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Tarrant spoke as if, as a family, they were prepared to take charge of them on moderate terms. He always said "ma'am" in speaking to Olive, to whom, moreover, the air had never been so filled with the sound of her own name. It was always in her ear, save when Mrs. Tarrant and Verena conversed in prolonged and ingenuous asides; this was still for her benefit, but the pronoun sufficed them.
Why not take a stroll with me there as I did with you in the little park at Harvard?" he asked, when Olive had disappeared. "Oh, I have seen it, very well, in every corner. A friend of mine kindly took me to drive there yesterday," Verena said. "A friend? do you mean Mr. Burrage?" And Ransom stood looking at her with his extraordinary eyes.
It was Olive's plan of life not to lie, and attributing a similar disposition to people she liked, it was impossible for her to believe that Verena had had the intention of deceiving her. Mrs.
Miss Tredgold sailed into view. She took her seat opposite the hissing urn and began to pour out cups of tea. "For a week," she said, "I take this place. At the end of that time Verena occupies my throne." "Oh, I couldn't!" said Verena. "Why in the world not, Renny? You aren't quite a goose." "Don't use those expressions, Pauline; they are distinctly vulgar," said Miss Tredgold.
That was what Basil Ransom had been saying to Verena when they stood where Olive perceived them, in the embrasure of the window. It had of course taken considerable talk to lead up to this; for the tone, even more than the words, indicated a large increase of intimacy.
Come along, Paulie. We are to be at Murray's in the High Street at eleven o'clock." Pauline turned and walked soberly by her sister's side. "Are you as tired as ever this morning, Paulie?" asked Verena. "I am not tired at all," replied Pauline. Verena considered for a minute. "Aunt Sophy is often anxious about you," she said. "I can't imagine why, but she is.
Where will you take me?" "We shall catch the night-train for New York, and the first thing in the morning we shall be married." Verena remained gazing at him, with swimming eyes. "And what will the people do? Listen, listen!" "Your father is ceasing to interest them. They'll howl and thump, according to their nature." "Ah, their nature's fine!" Verena pleaded.
Olive listened to this, and the memory of how, in the house in Tenth Street, Verena had rebuked her doubts, professed her own faith anew, came back to her with a force which made the present situation appear slightly less terrific.
This was slightly obscure, as well as very melancholy, and Verena was relieved when her companion remarked, in a moment, "You must think me strangely inconsequent"; for this gave her a chance to reply, soothingly: "Why, you don't suppose I expect you to keep always screwed up! I will stay a week with Mrs.
Thank you; I think you're cool!" Verena cried, with a laugh which her chronicler knows to have been expressive of some embarrassment, though Basil Ransom did not. "You must remember that I have, on two different occasions, listened to you for an hour, in speechless, submissive attention, and that I shall probably do it a great many times more."
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