s adored
one tolerantly, and keeps his reservations to himself. In the
ordinary course of events he has acquired a certain knowledge of
feminine character, he knows the rocks and the shoals of love,
and, skillful pilot that he is, he avoids them. He is sure of his
course, master of his equipment. If he errs at all--but I
anticipate.

Those were very joyous days, notwithstanding the applications
of cold water so liberally bestowed by my confidential advisers.
And eagerly and successfully I exerted myself to convince
the doubting ones in general, and Bunsey in particular, how
absurd were their suspicions, and how apparent it was that Phyllis
and I had been purposely created for each other. Mary threw
herself into our pleasures as heartily and joyously as her New
England nature would permit, which was never a very riotous
demonstration, and Phyllis, with the effervescence and enthusiasm
of girlhood, eagerly assented to every proposition that had
its pleasure-seeking side; while I, as a thoughtful lover
should, busied myself in schemes for summer dissipation, thankful
that it was in my power to prove so devoted a knight, and
inwardly rejoicing at my triumph over those who had taxed me
with such unworthy thoughts. Even Frederick--good fellow that
he was--allowed himself unusual days of vacation to partake of our
merriment, and it pleased me greatly to see that when business
cares or physical disinclination kept me off the programme, he no
longer allowed his indifference to interfere with his duty as my
nephew and personal representative. Such, I take it, is the
obligation of all young men similarly placed.

For, before many weeks had passed, I discovered that it was not
wise to allow the fleeting dissipations of the moment, however
alluring, to monopolize time which should be given to the serious
affairs of life. I found that a cramped position in a boat in the
hot sun brought on nervous headaches, and that too much time in
the garden when the dew was falling was conducive to lumbago.
Furthermore I had been invited by a neighboring university to
deliver my celebrated lecture on the protagonism of Plato, and
several new and excellent thoughts had come to me which required
careful and elaborate development. I explained these matters
conscientiously and fully to Phyllis, and while she offered no
unreasonable protest, her pretty face clouded, and she did me the
honor to say that half the enjoyment was removed by my absence.