“Well，Jimmy，“heremarked，“Ibroughtupapianoboxfulloffireworksfortheboys。Howdoyousupposewe’llmanagetokeepthemuntiltheFourth？“
“Wecan’t，unlesswesteelourselvestodenythereareanyonthepremises，“saidMissBroadwood，seatingherselfonalowstoolbyHamilton’schairandleaningbackagainstthemantel。“HaveyouseenHelen，andhasshetoldyouthetragedyofthetooth？“
“Shemetmeatthestation，withhertoothwrappedupintissuepaper。Ihadteawithheranhourago。Bettersitdown，MissWillard；“heroseandpushedachairtowardImogen，whowasstandingpeeringintotheconservatory。“Wearescheduledtodineatseven，buttheyseldomgetaroundbeforeeight。“
BythistimeImogenhadmadeoutthatherethepluralpronoun，thirdperson，alwaysreferredtotheartists。AsHamilton’smannerdidnotspuronetocordialintercourse，andashisattentionseemeddirectedtoMissBroadwood，insofarasitcouldbesaidtobedirectedtoanyone，shesatdownfacingtheconservatoryandwatchedhim，unabletodecideinhowfarhewasidenticalwiththemanwhohadfirstmetFlaviaMalcolminhermother’shouse，twelveyearsago。Didheatallrememberhavingknownherasalittlegirl，andwhydidhisindifferencehurtherso，afteralltheseyears？Hadsomeremnantofherchildishaffectionforhimgoneonliving，somewheredowninthesealedcavesofherconsciousness，andhadshereallyexpectedtofinditpossibletobefondofhimagain？Suddenlyshesawalightintheman’ssleepyeyes，anunmistakableexpressionofinterestandpleasurethatfairlystartledher。Sheturnedquicklyinthedirectionofhisglance，andsawFlavia，justentering，dressedfordinnerandlitbytheeffulgenceofhermostradiantmanner。MostpeopleconsideredFlaviahandsome，andtherewasnogainsayingthatshecarriedherfive-and-thirtyyearssplendidly。Herfigurehadnevergrownmatronly，andherfacewasofthesortthatdoesnotshowwear。Itsblondtintswereasfreshandenduringasenamel——andquiteashard。Itsusualexpressionwasoneoftense，oftenstrained，animation，whichcompressedherlipsnervously。Aperfectscreamofanimation，MissBroadwoodhadcalledit，createdandmaintainedbysheer，indomitableforceofwill。Flavia’sappearanceonanyscenewhatevermadearipple，causedacertainagitationandrecognition，and，amongimpressionablepeople，acertainuneasiness，Forallhersparklingassuranceofmanner，Flaviawascertainlyalwaysillateaseand，evenmorecertainly，anxious。Sheseemednotconvincedoftheestablishedorderofmaterialthings，seemedalwaystryingtoconcealherfeelingthatwallsmightcrumble，chasmsopen，orthefabricofherlifeflytothewindsinirretrievableentanglement。AtleastthiswastheimpressionImogengotfromthatnoteinFlaviawhichwassomanifestlyfalse。
Hamilton’skeen，quick，satisfiedglanceathiswifehadrecalledtoImogenallherinventoryofspeculationsaboutthem。
Shelookedathimwithcompassionatesurprise。AsachildshehadneverpermittedherselftobelievethatHamiltoncaredatallforthewomanwhohadtakenhimawayfromher；andsinceshehadbeguntothinkaboutthemagain，ithadneveroccurredtoherthatanyonecouldbecomeattachedtoFlaviainthatdeeplypersonalandexclusivesense。ItseemedquiteasirrationalastryingtopossessoneselfofBroadwayatnoon。
WhentheywentouttodinnerImogenrealizedthecompletenessofFlavia’striumph。Theywerepeopleofonename，mostly，likekings；peoplewhosenamesstirredtheimaginationlikearomanceoramelody。WiththenotableexceptionofM。Roux，Imogenhadseenmostofthembefore，eitherinconcerthallsorlecturerooms；buttheylookednoticeablyolderanddimmerthansherememberedthem。
OppositehersatSchemetzkin，theRussianpianist，ashort，corpulentman，withanapoplecticfaceandpurplishskin，histhick，iron-grayhairtossedbackfromhisforehead。NexttotheGermangiantesssattheItaliantenor——thetiniestofmen——pale，withsoft，lighthair，muchindisorder，veryredlips，andfingersyellowedbycigarettes。FrauLichtenfeldshoneinagownofemeraldgreen，fittingsocloselyastoenhancehernaturalfloridness。However，todothegoodladyjustice，letherattirebeneversomodest，itgaveaneffectofbarbaricsplendor。AtherleftsatHerrSchotte，theAssyriologist，whosefeatureswereeffectuallyconcealedbytheconvergenceofhishairandbeard，andwhoseglasseswerecontinuallyfallingintohisplate。Thisgentlemanhadremovedmoretonsofearthinthecourseofhisexplorationsthanhadanyofhisconfreres，andhisvigorousattackuponhisfoodseemedtosuggestthestrenuousnatureofhisaccustomedtoil。Hiseyesweresmallanddeeplyset，andhisforeheadbulgedfiercelyabovehisevesinabonyridge。Hisheavybrowscompletedtheleoninesuggestionofhisface。EventoImogen，whoknewsomethingofhisworkandgreatlyrespectedit，hewasentirelytooreminiscentoftheStoneAgetobealtogetheranagreeabledinnercompanion。Heseemed，indeed，tohaveabsorbedsomethingofthesavageryofthoseearlytypesoflifewhichhecontinuallystudied。
FrankWellington，theyoungKansasmanwhohadbeentwoyearsoutofHarvardandhadpublishedthreehistoricalnovels，satnexttoMr。WillMaidenwood，whowasstillpalefromhisrecentsufferingsandcarriedhishandbandaged。Theytooklittlepartinthegeneralconversation，but，likethelionandtheunicorn，werealwaysatit，discussing，everytimetheymet，whethertherewereorwerenotpassagesinMr。Wellington’sworkswhichshouldbeeliminated，outofconsiderationfortheYoungPerson。WellingtonhadfallenintothehandsofagreatAmericansyndicatewhichmosteffectuallybefriendedstrugglingauthorswhosestruggleswereintherightdirection，andwhichhadguaranteedtomakehimfamousbeforehewasthirty。FeelingthesecurityofhispositionhestoutlydefendedthosepassageswhichjarreduponthesensitivenervesoftheyoungeditorofWoman。Maidenwood，inthesmoothestofvoices，urgedthenecessityoftheauthor’srecognizingcertainrestrictionsattheoutset，andMissBroadwood，whojoinedtheargumentquitewithoutinvitationorencouragement，secondedhimwithpointedandmaliciousremarkswhichcausedtheyoungeditormanifestdiscomfort。Restzhoff，thechemist，demandedtheattentionoftheentirecompanyforhisexpositionofhisdevicesformanufacturingicecreamfromvegetableoilsandforadministeringdrugsinbonbons。
Flavia，alwaysnoticeablyrestlessatdinner，wassomewhatapathetictowardtheadvocateofpeptonizedchocolateandwasplainlyconcernedaboutthesuddendepartureofM。Roux，whohadannouncedthatitwouldbenecessaryforhimtoleavetomorrow。
M。EmileRoux，whosatatFlavia’sright，wasamaninmiddlelifeandquitebald，clearlywithoutpersonalvanity，thoughhispublisherspreferredtocirculateonlythoseofhisportraitstakeninhisambrosialyouth。Imogenwasconsiderablyshockedathisunlikenesstotheslender，black-stockedRollahehadlookedattwenty。Hehaddeclinedintotheflorid，settledheavinessofindifferenceandapproachingage。Therewas，however，acertainlookofdurabilityandsolidityabouthim；thelookofamanwhohasearnedtherighttobefatandbald，andevensilentatdinnerifhechooses。
ThroughoutthediscussionbetweenWellingtonandWillMaidenwood，thoughtheyinvitedhisparticipation，heremainedsilent，betrayingnosigneitherofinterestorcontempt。SincehisarrivalhehaddirectedmostofhisconversationtoHamilton，whohadneverreadoneofhistwelvegreatnovels。ThisperplexedandtroubledFlavia。OnthenightofhisarrivalJulesMartelhadenthusiasticallydeclared，“Thereareschoolsandschools，mannersandmanners；butRouxisRoux，andParissetsitswatchesbyhisclock。“FlaviabadalreadyrepeatedthisremarktoImogen。Ithauntedher，andeachtimeshequoteditshewasimpressedanew。
Flaviashiftedtheconversationuneasily，evidentlyexasperatedandexcitedbyherrepeatedfailurestodrawthenovelistout。
“MonsieurRoux，“shebeganabruptly，withhermostanimatedsmile，“IremembersowellastatementIreadsomeyearsagoinyour’MesEtudesdesFemmes’totheeffectthatyouhadnevermetareallyintellectualwoman。MayIask，withoutbeingimpertinent，whetherthatassertionstillrepresentsyourexperience？“
“Imeant，madam，“saidthenovelistconservatively，“intellectualinasenseveryspecial，aswesayofmeninwhomthepurelyintellectualfunctionsseemalmostindependent。“
“Andyoustillthinkawomansoconstitutedamythicalpersonage？“persistedFlavia，noddingherheadencouragingly。
“UneMeduse，madam，who，ifshewerediscovered，wouldtransmuteusallintostone，“saidthenovelist，bowinggravely。
“Ifsheexistedatall，“headdeddeliberately，“itwasmybusinesstofindher，andshehascostmemanyavainpilgrimage。
LikeRudelofTripoli，Ihavecrossedseasandpenetrateddesertstoseekherout。Ihave，indeed，encounteredwomenoflearningwhoseindustryIhavebeencompelledtorespect；manywhohavepossessedbeautyandcharmandperplexingcleverness；afewwithremarkableinformationandasortoffatalfacility。“
“AndMrs。Browning，GeorgeEliot，andyourownMme。Dudevant？“
queriedFlaviawiththatfervidenthusiasmwithwhichshecould，onoccasion，utterthingssimplyincomprehensiblefortheirbanality——atherfeatsofthissortMissBroadwoodwaswonttositbreathlesswithadmiration。
“Madam，whiletheintellectwasundeniablypresentintheperformancesofthosewomen，itwasonlythestickoftherocket。
AlthoughthiswomanhaseludedmeIhavestudiedherconditionsandperturbancesasastronomersconjecturetheorbitsofplanetstheyhaveneverseen。ifsheexists，sheisprobablyneitheranartistnorawomanwithamission，butanobscurepersonage，withimperativeintellectualneeds，whoabsorbsratherthanproduces。“
Flavia，stillnoddingnervously，fixedastrainedglanceofinterrogationuponM。Roux。“Thenyouthinkshewouldbeawomanwhosefirstnecessitywouldbetoknow，whoseinstinctswouldbesatisfiedonlywiththebest，whocoulddrawfromothers；
appreciative，merely？“
Thenovelistliftedhisdulleyestohisinterlocutresswithanuntranslatablesmileandaslightinclinationofhisshoulders。“Exactlyso；youarereallyremarkable，madam，“headded，inatoneofcoldastonishment。
Afterdinnerthegueststooktheircoffeeinthemusicroom，whereSchemetzkinsatdownatthepianotodrumragtime，andgivehiscelebratedimitationoftheboardingschoolgirl’sexecutionofChopin。Heflatlyrefusedtoplayanythingmoreserious，andwouldpracticeonlyinthemorning，whenhehadthemusicroomtohimself。HamiltonandM。RouxrepairedtothesmokingroomtodiscussthenecessityofextendingthetaxonmanufacturedarticlesinFrance——oneofthoseconversationswhichparticularlyexasperatedFlavia。
AfterSchemetzkinhadgrimacedandtorturedthekeyboardwithmaliciousvulgaritiesforhalfanhour，SignorDonati，toputanendtohistorture，consentedtosing，andFlaviaandImogenwenttofetchArthurtoplayhisaccompaniments。Hamiltonrosewithanannoyedlookandplacedhiscigaretteonthemantel。
“Whyyes，Flavia，I’llaccompanyhim，providedhesingssomethingwithamelody，Italianariasorballads，andprovidedtherecitalisnotinterminable。“