theattractionthatadowdhasforacertaintypeofmanIexpectedtoseeherwalkoutofherclothes-untilIlookedathereyes。”
“Hooksandeyes，surely。”drawledMrsMallowe。
“Don’tbeclever，PollyYoumakemyheadacheAndroundthishayrickstoodacrowdofmen-apositivecrowd！”
“Perhapstheyalsoexpected“-“Polly，don’tbeRabelaisian！”Mrs。
Mallowecurledherselfupcomfortablyonthesofa，andturnedherattentiontothesweets。
SheandMrsHauksbeesharedthesamehouseatSimla；andthesethingsbefelltwoseasonsafterthematterofOtisYeere，whichhasbeenalreadyrecorded。
MrsHauksbeesteppedintotheverandaandlookeddownupontheMall，herforeheadpuckeredwiththought。
“Hab！”saidMrsHauksbee，shortly“Indeed！”
“Whatisit？”saidMrsMallowe，sleepily。
“ThatdowdandTheDancingMaster-towhomIobject。”
“WhytoTheDancingMaster？Heisamiddle-agedgentleman，ofreprobateandromantictendencies，andtriestobeafriendofmine。”
“ThenmakeupyourmindtolosehimDowdsclingbynature，andIshouldimaginethatthisanimal-howterribleherbonnetlooksfromaboveisspeciallyclingsome。”
“SheiswelcometoTheDancingMastersofarasIamconcernedI
nevercouldtakeaninterestinamonotonousliarThefrustratedaimofhislifeistopersuadepeoplethatheisabachelor。”
“0-oh！IthinkI’vemetthatsortofmanbeforeAndisn’the？”
“NoHeconfidedthattomeafewdaysagoUgh！Somemenoughttohekilled。”
“Whathappenedthen？”
“Heposedasthehorrorofhorrors-amisunderstoodmanHeavenknowsthefemmeincompriseissadenoughandbadenough-buttheotherthing！”
“Andsofattoo！IshouldhavelaughedinhisfaceMenseldomconfideinmeHowisittheycometoyou？”
“Forthesakeofimpressingmewiththeircareersinthepast。
Protectmefrommenwithconfidences！”
“Andyetyouencouragethem？”
“WhatcanIdo？TheytalkIlisten，andtheyvowthatIamsympatheticIknowIalwaysprofessastonishmentevenwhentheplotis-ofthemostoldpossible。”
“YesMenaresounblushinglyexplicitiftheyareonceallowedtotalk，whereaswomen’sconfidencesarefullofreservationsandfibs，except“-“WhentheygomadandbabbleoftheUnutterabilitiesafteraweek’sacquaintanceReally，ifyoucometoconsider，weknowagreatdealmorementhanofourownsex。”
“Andtheextraordinarythingisthatmenwillneverbelieveit。
Theysaywearetryingtohidesomething。”
“TheyaregenerallydoingthatontheirownaccountAlas！Thesechocolatespalluponme，andI
haven’teatenmorethanadozenIthinkIshallgotosleep。”
“Thenyou’llgetfatdearIfyou216
WORKSOfRUDYARDKIPLING
SHEa！terapauseDoyouknowwhatyouhavesaid？
HE’Can’tsaythatIdoexactlyI’mnotinthebestoftempers。
SitinSoIsee，-andfeelMytrueandfaithfullover，whereisyour“eternalconstancy。”
“unalterabletrust。”and“reverentdevotion“？Irememberthosephrases；youseemtohaveforgottenthemImentionaman’sname-HEAgooddealmorethanthat。
SHEWell，speaktohimaboutadance-perhapsthelastdancethatIshalleverdanceinmylifebeforeI，-beforeIgoaway；andyouatoncedistrustandinsultme。
HEIneversaidaword。
SHEHowmuchdidyouimply？Guy，’5thisamountofconfidencetobeourstocktostartthenewlifeon？
HENo，ofcoursenotIdidn’tmeanthatOnmywordofhonor，Ididn’tLetitpass，dear。
Pleaseletitpass。
SHEThisonc~yes-andasecondtime，andagainandagain，allthroughtheyearswhenIshallbeunabletoresentitYouwanttoomuch，myLancelot，and，-youknowtoomuch。
HpHowdoyoumean？
SItEThatisapartofthepunishmentTherecannotbeperfecttrustbetweenus。
HEInHeaven’sname，whynot？
SHEHush！TheOtherPlaceisquiteenoughAskyourself。
HEIdon’tfollow。
SHEYoutrustmesoimplicitlythatwhenIlookatanotherman-
Nevermind，GuyHaveyouevermadelovetoagi4-agoodgirl？
HESomethingofthesortCenturiesago-intheDarkAges，beforeIevermetyou，dear。
SHETellmewhatyousaidtoher。
HEWhatdoesamansaytoagirl？I’veforgotten。
SHEIrememberHetellsherthathetrustsherandworshipsthegroundshewalkson，andthathe’llloveandhonorandprotecthertillherdyingday；andsoshemarriesinthatbeliefAtleast，Ispeakofonegirlwhowasnotprotected。
HEWell，andthen？
SHEAndthen，Guy，andthen，thatgirlneedstentimestheloveandtrustandhonor-yes，honor-thatwasenoughwhenshewasonlyamerewifeif-if-theotherlifeshechoosestoleadistobemadeevenbearableDoyouunderstand？
HEEvenbearable！It’llheParadise。
SHEAh！CanyougivemeallI’veaskedfor-notnow，norafewmonthslater，butwhenyoubegintothinkofwhatyoumighthavedoneifyouhadkeptyourownappointmentandyourcasteher~whenyoubegintolookuponmeasadragandaburden？
Ishallwantitmost，then，Guy，fortherewillbenooneinthewideworldbutyou。
HEYou’realittleover-tiredtonight，Sweetheart，andyou’retakingastageviewofthesituation。
AfterthenecessarybusinessintheCourts，theroadisclearto-SHE“Theholystateofmatrimony！”Ha！ha！ha！
HESsh！Don’tlaughinthathorribleway！
SHEI-Ic-c-c-can’thelpit！Isn’tittooabsurd！Ah！Ha！ha！ha！
Guy，ASECOND-RATEWOMAN
219
myselftotalkthiseveningMayIcallto-morrow？
SHEYesNo！Oh，givemetime！rhedayafterIgetintomy’rickshawhereandmeetHimatPeliti’sYouride。
HEI’llgoontoPeliti’stooIthinkIwantadrinkMyworld’sknockedaboutmyearsandthestarsarefalling。
WhoarethosebruteshowlingintheOldLibrary？
SHEThey’rerehearsingthesingingquadrillesfortheFancyBall。
Can’tyouhearMrsBuzgago’svoice？ShehasasoloIt’squiteanewideaListen。
MmBUzGAGOintheOldLibrary，conmoltexp。。
Seesaw！MargeryDaw！
Soldherbedtolieuponstraw。
Wasn’tsheasillyslutTosellherbedandlieupondirt？
CaptainCongleton，I’mgoingtoalterthatto“flirt。”Itsoundbetter。
HENo，I’vechangedmymindaboutthedrinkGood-night，~ttleladyIshallseeyouto-morrow？
SHEYe-esGood-night，GuyDon’tbeangrywithme。
HEAngry！YouknowItrustyouabsolutelyGood-nightand-Godblessyou！
ThreesecondslaterAlone。Hmm！I’dgivesomethingtodiscoverwLetherthere’sanothermanatthebackofallthis。
A~ond-RateWomanfuga，volviturrota，Onwedrift；whereloomsthedimport？
~9neTwoThreeFourFivecontrihutetheirquota：
Somethingirgainedifonecaughtbuttheimport，Showitus，HuguesofSaxe-Gotha-
Ma~terHuguesofSare-Gotha。
“DRESSED！Don’ttellmethatwomaneverdressedinherlife。
Shestoodinthemiddleofherroomwhileherayah-no，herhusband-itmusthavebeenanian-threwherclothesather。
Shethendidherhairwithherfingers，andrubbedherbonnetintheflueunderthebedI
knowshedid，aswellasifIhadassistedattheorgieWhoisshe？”saidMrsHauksbee。
“Don’t！”saidMrsMallowe，feebly。
“YoumakemyheadacheI’mmiserableto-dayStaymewithfondants，comfortmewithchocolates，forIam-DidyoubringanythingfromPeliti’s？”
“QuestionstobeginwithYoushallhavethesweetswhenyouhaveansweredthemWhoandwhatisthecreature？Therewereatleasthalfadozenmenroundher，andsheappearedtobegoingtosleepintheirmidst。”
“Delville。”saidMrsMallowe，“’Shady’Delville，todistinguishherfromMrsJimofthatilk。
Shedancesasuntidilyasshedresses，Ibelieve，andherhusbandissomewhereinMadrasGoandca~l，ifyouaresointerested。”
’~WhathaveItodowithShigramitishwomen？Shemerelycaughtmyattentionforaminute，andIwonderedatTHEHILLOFILLUSION
217
~opmequickorIshall-i-i-laughtillwegettotheChurch。
HEForgoodness’sake，stop！Don’tmakeanexhibitionofyourselfWhatisthematterwithyou？
SHEN-nothingI’mbetternowHEThat’sallrightOnemoment，dearThere’salittlewispofhairgotloosefrombehindyourrightearandit’sstragglingoveryourcheekSo！
SHEThank’ooI’m’fraidmyhat’sononeside，too。
~IEWhatdoyouwearthesehugedaggerbonnet-skewersfor？
They’rebigenoughtokillamanwith。
SHEOh！Don’tkillme，though~~u’restickingitintomyhead！
LetmedoitYoumenaresoclumsy。
HEHaveyouhadmanyopportunitiesofcomparingus-inthissortofwork？
SHEGuy，whatismyname？
HEEh！Idon’tfollow。
SHEHere’smycardcaseCany~uread？
HEYesWell？
SHEWell，thatanswersyourquestionYouknowtheotherman5
nameAn’Isufficientlyhumbled，orwouldyouliketoaskmeifthereisanyoneelse？
HEIseenowMydarling，InevermeantthatforaninstantIwasonlyjokingThere！Luckythere’snooneontheroadThey’dbescandalized。
SHEThey’llbemorescandalizedbeforetheend。
HEDo-on’t！Idon’tlikeyoutotalkinthatway。
SHEUnreasonableman！Whoaskedmetofacethesituationandacceptit？-
Tellme，doIlooklikeMrsPenner？DoIlooklikeanaughtywoman？SwearIdon’t！Givemeyourwordofhonor，myhonorablefriend，thatI’mnotlikeMrsBuzgagoThat’sthewayshestands，withherhandsclaspedatthebackofherheadD’youlikethat？
HEDon’tbeaffected。
SHEI’mnotI’mMrsBuzgagoListen！
Pendantuneanne’touteentiereLeregimentn’apasr’naru。
AuMinisteredelau，uerreOnler’portacommeperdu。
Onser’noncaita’r’trouversatrace，Quandunmatinsubitement，Onlevitr’paraitresurla~ace，L’Coloneltoujoursenavant。
That’sthewaysherollsherr’sAmIlikeher？
HENo，butIobjectwhenyougoonlikeanactressandsingstuffofthatkindWhereintheworlddidyoupickuptheChansonduColonel？Itisn’tadrawing-roomsongItisn’tproper。
SHEMrsBuzgagotaughtitmeSheisbothdrawing-roomandpropel，andinanothermonthshe’llshutheidrawing-roomtome，andthankGodsh~isn’tasimproperasIamOh，Guy，Guy！
IwishIwaslikesemewomeuandhadnoscruplesabout-whatisicKeenesays？-“Wearingacorpse’shairandbeingfalsetothebreadtheyeat。”
HEIamonlyamanoflimitedintelligence，andjustnow，verybewilderedWhenyouhavequitefinishedflashingthroughallyourmoodstellme，andI’lltrytounderstandthelastone。
SHEMoods，Guy！Ihaven’tanyI’msixteenyearsoldandyou’rejusttwenty，andyou’vebeenwaitingfortwohoursoutsidetheschoolinthecoldAndnowI’vemetyou，andnowwe’r~