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fact； something had。 Bernard saw a latent spark in his friend's eye that seemed to question his own for an impression of Blanche to question it eagerly； and yet to deprecate judgment。 He saw； toowith the fact made more vivid by Gordon's standing there beside her in his manly sincerity and throwing it into contrastthat Blanche was the same little posturing coquette of a Blanche whom； at Baden； he would have treated it as a broad joke that Gordon Wright should dream of marrying。 He saw； in a word； that it was what it had first struck him as being an incongruous union。 All this was a good deal for Bernard to see in the course of half a minute； especially through the rather opaque medium of a feeling of irreflective joy； and his impressions at this moment have a value only in so far as they were destined to be confirmed by larger opportunity。
〃You have come a little sooner than we expected；〃 said Gordon； 〃but you are all the more welcome。〃
〃It was rather a risk；〃 Blanche observed。 〃One should be notified； when one wishes to make a good impression。〃
〃Ah； my dear lady；〃 said Bernard； 〃you made your impression as far as I am concerneda long time ago； and I doubt whether it would have gained anything to…day by your having prepared an effect。〃
They were standing before the fire…place； on the great hearth…rug； and Blanche； while she listened to this speech； was feeling； with uplifted arm； for a curl that had strayed from her chignon。
〃She prepares her effects very quickly；〃 said Gordon； laughing gently。 〃They follow each other very fast！〃
Blanche kept her hand behind her head； which was bent slightly forward； her bare arm emerged from her hanging sleeve； and； with her eyes glancing upward from under her lowered brows； she smiled at her two spectators。 Her husband laid his hand on Bernard's arm。
〃Is n't she pretty？〃 he cried； and he spoke with a sort of tender delight in being sure at least of this point。
〃Tremendously pretty！〃 said Bernard。 〃I told her so half an hour before you came in。〃
〃Ah； it was time I should arrive！〃 Gordon exclaimed。
Blanche was manifestly not in the least discomposed by this frank discussion of her charms； for the air of distinguished esteem adopted by both of her companions diminished the crudity of their remarks。 But she gave a little pout of irritated modesty it was more becoming than anything she had done yetand declared that if they wished to talk her over； they were very welcome； but she should prefer their waiting till she got out of the room。 So she left them； reminding Bernard that he was to send for his luggage and remain； and promising to give immediate orders for the preparation of his apartment。 Bernard opened the door for her to pass out； she gave him a charming nod as he stood there； and he turned back to Gordon with the reflection of her smile in his face。 Gordon was watching him； Gordon was dying to know what he thought of her。 It was a curious mania of Gordon's； this wanting to know what one thought of the women he loved； but Bernard just now felt abundantly able to humor it。 He was so pleased at seeing him tightly married。
〃She 's a delightful creature；〃 Bernard said； with cordial vagueness； shaking hands with his friend again。
Gordon glanced at him a moment； and then； coloring a little； looked straight out of the window； whereupon Bernard remembered that these were just the terms in which； at Baden； after his companion's absence； he had attempted to qualify Angela Vivian。 Gordon was conscioushe was conscious of the oddity of his situation。
〃Of course it surprised you；〃 he said； in a moment； still looking out of the window。
〃What； my dear fellow？〃
〃My marriage。〃
〃Well； you know；〃 said Bernard； 〃everything surprises me。 I am of a very conjectural habit of mind。 All sorts of ideas come into my head； and yet when the simplest things happen I am always rather startled。 I live in a reverie； and I am perpetually waked up by people doing things。〃
Gordon transferred his eyes from the window to Bernard's face to his whole person。
〃You are waked up？ But you fall asleep again！〃
〃I fall asleep very easily；〃 said Bernard。
Gordon looked at him from head to foot； smiling and shaking his head。
〃You are not changed；〃 he said。 〃You have travelled in unknown lands； you have had； I suppose； all sorts of adventures； but you are the same man I used to know。〃
〃I am sorry for that！〃
〃You have the same way of representingof misrepresenting； yourself。〃
〃Well； if I am not changed；〃 said Bernard； 〃I can ill afford to lose so valuable an art。〃
〃Taking you altogether； I am glad you are the same；〃 Gordon answered； simply； 〃but you must come into my part of the house。〃
CHAPTER XVII
Yes； he was conscioushe was very conscious； so Bernard reflected during the two or three first days of his visit to his friend。 Gordon knew it must seem strange to so irreverent a critic that a man who had once aspired to the hand of so intelligent a girlputting other things asideas Angela Vivian should； as the Ghost in 〃Hamlet〃 says； have 〃declined upon〃 a young lady who； in force of understanding； was so very much Miss Vivian's inferior； and this knowledge kept him ill at his ease and gave him a certain pitiable awkwardness。 Bernard's sense of the anomaly grew rapidly less acute； he made various observations which helped it to seem natural。 Blanche was wonderfully pretty； she was very graceful； innocent； amusing。 Since Gordon had determined to marry a little goose； he had chosen the animal with extreme discernment。 It had quite the plumage of a swan； and it sailed along the stream of life with an extraordinary lightness of motion。 He asked himself indeed at times whether Blanche were really so silly as she seemed； he doubted whether any woman could be so silly as Blanche seemed。 He had a suspicion at times that； for ends of her own； she was playing a partthe suspicion arising from the fact that； as usually happens in such cases； she over…played it。 Her empty chatter； her futility； her childish coquetry and frivolitysuch light wares could hardly be the whole substance of any woman's being； there was something beneath them which Blanche was keeping out of sight。 She had a scrap of a mind somewhere； and even a little particle of a heart。 If one looked long enough one might catch a glimpse of these possessions。 But why should she keep them out of sight； and what were the ends that she proposed to serve by this uncomfortable perversity？ Bernard wondered whether she were fond of her husband； and he heard it intimated by several good people in New York who had had some observation of the courtship； that she had married him for his money。 He was very sorry to find that this was taken for granted； and he determined； on the whole； not to believe it。 He was disgusted with the idea of such a want of gratitude； for； if Gordon Wright had loved Miss Evers for herself； the young lady might certainly have discovered the intrinsic value of so disinterested a suitor。 Her mother had the credit of having made the match。 Gordon was known to be looking for a wife； Mrs。 Evers had put her little feather…head of a daughter very much forward； and Gordon was as easil