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David　of　the　yellow　heir　and　his　limpid…looking　bride　were　on　the　horrible　little　excursion　boat；　watching　for　me　and　keeping　with　some　difficulty　a　chair　next　themselves　that　I　might　not　have　to　stand　up　all　the　way；　and；　as　I　came　aboard；　the　bride　called　out　to　me　her　relief；　she　had　made　sure　that　I　would　be　late。

〃David　said　you　wouldn't；〃　she　announced　in　her　clear　up…country　accent　across　the　parasols　and　heads　of　huddled　tourists；　〃but　I　told　him　a　gentleman　that's　late　to　three　meals　aivry　day　like　as　not　would　forget　boats　can't　be　kept　hot　in　the　kitchen　for　you。〃

I　took　my　place　in　the　chair　beside　her　as　hastily　as　possible；　for　there　is　nothing　that　I　so　much　dislike　as　being　made　conspicuous　for　any　reason　whatever；　and　my　thanks　to　her　were；　I　fear；　less　gracious　in　their　manner　than　should　have　been　the　case。　Nor　did　she　find　me；　I　must　suppose；　as　companionable　during　this　excursionduring　the　first　part　of　it；　at　any　rateas　a　limpid…looking　bride；　who　has　kept　at　some　pains　a　seat　beside　her　for　a　single　gentleman；　has　the　right　to　expect；　the　brief　hours　of　this　morning　had　fed　my　preoccupation　too　richly；　and　I　must　often　have　fallen　silent。

The　horrible　little　tug；　or　ferry；　or　wherry；　or　whatever　its　contemptible　inconvenience　makes　it　fitting　that　this　unclean　and　snail…like　craft　should　be　styled；　cast　off　and　began　to　lumber　along　the　edges　of　the　town　with　its　dense　cargo　of　hats　and　parasols　and　lunch　parcels。　We　were　a　most　extraordinary　litter　of　man　and　womankind。　There　was　the　severe　New　England　type；　improving　each　shining　hour；　and　doing　it　in　bleak　costume　and　with　a　thoroughly　northeast　expression；　there　were　pink　sunbonnets　from　（I　should　imagine）　Spartanburg；　or　Charlotte；　or　Greenville；　there　were　masculine　boots　which　yet　bore　incrusted　upon　their　heels　the　red　mud　of　Aiken　or　of　Camden；　there　was　one　fat；　jewelled　exhalation　who　spoke　of　Palm　Beach　with　the　true　stockyard　twang；　and　looked　as　if　she　swallowed　a　million　every　morning　for　breakfast；　and　God　knows　how　many　more　for　the　ensuing　repasts；　she　was　the　only　detestable　specimen　among　us；　sunbonnets；　boots；　and　even　ungenial　New　England　proved　on　acquaintance　kindly；　simple；　enterprising　Americans；　yet　who　knows　if　sunbonnets　and　boots　and　all　of　us　wouldn't　have　become　just　as　detestable　had　we　but　been　as　she　was；　swollen　and　puffy　with　the　acute　indigestion　of　sudden　wealth？

This　reflection　made　me　charitable；　which　I　always　like　to　be；　and　I　imparted　it　to　the　bride。

〃My！〃　she　said。　And　I　really　don't　know　what　that　meant。

But　presently　I　understood　well　why　people　endured　the　discomfort　of　this　journey。　I　forgot　the　cinders　which　now　and　then　showered　upon　us；　and　the　heat　of　the　sun；　and　the　crowded　chairs；　I　forgot　the　boat　and　myself；　in　looking　at　the　passing　shores。　Our　course　took　us　round　Kings　Port　on　three　sides。　The　calm；　white　town　spread　out　its　width　and　length　beneath　a　blue　sky　softer　than　the　tenderest　dream；　the　white　steeples　shone　through　the　enveloping　brightness；　taking　to　each　other；　and　to　the　distant　roofs　beneath　them；　successive　and　changing　relations；　while　the　dwindling　mass　of　streets　and　edifices　followed　more　slowly　the　veering　of　the　steeples；　folded　upon　itself；　and　refolded；　opened　into　new　shapes　and　closed　again；　dwindling　always；　and　always　white　and　beautiful；　and　as　the　far…off　vision　of　it　held　the　eye；　the　few　masts　along　the　wharves　grew　thin　and　went　out　into　invisibility；　the　spires　became　as　masts；　the　distant　drawbridge　through　which　we　had　passed　sank　down　into　a　mere　stretching　line；　and　shining　Kings　Port　was　dissolved　in　the　blue　of　water　and　of　air。

The　curving　and　the　narrowing　of　the　river　took　it　at　last　from　view；　and　after　it　disappeared　the　spindling　chimneys　and　their　smoke；　which　were　along　the　bank　above　the　town　and　bridge；　leaving　us　to　progress　through　the　solitude　of　marsh　and　wood　and　shore。　The　green　levels　of　stiff　salt　grass　closed　in　upon　the　breadth　of　water；　and　we　wound　among　them；　looking　across　their　silence　to　the　deeper　silence　of　the　woods　that　bordered　them；　the　brooding　woods；　the　pines　and　the　liveoaks；　misty　with　the　motionless　hanging　moss；　and　misty　also　in　that　Southern　air　that　deepened　when　it　came　among　their　trunks　to　a　caressing；　mysterious；　purple　veil。　Every　line　of　this　landscape；　the　straight　forest　top；　the　feathery　breaks　in　it　of　taller　trees；　the　curving　marsh；　every　line　and　every　hue　and　every　sound　inscrutably　spoke　sadness。　I　heard　a　mocking…bird　once　in　some　blossoming　wild　fruit　tree　that　we　gradually　reached　and　left　gradually　behind；　and　more　than　once　I　saw　other　blossoms；　and　the　yellow　of　the　trailing　jessamine；　but　the　bird　could　not　sing　the　silence　away；　and　spring　with　all　her　abundance　could　not　hide　this　spiritual　autumn。

Dreams；　a　land　of　dreams；　where　even　the　high　noon　itself　was　dreamy；　a　melting　together　of　earth　and　air　and　water　in　one　eternal　gentleness　of　revery！　Whence　came　the　melancholy　of　this？　I　had　seen　woods　as　solitary　and　streams　as　silent；　I　had　felt　nature　breathing　upon　me　a　greater　awe；　but　never　before　such　penetrating　and　quiet　sadness。　I　only　know　that　this　is　the　perpetual　mood　of　those　Southern　shores；　those　rivers　that　wind　in　from　the　ocean　among　their　narrowing　marshes　and　their　hushed　forests；　and　that　it　does　not　come　from　any　memory　of　human　hopes　and　disasters；　but　from　the　elements　themselves。

So　did　we　move　onward；　passing　in　due　time　another　bridge　and　a　few　dwellings　and　some　excavations；　until　the　river　grew　quite　narrow；　and　there　ahead　was　the　landing　at　Live　Oaks；　with　negroes　idly　watching　for　us；　and　a　launch　beside　the　bank；　and　Charley　and　Hortense　Rieppe　about　to　step　into　it。　Another　man　stood　up　in　the　launch　and　talked　to　them　where　they　were　on　the　landing　platform；　and　pointed　down　the　river　as　we　approached；　but　evidently　he　did　not　point　at　us。　I　looked　hastily　to　see　what　he　was　indicating　to　them；　but　I　could　see　nothing　save　the　solitary　river　winding　away　between　the　empty　woods　and　marshes。

So　this　was　Hortense　Rieppe！　It　was　not　wonderful　that　she　had　caused　young　John　to　lose　his　heart；　or；　at　any　rate；　his　head　and　his　senses；　nor　was　it　wonderful　that　Charley；　with　his　little　bulging　eyes；　should　take　her　in　his　launch　whenever　she　would　go；　the　wonderful　thing　was　that　John；　at　his　age　and　with　his　nature；　should　have　got　over　itif　he　had　got　over　it！　I　felt　it　tingling　in　me；　any　man　would。　Steel　wasp　indeed！

She　was　slender；　and　oh；　how　well　dressed！　She　watched　the　passengers　get　off　the　boat；　and　I　could　not　tell　you　from　that　first　sight　of　her　what　her　face　was　like；　but　only　her　hair；　the　sunburnt　amber　of　its　masses　making　one　think　of　Tokay　or　Chateau…Yquem。　She　was　watching　me；　I　felt；　and　then　saw；　and　as　soon　as　I　was　near　she　spoke　to　me　without　moving；　keeping　one　gloved　hand　lightly　posed　upon　the　railing　of　the　platform；　so　that　her　long　arm　was　bent　with　perfect　ease　and　grace。　I　swear　that　none　but　a　female　eye　could　have　detected　any　toboggan　fire…escape。

Her　words　dropped　with　the　same　calculated　deliberation；　the　same　composed　and　rich　indifference。　〃These　gardens　are　so　beautiful。〃

Such　was　her　first　remark；　chosen　with　some　purpose；　I　knew　quite　well；　and　I　observed　that　I　hoped　I　was　not　too　late　for　their　full　perfection；　if　too　late　to　visit　them　in　her　company。

She　turned　her　head　slightly　toward　Charley。　〃We　have　been　enjoying　them　so　much。〃

It　was　of　absorbing　interest　to　feel　simultaneously　in　these　brief　speeches　he　vouchsafedspeeches　consummate　in　their　inexpressive　flatnessthe　intentional　coldness　and　the　latent　heat　of　the　creature。　Since　Natchez　and　Mobile　（or　whichever　of　them　it　had　been　that　had　witnessed　her　beginnings）　she　had　encountered　many　men　and　women；　those　who　could　be　of　use　to　her　and　those　who　could　not；　and　in　dealing　with　them　she　had　tempered　and　chiselled　her　insolence　to　a　perfect　instrument；　to　strike　or　to　shield。　And　of　her　greatest　gift；　also；　she　was　entirely　awarehow　could　she　help　being；　with　her　evident　experience？　　She　knew　that　round　her　whole　form　swam　a　delicious；　invisible　sphere；　a　distillation　that　her　veriest　self　sent　forth；　as　gardenias　do　their　perfume；　moving　where　she　moved　and　staying　where　she　stayed；　and　compared　with　which　wine　was　a　feeble　vapor　for　a　man　to　get　drunk　on。

〃Flowers　are　always　so　delightful。〃

That　was　her　third　speech；　pronounced　just　like　the　others；　in　a　low；　clear　voicesimplicity　arrived　at　by　much　well…practiced　complexity。　And　she　still　looked　at　Charley。

Charley　now　responded　in　his　little　banker　accent。　〃It　is　a　magnificent　collection。〃　This　he　said　looking　at　me；　and　moving　a　highly　polished　finger…nail　along　a　very　slender　mustache。

The　eyes　of　Hortense　now　for　a　moment　glanced　at　the　mixed　company　of　boat…passengers；　who　were　beginning　to　be　led　off　in　pilgrim　groups　by　the　appointed　guides。

〃We　were　warned　it　would　be　too　crowded；〃　she　remarked。

Charley　was　looking　at　her　foot。　I　can't　say　whether　or　not　the　two　light　taps　that　the　foot　now　gave　upon　the　floor　of　the　landing　brought　out　for　me　a　certain　impatience　which　I　might　otherwise　have　missed　in　those　last　words　of　hers。　From　Charley　it　brought　out；　I　feel　quite　sure；　the　speech　which　（in　some　form）　she　had　been　expecting　from　him　as　her　confederate　in　this　unwelcome　and　inopportune　interview　with　me；　and　which　his　less　highly　schooled　perceptions　had　not　suggested　to　him　until　prompted　by　her。

〃I　should　have　been　very　glad　to　include　you　in　our　launch　party　if　I　had　known　you　were　coming　here　to…day；〃　lied　little　Charley。

〃Thank　you　so　much！〃　I　murmured；　and　I　fancy　that　after　this　Hortense　hated　me　worse　than　ever。　Well；　why　should　I　play　her　game？　If　anybody　had　any　claim　upon　me；　was　it　she？　I　would　get　as　much　diversion　as　I　could　from　this　encounter。

Hortense　had　looked　at　Charley　when　she　spoke　for　my　benefit；　and　it　now　pleased　me　very　much　to　look　at　him　when　I　spoke　for　hers。

〃I　could　almost　give　up　the　gardens　for　the　sake　of　returning　with　you；〃　I　said　to　him。

This　was　most　successful　in　producing　a　perceptible　silence　before　Hortense　said；　〃Do　come。〃

I　wanted　to　say　to　her；　〃You　are　quite　splendidas　splendid　a