Gregory's "downright" tongue, and could not stop her.

Mrs. Gregory now took the prerogative of ladies, and began. "I was
thinking of what we had all just been saying during our visit across the
way--and with which you are not going to agree--that our young people
would do much better to let us old people arrange their marriages for
them, as it Is done in Europe."

"O dear!"

"I said that you would not agree; but that is because you are so young."

"I don't know that twenty-eight is so young."

"You will know it when you are seventy-three." This observation again
came from Mrs. Weguelin St. Michael, and again with a gentle and
attractive smile. It was only the second time that she had spoken; and
throughout the talk into which we now fell as we slowly walked up
and down High Walk, she never took the lead; she left that to the
"downright" tongue--but I noticed, however, that she chose her moments
to follow the lead very aptly. I also perceived plainly that what we
were really going to discuss was not at all the European principle of
marriage-making, but just simply young John and his Hortense; they were
the true kernel of the nut with whose concealing shell Mrs. Gregory was
presenting me, and in proposing an exchange of thoughts she would get
back only more thoughts upon the same subject. It was pretty evident how
much Kings Port was buzzing over all this! They fondly believed they
did not like it; but what would they have done without it? What, indeed,
were they going to do when it was all over and done with, one way or
another? As a matter of fact, they ought to be grateful to Hortense for
contributing illustriously to the excitement of their lives.

"Of course, I am well aware," Mrs. Gregory pursued, "that the young
people of to-day believe they can all 'teach their grandmothers to suck
eggs,' as we say in Kings Port."

"We say it elsewhere, too," I mildly put in.

"Indeed? I didn't know that the North, with its pest of Hebrew and other
low immigrants, had retained any of the good old homely saws which we
brought from England. But do you imagine that if the control of marriage
rested in the hands of parents and grandparents (where it properly
belongs), you would be witnessing in the North this disgusting spectacle
of divorce?"

"But, Mrs. St. Michael--"

"We didn't invite you to argue when we invited you to walk!" cried the
lady, laughing.

"We should like you to answer the question," said Mrs. Weguelin