"And how if you are a stranger—a man in the street?"
"In every city in our land you may go into any eating house and find food as good—and cheap—as this," said Hallie, triumphantly.
[CHAPTER V]
While below they took me into the patio, that quiet inner garden which was so attractive from above. It was a lovely place. The moon was riding high and shone down into it; a slender fountain spray rose shimmering from its carved basin; on the southern-facing wall a great wistaria vine drooped in budding purple, and beds of violets made the air rich with soft fragrance.
Here and there were people walking; and in the shadowy corners sat young couples, apparently quite happy.
"I suppose you don't know the names of one of them," I suggested.
"On the contrary, I know nearly all," answered Hallie. "These apartments are taken very largely by friends and acquaintances. You see, the gardens and roofs are in common, and there are the reading-rooms, ballrooms, and so on. It is pleasanter to be friends to begin with, and most of us get to be afterward, if we are not at first.
"But surely there are some disagreeable people left on earth!"
"Yes; but where there is so much more social life people get together in congenial sets," put in Nellie; "just as we used to in summer resorts."
"There aren't so many bores and fools as there used to be, John," Owen remarked. "We really do raise better people. Even the old ones have improved. You see, life is so much pleasanter and more interesting."