeping cars and electric…lighted steamers and hotels
do not mitigate the suffering。 If Dante was writing now he might depict a
constant round of personally conducted tours in Purgatory。 I should think
the punishment adequate for any offense。 But I like arriving at places。
New York has given me a lot of new sensations to…day； and I have
forgotten the transit troubles already。〃
He talked well and temperately； and yet Ethel could not avoid the
conclusion that he was a man of positive character and uncompromising
prejudices。 And she also felt a little disappointed in his personality； which
contradicted her ideal of a Yorkshire squire。 For he was small and slender
in stature； and his face was keen and thin； from the high cheek bones to
the sharp point of the clean… shaven chin。 Yet it was an interesting face； for
the brows were broad and the eyes bright and glancing。 That his nature
held the op… posite of his qualities was evident from the mouth； which was
composed and discreet and generally clothed with a frank smile； negatived
by the deep； sonorous voice which belongs to the indiscreet and
quarrelsome。 His dress was perfect。 Ethel could find no fault in it； except
the monocle which he did not use once during the evening； and which she
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therefore decided was a quite idle and unhandsome adjunct。
One feature of his character was definite he was a home…loving man。
He liked the society of women with whom he could be familiar； and he
preferred the company of books and music to fashionable social functions。
This pleasant habit of domesticity was illustrated during the evening by an
accidental incident a noisy； mechanical street organ stopped before the
windows； and in a blatant manner began its performance。 Conversation
was paralyzed by the intrusion and when it was removed Judge Rawdon
said： 〃What a democratic； leveling； aggressive thing music is！ It insists on
being heard。 It is always in the way； it thrusts itself upon you； whether you
want it or not。 Now art is different。 You go to see pictures when you wish
to。〃
Mostyn did not notice the criticism on music itself； but added in a soft；
disapproving way： 〃That man has no music in him。 Do you know that was
one of Mendelssohn's delicious dreams。 This is how it should have been
rendered；〃 and he went impulsively to the piano and then the sweet
monotonous cadences and melodious reveries slipped from his long white
fingers till the whole room was permeated with a delicious sense of
moonlit solitude and conversation was stilled in its languor。 The young
man had played his own dismissal； but it was an effective one； and he
complimented himself on his readiness to seize opportunities for display；
and on his genius in satisfying them。
〃I think I astonished them a little；〃 he mused； 〃and I wonder what that
pretty； cousin of mine thought of the music and the musician。 I fancy we
shall be good friends； she is proudth