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of my own elaborationI mean of my scheme。〃
〃Yes？〃
They had moved on； at his turning to walk with her； so as not to keep her
standing in the snow； and now she said； looking over her shoulder at him；
〃I've decided that it won't do to let the ghost have all the glory。 I
don't think it will be fair to let the people merely be scared； even when
they've been warned that they're to see a ghost and told it isn't real。〃
She seemed to refer the point to him； and he said； provisionally；
〃I don't know what more they can ask。〃
〃They can ask questions。 I'm going to let each person speak to the
ghost； if not scared dumb； and ask it just what they please； and I'm
going to answer their questions if I can。〃
〃Won't it be something of an intellectual strain？〃
〃Yes； it will。 But it will be fun； too； a little； and it will help the
thing to go off。 What do you think？〃
〃I think it's fine。 Are you going to give it out； so that they can be
studying up their questions？〃
〃No； their questions have got to be impromptu。 Or； at least； the first
one has。 Of course； after the scheme has once been given away； the
ghost…seers will be more or less prepared； and the ghost will have to
stand it。〃
〃I think it's great。 Are you going to let me have a chance with a
question？〃
〃Are you going to see a ghost？〃
〃To be sure I am。 May I really ask it what I please？〃
〃If you're honest。〃
〃Oh； I shall be honest〃
He stopped breathlessly； but she did not seem called upon to supply any
meaning for his abruptness。 〃I'm awfully glad you like the idea；〃 she
said； 〃I have had to think the whole thing out for myself； and I haven't
been quite certain that the question…asking wasn't rather silly； or； at
least； sillier than the rest。 Thank you so much； Mr。 Verrian。〃
〃I've thought of my question；〃 he began again； as abruptly as he had
stopped before。 〃May I ask it now？〃
Cries of laughter came up from the meadow below； and the voices seemed
coming nearer。
〃Oh； I mustn't be seen！〃 Miss Shirley lamented。 〃Oh； dear！ If I'm seen
the whole thing is given away。 What shall I do？〃 She whirled about and
ran down the road towards a path that entered the wood。
He ran after her。 〃My question is； May I come to see you when you get
back to town？〃
〃Yes； certainly。 But don't come now！ You mustn't be seen with me！ I'm
not supposed to be in the house at all。〃
If Verrian's present mood had been more analytic； it might have occurred
to him that the element of mystery which Miss Shirley seemed to cherish
in regard to herself personally was something that she could dramatically
apply with peculiar advantage to the phantasmal part she was to take in
her projected entertainment。 But he was reduced from the exercise of his
analytic powers to a passivity in which he was chiefly conscious of her
pathetic fascination。 This seemed to emanate from her frail prettiness
no less than from the sort of fearful daring with which she was pushing
her whole enterprise through； it came as much from her undecided
blondnessfrom her dust…colored hair； for instanceas from the
entreating look of her pinched eyes； only just lighting their
convalescent fires； and from the weakness that showed； with the grace；
in her run through the wintry woods； where he watched her till the
underbrush thickened behind her and hid her from him。 Altogether his
impression was very complex； but he did not get so far even as the
realization of this； in his mental turmoil； as he turned with a deep sigh
and walked meditatively homeward through the incipient thaw。
It did not rain at night； as it seemed so likely to do； and by morning
the cloudiness of the sky had so far thinned that the sun looked mildly
through it without more than softening the frozen surface of the pond；
so that Mrs。 Westangle's ice…tea （as everybody called it； by a common
inspiration； or by whatever circuitous adoption of Verrian's phrase） came
off with great success。 People from other houses were there； and they
all said that they wondered how she came to have such a brilliant idea；
and they kept her there till nearly dark。 Then the retarded rain began；
in a fine drizzle； and her house guests were forced homeward； but not too
soon to get a good； long rest before dressing for dinner。 She was
praised for her understanding with the weather； and for her
meteorological forecast as much as for her invention in imagining such a
delightful and original thing as an ice…tea； which no one else had ever
thought of。 Some of the women appealed to Verrian to say if he had ever
heard of anything like it； and they felt that Mrs。 Westangle was
certainly arriving； and by no beaten track。
None of the others put it in these terms； of course； it was merely a
consensus of feeling with them； and what was more articulate was dropped
among the ironies with which Miss Macroyd more confidentially celebrated
the event。 Out of hearing of the others； in slowly following them with
Verrian； she recurred to their talk。 〃Yes； it's only a question of money
enough for Newport； after this。 She's chic now； and after a season there
she will be smart。 But oh； dear！ How came she to be chic？ Can you
imagine？〃
Verrian did not feel bound to a categorical answer； and in his private
reflections he dealt with another question。 This was how far Miss
Shirley was culpable in the fraud she was letting Mrs。 Westangle practise
on her innocent guests。 It was a distasteful question； and he did not
find it much more agreeable when it subdivided itself into the question
of necessity on her part； and of a not very clearly realized situation on
Mrs。 Westangle's。 The girl had a right to sell her ideas； and perhaps
the woman thought they were her own when she had paid for them。 There
could be that view of it all。 The furtive nature of Miss Shirley's
presence in the house might very well be a condition of that grand event
she was preparing。 It was all very mysterious。
XVII。
It rained throughout the evening； with a wailing of the wind in the
gables； and a weeping and a sobbing of the water from the eaves that Mrs。
Westangle's guests； securely housed from the storm； made the most of for
weirdness。 There had been a little dancing； which gave way to so much
sitting…out that the volunteer music abruptly ceased as if in dudgeon；
and there was nothing left but weirdness to bring young hearts together。
Weirdness can do a good deal with girls lounging in low chairs； and young
men on rugs round a glowing hearth at their feet； and every one told some
strange thing that had happened at first hand； or second or third hand；
either to himself or herself； or to their fathers or brothers or
grandmothers or old servants。 They were stimulated in eking out these
experiences not only by the wildness of the rain without； but by the
mystery of being shut off from the library into the drawing…room and hall
while the preparations for the following night were beginning。 But
weirdness is not inexhaustible； even when shared on such propitious terms
between a group of young people rapidly advanced in intimacy by a week's
stay under the same roof； and at the first yawn a gay di