eople think it heavenly, here."

She took with him the tone that elderly people use with those older than
themselves who have begun to break; there were authority and patronage
in it. At the bottom of her heart she thought that Bromfield Corey
should not have been allowed to come; but she determined to keep him
safe and harmless as far as she could.

From time to time the crowd was a stationary mass in front of them; then
it dissolved and flowed away, to gather anew; there were moments when
the floor near them was quite vacant; then it was inundated again with
silken trains. From another part of the house came the sound of music,
and most of the young people who passed went two and two, as if they
were partners in the dance, and had come out of the ball-room between
dances. There was a good deal of nervous talk, politely subdued among
them; but it was not the note of unearthly rapture which Mrs. Brinkley's
conventional claim had implied; it was self-interested, eager, anxious;
and was probably not different from the voice of good society anywhere.

XXXVI.

"Why, there's Dan Mavering now!" said Mrs. Brinkley, rather to herself
than to her companion. "And alone!"

Dan's face showed above most of the heads and shoulders about him; it
was flushed, and looked troubled and excited. He caught sight of Mrs.
Brinkley, and his eyes brightened joyfully. He slipped quickly through
the crowd, and bowed over her hand, while he stammered out, without
giving her a chance for reply till the end: "O Mrs. Brinkley, I'm so
glad to see you! I'm going--I want to ask a great favour of you, Mrs.
Brinkley. I want to bring--I want to introduce some friends of mine to
you--some ladies, Mrs. Brinkley; very nice people I met last summer at
Portland. Their father--General Wrayne--has been building some railroads
down East, and they're very nice people; but they don't know any
one--any ladies--and they've been looking at the pictures ever since
they came. They're very good pictures; but it isn't an exhibition!" He
broke down with a laugh.

"Why, of course, Mr. Mavering; I shall be delighted," said Mrs.
Brinkley, with a hospitality rendered reckless by her sympathy with the
young fellow. "By all means!"

"Oh; thanks!--thank you aver so much!" said Dan. "I'll bring them to
you--they'll understand!" He slipped into the crowd again.

Corey made an offer of going. Mrs. Brinkley stopped him with her fan.
"No--stay, Mr. Corey. Unless you wish