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"The difference is that these young people take it for granted that they're going to get whatever they want, and that we alranted that we shouldn't Only, I wonder--the thing one's so certain of in advance: can it ever make one's heart beat as wildly?"

It was the day after their arrival in Paris, and the spring sunshine held Archer in his open , above the wide silvery prospect of the Place Vendos he had stipulated--alreed to come abroad with Dallas, was that, in Paris, he shouldn't be ht--of course," Dallas good-naturedly agreed "I'll take you to so his father speechless at hearing that the century-long hos and emperors was now spoken of as an old-fashioned inn, where one went for its quaint inconveniences and lingering local colour

Archer had pictured often enough, in the first impatient years, the scene of his return to Paris; then the personal vision had faded, and he had si of Madaht in his library, after the household had gone to bed, he had evoked the radiant outbreak of spring down the avenues of horse-chestnuts, the flowers and statues in the public gardens, the whiff of lilacs froreat bridges, and the life of art and study and pleasure that filled eachNow the spectacle was before hilory, and as he looked out on it he felt shy, old-fashioned, inadequate: a nificent fellow he had drea

Dallas's hand came down cheerily on his shoulder "Hullo, father: this is so out in silence, and then the young e for you: the Countess Olenska expects us both at half-past five"

He said it lightly, carelessly, as he ht have imparted any casual item of information, such as the hour at which their train was to leave for Florence the next evening Archer looked at hireat-grandott's malice

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Dallas pursued "Fanny et her the score of the last Debussy songs, go to the Grand-Guignol and see Madaood to Fanny when Mr Beaufort sent her over from Buenos Ayres to the Assomption Fanny hadn't any friends in Paris, and Madame Olenska used to be kind to her and trot her about on holidays I believe she was a great friend of the first Mrs Beaufort's And she's our cousin, of course So I rang her up this , before I went out, and told her you and I were here for two days and wanted to see her"