an end to everything。 And that is what I did； and I shall always think
Idid rightand〃
The rest was lost in Agatha's handkerchief； which she put up to her eyes。
Mrs。 March watched her from her pillow keeping the girl's unoccupied hand
in her own； and softly pressing it till the storm was past sufficiently
to allow her to be heard。
Then she said； 〃Men are very strangethe best of them。 And from the
very fact that he was disappointed； he would be all the more apt to rush
into a flirtation with somebody else。〃
Miss Triscoe took down her handkerchief from a face that had certainly
not been beautified by grief。 〃I didn't blame him for the flirting； or
not so much。 It was his keeping it from me afterwards。 He ought to have
told me the very first instant we were engaged。 But he didn't。 He let
it go on； and if I hadn't happened on that bouquet I might never have
known anything about it。 That is what I mean bya false nature。
I wouldn't have minded his deceiving me； but to let me deceive myself
Oh； it was too much！〃
Agatha hid her face in her handkerchief again。 She was perching on the
edge of the berth； and Mrs。 March said； with a glance； which she did not
see； toward the sofa； 〃I'm afraid that's rather a hard seat for you。
〃Oh； no； thank you！ I'm perfectly comfortableI like itif you don't
mind？〃
Mrs。 March pressed her hand for answer； and after another little delay；
sighed and said； 〃They are not like us； and we cannot help it。 They are
more temporizing。〃
〃How do you mean？〃 Agatha unmasked again。
〃They can bear to keep things better than we can； and they trust to time
to bring them right； or to come right of themselves。〃
〃I don't think Mr。 March would trust things to come right of themselves！〃
said Agatha in indignant accusal of Mrs。 March's sincerity。
〃Ah； that's just what he would do； my dear； and has done； all along； and
I don't believe we could have lived through without it： we should have
quarrelled ourselves into the grave！〃
〃Mrs。 March！〃
〃Yes； indeed。 I don't mean that he would ever deceive me。 But he would
let things go on； and hope that somehow they would come right without any
fuss。〃
〃Do you mean that he would let anybody deceive themselves？〃
〃I'm afraid he wouldif he thought it would come right。 It used to be a
terrible trial to me； and it is yet； at times when I don't remember that
he means nothing but good and kindness by it。 Only the other day in
Ansbachhow long ago it seems！he let a poor old woman give him her
son's address in Jersey City； and allowed her to believe he would look
him up when we got back and tell him we had seen her。 I don't believe；
unless I keep right round after him； as we say in New England； that he'll
ever go near the man。〃
Agatha looked daunted； but she said； 〃That is a very different thing。〃
〃It isn't a different kind of thing。 And it shows what men are；the
sweetest and best of them； that is。 They are terribly apt to be
easy…going。〃
〃Then you think I was all wrong？〃 the girl asked in a tremor。
〃No； indeed！ You were right； because you really expected perfection of
him。 You expected the ideal。 And that's what makes all the trouble； in
married life： we expect too much of each otherwe each expect more of
the other than we are willing to give or can give。 If I had to begin
over again； I should not expect anything at all； and then I should be
sure of being radiantly happy。 But all this talking and all this writing
about love seems to turn our brains； we know that men are not perfect；
even at our craziest； because women are not； but we expect perfection of
them； and they seem to expect it of us； poor things！ If we could keep on
after we are in love just as we were before we were in love； and take
nice things as favors and surprises； as we did in the beginning！ But we
get more and more greedy and exacting〃
〃Do you think I was too exacting in wanting him to tell me everything
after we were engaged？〃
〃No； I don't say that。 But suppose he had put it off till you were
married？〃 Agatha blushed a little； but not painfully； 〃Would it have
been so bad？ Then you might have thought that his flirting up to the
last moment in his desperation was a very good joke。 You would have
understood better just how it was； and it might even have made you fonder
of him。 You might have seen that he had flirted with some one else
because he was so heart…broken about you。〃
〃Then you believe that if I could have waited tilltill but when I had
found out； don't you see I couldn't wait？ It would have been all very
well if I hadn't known it till then。 But as I did know it。 Don't you
see？〃
〃Yes； that certainly complicated it；〃 Mrs。 March admitted。 〃But I don't
think； if he'd been a false nature； he'd have owned up as he did。 You
see； he didn't try to deny it； and that's a great point gained。〃
〃Yes； that is true；〃 said Agatha； with conviction。 〃I saw that
afterwards。 But you don't think； Mrs。 March； that I was unjust oror
hasty？〃
〃No； indeed！ You couldn't have done differently under the circumstances。
You may be sure he felt thathe is so unselfish and generous〃 Agatha
began to weep into her handkerchief again； Mrs。 March caressed her hand。
〃And it will certainly come right if you feel as you do。〃
〃No；〃 the girl protested。 〃He can never forgive me； it's all over；
everything is over。 It would make very little difference to me； what
happened nowif the steamer broke her shaft； or anything。 But if I can
only believe I wasn't unjust〃
Mrs。 March assured her once more that she had behaved with absolute
impartiality； and she proved to her by a process of reasoning quite
irrefragable that it was only a question of time； with which place had
nothing to do； when she and Burnamy should come together again； and all
should be made right between them。 The fact that she did not know where
he was； any more than Mrs。 March herself； had nothing to do with the
result； that was a mere detail； which would settle itself。 She clinched
her argument by confessing that her own engagement had been broken off；
and that it had simply renewed itself。 All you had to do was to keep
willing it； and waiting。 There was something very mysterious in it。
〃And how long was it till〃 Agatha faltered。
〃Well； in our ease it was two years。〃
〃Oh！〃 said the girl； but Mrs。 March hastened to reassure her。
〃But our case was very peculiar。 I could see afterwards that it needn't
have been two months； if I had been willing to acknowledge at once that I
was in the wrong。 I waited till we met。〃
〃If I felt that I was in the wrong； I should write；〃 said Agatha。
〃I shouldn't care what he thought of my doing it。〃
〃Yes； the great thing is to make sure that you were wrong。〃
They remained talking so long； that March and the general had exhausted
all the topics of common interest； and had even gone through those they
did not care for。 At last the general said； 〃I'm afraid my daughter will
tire Mrs。 March。〃
〃Oh； I don't think she'll tire my wife。 But do you want her？〃
〃Well； when you're going down。〃
〃I think I'll take a turn about the deck； and start my circulation；〃 said
March； and he did so before he went below。
He found his wife up and dressed； and waiting provisionally on the sofa。
〃I thought I might as well go to lunch；〃 she said； and then she told him
about Agatha and Burnamy； and the means she had employed to comfort and
encourage the girl。 〃And now； dearest； I want you to find out where
Burnamy is； and give him a hint。 You will； won't you！ If you could have
seen how unhappy she was！〃
〃I don't think I should have cared； and I'm certainly not going to
meddle。 I think Burnamy has got no more than he deserved； and that he's
well rid of her。 I can't imagine a broken engagement that would more
completely meet my approval。 As the case stands； they have my blessing。〃
〃Don't say that； dearest！ You know you don't mean it。〃
〃I do； and I advise you to keep your hands off。 You've done all and more
than you ought to propitiate Miss Triscoe。 You've offered yourself up；
and you've offered me up〃
〃No； no； Basil！ I merely used you as an illustration of what men were
the best of them。〃
〃And I can't observe；〃 he continued； 〃that any one else has been
considered in the matter。 Is Miss Triscoe the sole sufferer by Burnamy's
flirtation？ What is the matter with a little compassion for the pivotal
girl？〃
〃Now； you know you're not serious；〃 said his wife； and though he would
not admit this； he could not be seriously sorry for the new interest
which she took in the affair。 There was no longer any question of
changing their state…room。 Under the tonic influence of the excitement
she did not go back to her berth after lunch； and she was up later after
dinner than he could have advised。 She was absorbed in Agatha； but in
her liberation from her hypochondria； she began also to make a
comparative study of the American swells； in the light of her late
experience with the German highhotes。 It is true that none of the swells
gave her the opportunity of examining them at close range； as the
highhotes had done。 They kept to their； state…rooms mostly； where； after
he thought she could bear it； March told her how near he had come to
making her their equal by an outlay of six hundred dollars。 She now
shuddered at the thought； but she contended that in their magnificent
exclusiveness they could give points to European princes； and that this
showed again how when Americans did try to do a thing； they beat the
world。 Agatha Triscoe knew who they were； but she did not know them；
they belonged to another kind of set； she spoke of them as 〃rich people；〃
and she seemed content to keep away from them with Mrs。 March and with
the shy； silent old wife of Major Eltwin； to whom March sometimes found
her talking。
He never found her father talking with Major Eltwin。 General Triscoe had
his own friends in the smoking…room； where he held forth in a certain
corner on the chances of the approaching election in New York； and mocked
their incredulity when he prophesied the success of Tammany and the
return of the King。 March himself much preferred Major Elt