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〃I don't know。 She doesn't seem to be timid in everything。〃
〃Say it out； mother！〃 Verrian challenged her with a smile。 〃You're not
timid； anyway！〃
〃She had the courage to join in that letter； but not the courage to own
her part in it。 She was brave enough to confess that she had been sick
of a nervous fever from the answer you wrote to the Brown girl； but she
wouldn't have been brave enough to confess anything at all if she had
believed she would be physically or morally strong enough to keep it。〃
〃Perhaps nobodynobody but you； motheris brave in the right time and
place。〃
She knew that this was not meant in irony。 〃I am glad you say that；
Philip。〃
〃It's only your due。 But aren't you a little too hard upon cowards； at
times？ For the sort of person she is； if you infer the sort from the
worst appearance she has made in the whole business； I think she has done
pretty well。〃
〃Why had she left the Brown girl to take all your resentment alone for
the last six or eight months？〃
〃She may have thought that she was getting her share of the punishment in
the fever my resentment brought on？〃
〃Philip； do you really believe that her fever； if she had one； came from
that？〃
〃I think she believes it； and there's no doubt but she was badly scared。〃
〃Oh； there's no doubt of that！〃
〃But come； mother； why should we take her at the worst？ Of course； she
has a complex nature。 I see that as clearly as you do。 I don't believe
we look at her diversely； in the smallest particular。 But why shouldn't
a complex nature be credited with the same impulses towards the truth as
a single nature？ Why shouldn't we allow that Miss Shirley had the same
wish to set herself right with me as Miss Andrews would have had in her
place？〃
〃I dare say she wished to set herself right with you； but not from the
same wish that Miss Andrews would have had。 Miss Andrews would not have
wished you to know the truth for her own sake。 Her motive would have
been direct…straight。〃
〃Yes； and we will describe her as a straight line； and Miss Shirley as a
waving line。 Why shouldn't the waving line； at its highest points； touch
the same altitude as the straight line？〃
〃It wouldn't touch it all the time； and in character； or nature； as you
call it； that is the great thing。 It's at the lowest points that the
waving line is dangerous。〃
〃Well； I don't deny that。 But I'm anxious to be just to a person who
hasn't experienced a great deal of mercy for what； after all； wasn't such
a very heinous thing as I used to think it。 You must allow that she
wasn't obliged to tell me anything about herself。〃
〃Yes； she was； Philip。 As I said before； she hadn't the physical or
moral strength to keep it from you when she was brought face to face with
you。 Besides〃 Mrs。 Verrian hesitated。
〃Out with it； mother！ We； at least； won't have any concealments。〃
〃She may have thought； she could clinch it in that way。〃
〃Clinch what？〃
〃You know。 Is she pretty？〃
〃She'sinteresting。〃
〃That can always be managed。 Is she tall？〃
〃NO； I think she's rather out of style there； she's rather petite。〃
〃And what's her face like？〃
〃Well； she has no particular complexion； but it's not thick。 Her eyes
are the best of her； though there isn't much of them。 They're the
'waters on a starry night' sort； very sweet and glimmering。 She has a
kind of ground…colored hair and a nice little chin。 Her mouth helps her
eyes out； it looks best when she speaks； it's pathetic in the play of the
lips。〃
〃I see；〃 Mrs。 Verrian said。
XX。
The following week Verrian and his mother were at a show of paintings； in
the gallery at the rear of a dealer's shop； and while they were bending
together to look at a picture he heard himself called to in a girlish
voice； 〃Oh； Mr。 Verrian！〃 as if his being there was the greatest wonder
in the world。
His mother and he lifted themselves to encounter a tall； slim girl； who
was stretching her hand towards him； and who now cried out； joyously；
〃Oh； Mr。 Verrian； I thought it must be you； but I was afraid it wasn't as
soon as I spoke。 Oh； I'm so glad to see you； I want so much to have you
know my motherMr。 Verrian；〃 she said； presenting him。
〃And I you mine；〃 Verrian responded； in a violent ellipse； and introduced
his own mother； who took in the fact of Miss Andrews's tall thinness；
topped with a wide； white hat and waving white plumes； and her little
face； irregular and somewhat gaunt； but with a charm in the lips and eyes
which took the elder woman's heart with pathos。 She made talk with Mrs。
Andrews； who affected one as having the materials of social severity in
her costume and manner。
〃Oh； I didn't believe I should ever see you again；〃 the girl broke out
impulsively upon Verrian。 〃Oh； I wanted to ask you so about Miss
Shirley。 Have you seen her since you got back？〃
〃No；〃 Verrian said； 〃I haven't seen her。〃
〃Oh； I thought perhaps you had。 I've been to the address that Mrs。
Westangle gave me； but she isn't there any more； she's gone up into
Harlem somewhere； and I haven't been able to call again。 Oh； I do feel
so anxious about her。 Oh； I do hope she isn't ill。 Do you think she
is？〃
〃I don't believe so；〃 Verrian began。 But she swept over his prostrate
remark。
〃Oh； Mr。 Verrian； don't you think she's wonderful？ I've been telling
mother about it； and I don't feel at all the way she does。 Do you？〃
〃How does she feel？ I must know that before I say。〃
〃Why； of course！ I hadn't told you！ She thinks it was a make…up between
Miss Shirley and that Mr。 Bushwick。 But I say it couldn't have been。 Do
you think it could？〃
Verrian found the suggestion so distasteful； for a reason which he did
not quite seize himself； that he answered； resentfully； 〃It could have
been； but I don't think it was。〃
〃I will tell her what you say。 Oh； may I tell her what you say？〃
〃I don't see why you shouldn't。 It isn't very important； either way； is
it？〃
〃Oh； don't you think so？ Not if it involved pretending what wasn't
true？〃
She bent towards him in such anxious demand that he could not help
smiling。
〃The whole thing was a pretence； wasn't it？〃 he suggested。
〃Yes； but that would have been a pretence that we didn't know of。〃
〃It would be incriminating to that extent； certainly；〃 Verrian owned；
ironically。 He found the question of Miss Shirley's blame for the
collusion as distasteful as the supposition of the collusion； but there
was a fascination in the innocence before him； and he could not help
playing with it。
Sometimes Miss Andrews apparently knew that he was playing with her
innocence； and sometimes she did not。 But in either case she seemed to
like being his jest； from which she snatched a fearful joy。 She was
willing to prolong the experience； and she drifted with him from picture
to picture； and kept the talk recurrently to Miss Shirley and the
phenomena of Seeing Ghosts。
Her mother and Mrs。 Verrian evidently got on together better than either
of them at first expected。 When it came to their parting； through Mrs。
Andrews's saying that she must be going； she shook hands with Mrs。
Verrian and said