“Youwilljoinus，M。Roux？“
“Thankyou，butIhavesomeletterstowrite，“repliedthenovelist，bowing。
AsFlaviahadremarkedtoImogen，“Arthurreallyplayedaccompanimentsremarkablywell。“Tohearhimrecalledvividlythedaysofherchildhood，whenhealwaysusedtospendhisbusinessvacationsathermother’shomeinMaine。Hehadpossessedforherthatalmosthypnoticinfluencewhichyoungmensometimesexertuponlittlegirls。Itwasasortofphantomloveaffair，subjectiveandfanciful，aprecocityofinstinct，likethattenderandmaternalconcernwhichsomelittlegirlsfeelfortheirdolls。Yetthischildishinfatuationiscapableofallthedepressionsandexaltationsofloveitself，ithasitsbitterjealousies，crueldisappointments，itsexactingcaprices。
Summeraftersummershehadawaitedhiscomingandweptathisdeparture，indifferenttothegayeryoungmenwhohadcalledhertheirsweetheartandlaughedateverythingshesaid。AlthoughHamiltonneversaidso，shehadbeenalwaysquitesurethathewasfondofher。Whenhepulledheruptherivertohuntforfairyknollsshutaboutbylow，hangingwillows，hewasoftensilentforanhouratatime，yetsheneverfelthewasboredorwasneglectingher。Hewouldlieinthesandsmoking，hiseyeshalf-closed，watchingherplay，andshewasalwaysconsciousthatshewasentertaininghim。Sometimeshewouldtakeacopyof“AliceinWonderland“inhispocket，andnoonecouldreaditashecould，laughingatherwithhisdarkeyes，whenanythingamusedhim。Nooneelsecouldlaughso，withjusttheireyes，andwithoutmovingamuscleoftheirface。Thoughheusuallysmiledatpassagesthatseemednotatallfunnytothechild，shealwayslaughedgleefully，becausehewassoseldommovedtomirththatanysuchdemonstrationdelightedherandshetookthecreditofitentirelytoherselfHerowninclinationhadbeenforseriousstories，withsadendings，liketheLittleMermaid，whichhehadoncetoldherinanunguardedmomentwhenshehadacold，andwasputtobedearlyonherbirthdaynightandcriedbecauseshecouldnothaveherparty。Buthehighlydisapprovedofthispreference，andhadcalleditamorbidtaste，andalwaysshookhisfingeratherwhensheaskedforthestory。Whenshehadbeenparticularlygood，orparticularlyneglectedbyotherpeople，thenhewouldsometimesmeltandtellherthestory，andneverlaughatherifsheenjoyedthe“sadending“eventotears。WhenFlaviahadtakenhimawayandhecamenomore，sheweptinconsolablyforthespaceoftwoweeks，andrefusedtolearnherlessons。ThenshefoundthestoryoftheLittleMermaidherself，andforgothim。
Imogenhaddiscoveredatdinnerthathecouldstillsmileatonesecretly，outofhiseyes，andthathehadtheoldmannerofoutwardlyseemingbored，butlettingyouknowthathewasnot。