InBostontherumourofDan’sbrokenengagementwasfollowedpromptlybyadenialofit;boththerumourandthedenialwereapparentlyauthoritative;butitgivestheeffectofalittlegreatersagacitytodistrustrumoursofallkinds，andmostpeoplewenttobed，aftertheteasanddinnersandreceptionsandclubsatwhichthefactwasfirstdebated，intheself-persuasionthatitwasnotso。Thenextdaytheyfoundtherumourstillpersistent;thedenialwasstillintheairtoo，butitseemedweaker;attheendofthethirddayithadbecomeaquestionastowhichbroketheengagement，andwhy;bytheendofaweekitwasknownthatAlicehadbrokentheengagement，butthereasoncouldnotbeascertained。
Thiswasnotforwantofasking，moreorlessdirect。Pasmer，ofcourse，wentandcameathisclubwithperfectimmunity。Menarequiteascuriousaswomen，buttheysetbusinessboundstotheircuriosity，anddonotdreamofpassingthese。Withwomenwhohavenobusinessoftheirown，andcannotquellthemselveswiththereflectionthatthisthingorthatisnottheiraffair，thereisnoquestionsointimatethattheywillnotputittosomeotherwoman;perhapsitisnotsointimate，orperhapsitwillnotseemso;atanyrate，theychanceit。Mrs。Pasmerwasgiveneveryopportunitytoexplainthefactstotheladieswhomshemet，andifshewasmuchafflictedbyAlice’sbehaviour，shehadameasureofconsolationinusingherskilltobaffletheresearchofheracquaintance。Aftereachencounterofthekindshehadthepleasureofreflectingthatabsolutelynothingmorethanshemeanthadbecomeknown。Thecaseneverbecamefullyknownthroughher;itwasthegirlherselfwhotoldittoMissCottoninoneofthosemomentsofconfidencewhicharenecessarytoburdenedminds;
anditisdoubtfulifmorethantwoorthreepeopleeverclearlyunderstoodit;mostpreferredoneorotherofseveralmistakenversionswhichsocietyfinallysettleddownto。
Theparoxysmofself-doubt，almostself-accusal，inwhichAlicecametoMissCotton，movedthelattertothedeepestsympathy，andleftherwithmisgivingswhichbecameanintolerableanguishtoherconscience。Thechildwassoafflictedatwhatshehaddone，notbecauseshewishedtobereconciledwithherlover，butbecauseshewasafraidshehadbeenunjust，beencruellyimpatientandperemptorywithhim;sheseemedtoMissCottonsoabsolutelyaloneandfriendlesswithhergreattrouble，shewassohelpless，sohopeless，shewassoanxioustodoright，andsofearfulshehaddonewrong，thatMissCottonwouldnothavebeenMissCottonifshehadnottakenherinherarmsandassuredherthatineverythingshehaddoneshehadbeensublimelyandnoblyright，alessontoallhersexinsuchmattersforever。Shetoldherthatshehadalwaysadmiredher，butthatnowsheidolisedher;thatshefeltlikegoingdownonherkneesandsimplyworshippingher。
“Oh，don’tsaythat，MissCotton！“pleadedAlice，pullingawayfromherembrace，butstillclingingtoherwithhertremulous，coldlittlehands。