Mrs。Vertrees\"satup\"forherdaughter,Mr。Vertreeshavingretiredafterarestlessevening,notmuchsoothedbythesocietyofhisLandseers。Maryhadtakenakey,insistingthatheshouldnotcomeforherandseemingconfidentthatshewouldnotlackforescort;nordidthesequelproveherconfidenceunwarranted。ButMrs。Vertreeshadalongvigilofit。
Shewasnotthewomantomakeherselfeasy——noservanthadeverseenherinawrapper——andwithherhairanddressandhershoesjustwhattheyhadbeenwhenshereturnedfromtheafternoon\'scall,shesatthroughtheslownighthoursinastifflittlechairunderthegaslightinherownroom,whichwasdirectlyoverthe\"fronthall。\"There,bookinhand,sheemployedthetimeinherownreminiscences,thoughitwasherbeliefthatshewasreadingMadamedeRemusat\'s。
Herthoughtswentbackwardintoherlifeandintoherhusband\'s;andthedeeperintothepasttheywent,thebrighterthepicturestheybroughther——
andthereistragedy。Likeherhusband,shethoughtbackwardbecauseshedidnotdarethinkforwarddefinitely。Whatthinkingforwardthistroubledcoupleventuredtooktheformofaslenderhopewhichneitherofthemcouldhavebornetohearputinwords,andyettheyhadtalkeditover,dayafterday,fromtheveryhourwhentheyheardSheridanwastobuildhisNewHousenextdoor。For——soquicklydoesanyidealofhumanbehaviorbecomeanantique——theiryouthwasoftheinnocentolddays,sodead！of\"breeding\"and\"gentility,\"andnocrafthadbeenmorestraitlytraineduponthemthanthatoftalkingaboutthingswithoutmentioningthem。HereinwasmarkedthemostvitaldifferencebetweenMr。andMrs。Vertreesandtheirbignewneighbor。
Sheridan,thoughhisyouthwasofthesameepoch,knewnothingofsuchmatters。Hehadbeenchoppingwoodforthemorningfireinthecountrygrocerywhiletheywerestilldancing。