VI
Mrs. Boardman poured her sister a second cup of coffee. Wilfred had just departed for school, and the sisters were able to talk more freely.
“Sister,” said Mrs. Boardman, looking very uncomfortable, “do you . . . do you entirely believe Joe’s story?”
Miss Gittings looked no less uncomfortable, but answered quickly: “I see no reason. . . . Huh? . . . Obviously Joe was too ignorant to . . . anyhow, you and I agreed long ago that it was better to be deceived than to be sceptical!”
“Wilfred says. . . .”
Miss Gittings caught her up. “And since when have we been taking Wilfred as an. . . . Huh? . . . Oh, Wilfred is so . . . I declare, Fanny! You know it as well as I do!”
“But Joe’s story does vary, sister.”
“That signifies nothing. A spiritual experience is susceptible of various. . . . Huh?”
“Well, very likely you’re right. . . . What are you going to do about him?”
“Do about him?”
“Well, he keeps coming here. . . .”
“I don’t see why you should put the entire responsibility up to me!” said Miss Gittings tartly.
“You brought him here the first time.”
“I didn’t!”
“Sister!”
“He brought me. . . . Huh? . . .”
“Oh, he makes me so uncomfortable!” cried Mrs. Boardman from her heart. “And you, too, sister! It is useless for you to deny it!”
Miss Gittings did not deny it. She merely stirred her coffee. After awhile she said: “I think my first plan. . . . Huh? . . . A strangely pertinacious boy! . . . Let us take him. . . . That must be his Jewish blood . . . to a meeting of the circle. If Professor Boiling or Mr. Latham should happen to. . . . Huh? They being men . . . it would be more suitable. . . .”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Boardman with a sigh. “Certainly he is too much for us! . . . But sister,” she objected. “If we took him to one of the meetings wouldn’t it look as if we were prepared to vouch for him?”
“Vouch for him?” echoed Miss Gittings, startled. “Huh? . . . Well, what alternative is there?”
“I thought we might just mention Joe to Professor Bolling, without taking any responsibility for him, and ask the Professor here some night to question Joe.”
Miss Gittings considered the suggestion. “Yes,” she said, “letting the professor understand of course that our minds were quite. . . . Huh? We might ask Mr. Latham the same night; and Mrs. Van Buren; but not the other members of the circle with whom we are not exactly on. . . . Yes! And we might ask two or three people from outside the circle to whom we wish to show some little. . . . Quite informally. . . . Huh? . . . But Joe himself, sister, do you think. . . . Huh? . . .”
“Oh, I’m sure he will behave admirably,” said Mrs. Boardman, not without a touch of bitterness. “He is so quick to adapt himself.”
“It must all be very informal. . . . You might make one of your Spanish buns. . . . Huh?”
“Do you think we could pass wine? In father’s day. . . .”
“I think that would be an affectation now. Everybody knows that we do not keep wine in the house. . . . It would give us an opportunity of asking Cousin Emily Gore here. . . . Huh? . . . She affects to be interested in. . . . And we cannot entertain such rich people in any formal way.”
“Do you suppose Amasa Gore would come?” asked Mrs. Boardman eagerly.
“Naturally; if it was in the evening. Cousin Emily is not the sort of woman who goes out in the evening without her husband.”
“Oh! in that case he could meet Wilfred, without it seeming to have been contrived! Oh, sister! if Mr. Gore would only take an interest in Wilfred, the boy’s future would be secure! . . . But Wilfred is so difficult!”
“I will prepare him beforehand,” said Miss Gittings.
“No! No! sister. I confess I do not understand the boy, but I am sure that would be a mistake! He becomes so cynical and obstinate when we try to point out a proper course of action to him. Say nothing to him beforehand. It is the only way!”
“Oh well, in any case Mr. Gore must do something. . . . Huh? . . . We may properly let them see that we expect it. . . . His wife’s first cousin only once removed! . . . A pitcher of lemonade will be much more suitable. . . .”
“What about a bottle of whiskey for the gentlemen?”
“Cousin Emily would hardly approve. She has strong views. . . .”