He listened with a simple joy in it, and his pleasure strengthened the mystic bond which had formed itself between us through the confidences he had made me, so flatteringly corroborative of all my guesses concerning him and his party. IV I LONGED to have the chance of bragging to my wife; but this chance did not come till the concert was quite over, after I rejoined her with my companion, and she could take leave of them all without seeming to abandon them. Then I judged it best to let her have the word; for I knew by the way she ran her hand through my arm, and began pushing me along out of earshot, that she was full of it. “Well, Basil, I think that is the sweetest and simplest and kindest creature in the world, and I’m perfectly in love with her.” I did not believe somehow that she meant the girl, but I thought it best merely to suggest, “There are two.” “You know very well which I mean, and I would do anything I could for her. She’s got a difficult problem before her, and I pity her. The girl’s very well, and she _is_ a beauty; and I suppose she _has_ been having a dull time, and of course you couldn’t please Mrs. Deering half so well as by doing something for her friend. I suppose you’re feeling very proud that they’re just what you divined.” “Not at all; I’m so used to divining people. How did you know I knew it?” “I saw you talking to him, and I knew you were pumping him.” “Pumping? He asked nothing better than to flow. He would put to shame the provoked spontaneity of any spring in Saratoga.” “Well, did he say that he was going to leave them here?” “He would like to do it—yes. He was very sweet and simple and kind, too, Isabel. He complained bitterly of the goddess, and all but said she sulked.” “Why, I don’t know,” said my wife. “I think, considering, that she is rather amiable. She brightened up more and more.” “That was prosperity, or the hope of it, my dear. Nothing illumines us like the prospect of pleasant things. She took you for society smiling upon her, and of course she smiled back. But it’s only the first smile of prosperity that cheers. If it keeps on smiling it ends by making us dissatisfied again. When people are getting into society they are very glad; when they have got in they seem to be rather gloomy. We mustn’t let these things go too far. Now that you’ve got your friends in good humour, the right way is to drop them—to cut them dead when you meet them, to look the other way. That will send them home perfectly radiant.”