TOMYFAVOURITEBROKERWITHTHEEARNESTASSURANCETHATMR。BEVERLYISNOT
MEANTFORHIM
NOTE
IN1901，thisstoryappearedanonymouslyastheninthofasequenceofshortstoriesbyvariousauthors，inavolumeentitledAHouseParty。Ithasbeenslightlyremodelledforseparatepublication。
June7，1907，OWENWISTER
MOTHER
WhenhandsomeyoungRichardFieldhewasveryhandsomeandveryyoung
announcedtoourassembledcompanythatifhisturnshouldreallycometotellusastory，thestoryshouldbenoinventionofhisfancy，butapageoftruth，achapterfromhisownlife，inwhichhimselfwastheheroandalovely，innocentgirlwastheheroine，hiswifeatoncelookedextremelyuncomfortable。Shechangedtherecliningpositioninwhichshehadbeenleaningbackinherchair，andshesaterect，withahandcloseduponeacharmofthechair。
\"Richard，\"shesaid。\"doyouthinkthatitisrightofyoutotellanyone，evenfriends，anythingthatyouhaveneveryetconfessedtome？\"
\"Ethel，\"repliedRichard，\"althoughIcannotpromisethatyouwillbeentirelyproudofmyconductwhenyouhaveheardthisepisodeofmypast，IdosaythatthereisnothinginittohurtthetrustyouhaveplacedinmesinceIhavebeenyourhusband。Only，\"headded，\"IhopethatIshallnothavetotellanystoryatall。\"
\"Oh，yesyouwill！\"weallexclaimedtogether；andthemenlookedeagerwhilethewomensighed。
TherestofusweremucholderthanRichard，weweremiddle-aged，infact；andhumannatureissoconstructed，thatwhenitisattheagewhenmakinglovekeepsitbusy，itdoesnotcaresomuchtolistentotalesofothers\'love-making；butthemoreitrecedesfromthatperiodofexuberance，andceasestohaveloveadventuresofitsown，thegreaterbecomeitshungerandthirsttohearaboutthisdeliciousbusinesswhichitcannolongerpersonallypracticewiththefluencyofyore。Itwasforthisreasonthatweallyearnedinourmiddle-agedwayforthetaleoflovewhichweexpectedfromyoungRichard。He，onhispart，repeatedthehopethatbythetimehisturntotellastorywasreachedweshouldbetiredofstoriesandprefertospendtheeveningatthecardtablesorinthemusicroom。
Wewereahouseparty，nobrief\"week-end\"affair，butagatheringwhoseperiodformostoftheguestscoveredagenerousandleisurelytendays，withenoughdeparturesandarrivalstogivethatvarietywhichisnecessaryamongeventhemostentertainingandagreeablepeople。Ourskilfulhostesshadassembledusinthecountry，beneatharoofofNewYorkluxury，aluxurywhichhascomeintheselaterdaystobesomuchmorethanprincely。Byday，thegroundsaffordedusbothgolfandtennis，thestablesprovidedmotorcarsandhorsestorideordriveoveradmirableroads，throughbeautifulscenerythatwasembellishedbyamagnificentautumnseason。Atnightfall，thegreathouseitselfreceivedusinthearmsofsupremecomfort，fedussumptuously，andafterdinnerministeredtoourmiddle-agedbodieswithchairsandsofasofthehighestdevelopment。
Theplandevisedbyourhostess，Mrs。Davenport，thatastoryshouldbetoldbyoneofuseachevening，hadmetwithcourtesy，butnotIwithimmediateenthusiasm。ButMrs。Davenporthadchosenherguestswithherusualwisdom，andafterthefirstexperiment，storytellingprovedsosuccessfulthatnoneofuswouldhavereadilyabandonedit。WhenthetimehadcomeforRichardFieldtoentertainthecompanywiththepromisedtalefromhislifeexperience，hishopeofescapingthisordealhadaltogethervanished。
Mrs。Field，ithadbeennoticedasearlyasbreakfasttime，wasinclinedtobenervousonherhusband\'saccount。Fiveyearsofmarriedlifehadnotcuredherofthisamiablesymptom，andshemadebutalightmeal。He，ontheotherhand，ateheartilyandwithoutsignsofdisturbance。
Apparentlyhewasnotevenconsciousoftheglancesthathiswifesofrequentlystoleathim。
\"Doatleasthavesomeomelet，mydear，\"whisperedMrs。Davenporturgently。\"It\'squitelight。\"
ButMrs。Fieldcouldsummonnoappetite。
\"Iseeyouareanxiousabouthim，\"Mrs。Davenportcontinuedafterbreakfast。\"Youaresurelynotafraidhisstorywillfailtointerestus？\"
\"No，itisnotthat。\"
\"Itcan\'tbethathehasgivenuptheoneheexpectedtotellusandcanthinkofnoother？\"
\"Oh，no；heisgoingtotellthatone。\"
\"Andyoudon\'tlikehischoice？\"
\"Hewon\'ttellmewhatitis！\"Mrs。Davenportputdownherembroidery。
\"Then，Ethel，\"shelaidwithseverity，\"thefaultisyours。WhenIhadbeenfiveyearsmarried，Mr。Davenportconfidedeverythingtome。\"
\"SodoesRichard。ExceptwhenIparticularlyaskhim。\"
\"Thereitis，Ethel。Youlethimseethatyouwanttoknow。\"
\"ButIdowanttoknow。Richardhashadsuchinterestingexperiences，somanyofthem。AndIdosowanthimtotellathoroughlyniceone。There\'stheonewhenhesavedamanfromdrowningjustbelowourhouse，thesecondsummer，andthemanturnedouttobeaburglarandbrokeintothepantrythatverynight，andRichardcaughthiminthedarkwithjustasmuchcourageashehadcaughthiminthewaterandjustasfewclothes，onlyitwassodifferent。Richardmakesitquitethrilling。AndI
mentionedanothertohim。Buthejustwentonshaving。Andnowhehasgoneoutwalking，andIbelieveit\'sgoingtobesomethingIwouldrathernothear。ButImeantohearit。\"
AtlunchMrs。Fieldmadeabettermeal，althoughitwascleartoMrs。
DavenportthatRichardonreturningfromhiswalkhadstillkepthisintentionsfromEthel。\"Shedoesnotmanagehimintheleast，\"Mrs。
Davenportdeclaredtotheotherladies，asEthelandRichardstartedforanafternoondrivetogether。\"Shewillnotknowanythingmorewhenshebringshimback。\"
ButinthisMrs。DavenportdidwrongtoEthel\'sresources。Theyoungwifedidknowsomethingmorewhenshebroughtherhusbandbackfromtheirdrivethroughthepleasantcountry。Theyreturnedlookinglikeanengagedcouple，ratherthanparentswhosenurserywasalreadyasongofthreelittlevoices。
\"Hehastoldher，\"thoughtMrs。Davenportatthefirstsightofthem，astheyenteredthedrawing-roomforanafternoontea。\"Shedoesunderstandsomethings。\"
Andwhenafterdinnertheladieshadwithdrawntothelibrary，andwaitedforthementofinishtheircigars，Mrs。DavenportspoketoEthel。\"Mydear，Icongratulateyou。Isawitatonce。\"
