h his satiric smile, his
everlasting patronage, had driven her to overturn her own plan. Well,
let him take the consequences; she had done her best! She would have
this one fling of joy, even if it meant that she must stay out there,
and never see the boy again!

Standing in her dusky hall, where a faint scent of woodrot crept out
into the air, whenever windows and doors were closed, she was all
tremulous with secret happiness. To be with him among her mountains, to
show him all those wonderful, glittering or tawny crags, to go with him
to the top of them and see the kingdoms of the world spread out below;
to wander with him in the pine woods, on the Alps in all the scent of
the trees and the flowers, where the sun was hot! The first of July; and
it was only the tenth of June! Would she ever live so long? They would
not go to San Martino this time, rather to Cortina--some new place that
had no memories!

She moved from the window, and busied herself with a bowl of flowers.
She had heard that humming sound which often heralded her husband's
approach, as though warning the world to recover its good form before
he reached it. In her happiness she felt kind and friendly to him. If
he had not meant to give her joy, he had nevertheless given it! He came
downstairs two at a time, with that air of not being a pedagogue, which
she knew so well; and, taking his hat off the stand, half turned round
to her.

"Pleasant youth, young Lennan; hope he won't bore us out there!"

His voice seemed to have an accent of compunction, to ask pardon for
having issued that impulsive invitation. And there came to her an
overwhelming wish to laugh. To hide it, to find excuse for it, she ran
up to him, and, pulling his coat lapels till his face was within reach,
she kissed the tip of his nose. And then she laughed. And he stood
looking at her, with his head just a little on one side, and his
eyebrows just a little raised.

IV

When young Mark heard a soft tapping at his door, though out of bed,
he was getting on but dreamily--it was so jolly to watch the mountains
lying out in this early light like huge beasts. That one they were going
up, with his head just raised above his paws, looked very far away out
there! Opening the door an inch, he whispered:

"Is it late?"

"Five o'clock; aren't you ready?"

It was awfully rude of him to keep her waiting! And he was soon down in
the empty dining-room, where a sleepy maid was already bringi