"Not a gad," said Nan laughing. They sat side by side on the curvebacked sofa in front of the window. Nan was looking down at Aunt M.'s old hands swollen at the knuckles that lay halfclenched on the full mauve satin of her dress. In her nostrils was a tang from the chrysanthemums.
"And how's your practicing?"
"Pretty good this week."
"You know how I feel about your music, Nancibel." There was a flame of blue in Aunt M.'s hazel eyes.
"You mustn't put too much faith in it," said Nan roughly. She went on hastily in a high nervous voice like her voice when she had people to tea: "Practiced every day but Thursday. Worked to a frazzle, really. How the neighbors must hate me. And there's somebody two floors down who plays the cornet all the morning, so we do a sort of distant duet with the effect quite ... modern."
"Why didn't you practice Thursday deary?"
"I went out to Nahant with Fanshaw and Wendell to see the surf. There was a wonderful noreaster blowing."
"You see a lot of those two young men."
"Of course I do.... But, Auntie, what have you been doing? When did you get the chrysanthemums? they're lovely."
"You can't get me off the track that way," said Aunt M. with a sly smile. "Which of them is it, Nancibel?"