n solved to the gratification of
every sense, and listening to the best artists doing their best--happily
constituted as our young man was to enjoy such a privilege as this, the
total effect was depressing: it made him feel as if the gods were not
on his side.

'And does she do it so well without a man? There must be so many details
a woman can't tackle,' he said to himself; for even counting in the
Marquise and Mademoiselle Bourde this only made a multiplication of
petticoats. Then it came over him that she _was_ a man as well as a
woman--the masculine element was included in her nature. He was sure
that she bought her horses without being cheated, and very few men could
do that. She had the American national quality--she had 'faculty' in a
supreme degree. 'Faculty--faculty,' the voices of the quartette of
singers seemed to repeat, in the quick movement of a composition they
rendered beautifully, while they swelled and went faster, till the thing
became a joyous chant of praise, a glorification of Cousin Maria's
practical genius.

During the intermission, in the middle of the concert, people changed
places more or less and circulated, so that, walking about at this time,
he came upon the Marquise, who, in her sympathetic, demonstrative way,
appeared to be on the point of clasping her hostess in her arms.
'Decidement, ma bonne, il n'y a que vous! C'est une perfection----' he
heard her say. To which, gratified but unelated, Cousin Maria replied,
according to her simple, sociable wont: 'Well, it _does_ seem quite a
successful occasion. If it will only keep on to the end!'

Raymond, wandering far, found himself in a world that was mainly quite
new to him, and explained his ignorance of it by reflecting that the
people were probably celebrated: so many of them had decorations and
stars and a quiet of manner that could only be accounted for by renown.
There were plenty of Americans with no badge but a certain fine
negativeness, and _they_ were quiet for a reason which by this time had
become very familiar to Raymond: he had heard it so often mentioned that
his country-people were supremely 'adaptable.' He tried to get hold of
Dora, but he saw that her mother had arranged things beautifully to keep
her occupied with other people; so at least he interpreted the
fact--after all very natural--that she had half a dozen fluttered young
girls on her mind, whom she was providing with programmes, seats, ices,
occasional murmured r